E.SoundararajanR.Baskaran &

M.Sai BabaIndira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam

Digital disaster recovery is defined as all activities designed to restore critical data, their supporting systems, and other digital services after a disaster.

The primary goal of the Disaster Recovery Management is to ensure the availability of the enterprise data and services without downtime or preferably less downtime to the end user community

Hardware failure and data loss Network configuration errors External attacks (Malicious software, Virus,

Hacking etc) Format obsolescence Core utility or building failure Software failure Operator error Physical security breach Media degradation Manmade as well as natural disasters.

People◦ The technical staff should be available all the time at the site .◦ Sufficient training needs to be given to them.

Physical facilities◦ Alternate work area to established within the same site, at a

different company location, at a third-party-provided location, at employees’ homes or at a transportable work facility..

Technology◦ The Digital Library infrastructure should be properly configured

with false flooring, suitable ventilation and air conditioning, uninterrupted primary electrical power, fire alarm and control systems , the connectivity of the alternate technology area from the primary site, provision for staffing at an alternate technology site, availability of failover (to a backup system) and failback (return to normal operations) technologies to facilitate recovery, support for legacy systems and physical and information security capabilities at the alternate site.

Data◦ Timely and regular backup of critical data to a secure

storage should be done. The issues to be considered here are : (i) Method(s) of data storage (disk, tape, optical, etc), (ii) connectivity and bandwidth requirements to ensure all

critical data can be backed up in required time scales, (iii) data protection capabilities at the alternate storage

site, and (iv) availability of technical support from qualified third-

party service providers. Policies and procedures

◦ Define policies for IT disaster recovery and have them approved by senior management.

The library should maintain multiple copies of digital collection content (data, documentation, metadata, and associated materials) in digital form.

At least one copy of the digital collection content will be stored offline on tape media or with a cloud storage company as a failsafe copy.

Digital Asset Management will monitor changes in the technology environment to manage risk as technology evolves and to provide continuing access and updated methods of access as necessary, such as migrating digital content to new formats or providing system emulators to access original formats.

Testing and validation of current tape backup procedures

Improved physical and intellectual control over system hardware

Increased documentation of institutional knowledge

Creation of a Disaster Recovery Planning Committee

Initiation of staff training and tests of organizational compliance.

Establish restore methodologies and demonstrate that digital content can be restored from backups as needed.

Monitor the repository’s media for possible degradation and subsequent integrity

Adopt an environmental control monitoring system for the server room.

Install an uninterrupted power supply to the server room.

Mirror servers to be created for critical contents. Develop a business continuity plan in the event of a

physical or digital disaster that includes off-site services, and/or off-line manuals for departments.

Develop training plans and policies for data storage and recovery.

Keep multiple physical and digital copies of this plan and all disaster documents in safe and accessible places.