Down to the wire

1
Down to the wire

• Agenda
• Backdrop
• Why we undertook this project
• Key project objectives
• How it works
• What makes it different
• Benefits and key learnings
• Questions

2
Backdrop

• Who are Transit NZ
• What we do
• Why systems recovery is important to Transit NZ

3
Why we undertook this project

• The role of Transit Information Systems
• Big challenges
• Data growth
• Data management
• Scalability and flexibility
• Pressing needs

4
Key project objectives

• Business systems data had to be recoverable so
  that there was no more than 24 hours loss of data
  (from the time of a disaster occurring)
• Critical underlying infrastructures delivering
  these systems had to be recoverable
• The business systems applications had to be
  recoverable in line with business expectations
  during a disaster
• Reduce fulltime equivalent hours tied up in
  backup and restoration tasks for redeployment on
  higher value business projects

5
How it works (at last)
6
What makes it different

• Techniques and technology
• Scalability
• Flexibility
• Ongoing costs

7
Results

• All business data is recoverable so that there is
  not more than one days down time or one days
  data loss
• Critical underlying infrastructures to deliver
  these systems are recoverable
• The business systems applications are recoverable
  in line with business expectations during a
  disaster
• We have freed up to half a day of a staff member
  from backup management activities for
  reallocation to higher value business projects
  all in the first month of operation

8
Lessons learnt

• Stakeholder consultation
• Planning
• More planning
• And some more
• Staff buy-in

9
The END

• Questions (5 minutes)

10
Why HdS? and Why TransitNZ?

• HdS had the makings of a solution for part of a
  BCP, the facilities, the skills and needed a
  friendly customer
• TransitNZ had the business issues and a
  willingness to work with us (and needed a
  friendly supplier)
• Risks to both parties Yes
• Upsides to both parties Yes
• Downsides Well at least we tried!
• Why bother to do anything for continuity? It is
  a legal requirement for shareholder
  representatives of organisations to have in place
  plans that protect the entity and allow it to
  continue and maintain its value.

11
B.C.P. DR

• DR is traditionally the IT bit that requires
  special resources to be in place BCP requires
  access to those special resources, but much much
  more.
• Keeping the customers happy, informed
• Keeping the investors/owners happy and confident
• Alternative premises, manual systems, work
  arounds, rebuilding the enterprise, returning to
  normal operations

12
DR before BCP?

• If DR is only part of BCP, and BCP means being
  driven by business requirements, why have a DR
  plan that is not part of BCP? Or, can DR function
  as a standalone discipline?
• Some thoughts
• Even if business continuity is not important,
  governance is So records must be retained
• BCP can be simplified after DR is resolved (data
  in a single alternative site, common tools across
  the enterprise)
• BCP is changing, virtual offices, virtual call
  centres facilitated by unified messaging, better
  communication links being deployed in Europe/US.
  Virtual continuity?

13
DATA is King

• Working from the bottom up, what is required for
  continuity?
• Some resources can be re purchased (H/W and S/W)
• Some resources can be replaced (W/W, premises)
• Some resources MUST be retained (data)
• Data retention and usability is the core of any
  DR plan
• The first imperative is that data must be in a
  known place and in a known state. After that the
  rest is simple - well almost!
• Data is the start of a rebuild. It is the core of
  the enterprise that must be protected

14
What to do?

• Outsource or not outsource?
• Partly outsource or totally outsource?
• Part of BCP, independent of BCP?
• Do it yourself?
• But do it!
• And take care of your data FIRST

15
Tips (Keep it simple)

• Common tools for saving your data
• Put it somewhere safe, away from harm
• Have access to it as required
• Know how to rebuild it
• Ask for help if you need it (some of us are nice
  people too)