Also one needs to count the cost of recovery of more than just your
database. A server failure usually means an install onto a PC to keep
the site working, having to reconfigure all clients, then a repair of
the server and doing it all over again. We seem to run into an average
of one of these per year and the time taken has been over 20 hours in
tech time on each occurrence (each has been large, Active Directory
domains). To avoid this kind of recovery we're starting to insist on
nightly snapshot backups of the entire server to a removable hard disk
as part of the backup strategy, and allow a machine on-site that has
similar if not identical hardware to the server. This will ensure that
in 90% of failures we can have the site back up and running very quickly.
Peter,
I had some registered DDR RAM fail in my then, 4 doctor practice last
year. I assume this fulfils your criteria as "server failure".
I put in place the machine (a then, 2 year old dell laptop with a 1Gb of
RAM) that I used to test my backups. To restore the most recent backup
of BP (4-5Gb uncompressed database) took about 30min. To restore the PS2
backup took about 10 minutes. Each workstation was able to "find" its
instance of sequel server with about 10 minutes of friggin about, per
workstation. Ran that way until determined the cause of the server
failure and I sourced and installed new RAM. Bit slow. No actual
functioning network but it actually work for Electonic Health records
and Practice Management Software. My accounting software is not on the
server
Had new RAM within a few days and everything was put back the way it was.
I learnt a few lessons and I now use a much better machine for testing
backups as well as my laptop. I am considering NAS and more frequent
server backups, but think that in an emergency scenario, that will not
be the quickest way to get the practice up and running
My point is that in the case of "server failure" my down time was about
one hour. I did this without external tech support. I did it without an
expensive spare machine that is similarly configured to my server (Twin
Xeon 3.6Gb, 2Gb Ram and 2 mirrored SCSI HDD's. Intel Server Mobo and
Intel RAID Controller. I think practices need a better solution in event
of crises, than ringing their computer support company. (and yes I do
have one of those as well. They were the ones who sourced the RAM).
Gary
PS. If anybody can point me to some drivers for Yellow Dog Linux to run
a wireless keyboard and mouse on a PS3, I would be grateful (and my wife
will stop telling me off for the cables in the lounge room)
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