The first step in a successful high-availability strategy is to ensure you have the proper security protocols in place to protect your systems from hackers and viruses as well as power protection to assist in power outages.
Storage Area Networks - Creating a SAN environment is a popular method for storage environments. SAN systems share storage devices to ensure that if one goes down, the other devices have access to the data and can serve it up to users.
Replicating and Clustering - Replication and clustering technologies are another popular component of a high-availability strategy. At a basic level, both technologies copy data from the primary system to the secondary system. Replication software performs this at a file level while clustering does so at a volume level. Both replication and clustering can be conducted over a LAN or WAN environment. A key feature to look for in replication and clustering products is whether or not they support asynchronous or synchronous replication and automatic failover.
Failover - Having a failover site several miles — or better yet, in a completely different part of the country — can ensure that, in the event of a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or flood, your secondary systems are far enough away from your primary location and won't be negatively impacted.
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A fully-integrated high-availability strategy is integral to business continuity and operations, and can help your organization achieve the following benefits:
Mitigate Risk - Effective backup protocols form the foundation of any disaster recovery plan.
Boost Productivity - High availability provides users with 24 x 7 access to mission-critical applications.
Protection From Financial Loss - Revenue-producing systems such as web checkouts, order processing systems and call centers are always online.
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CDW-G has developed a simple, yet comprehensive approach to high-availability solutions that has proven successful for organizations of all kinds.
Step 1: Engage Your Account Manager
Your CDW-G account manager and storage specialists will work with you to assess your current and future environment and deliver a solution that includes the right mix of hardware, software and services.
Step 2: Assess and Design
We begin by taking an environmental profile which includes the type of current data and systems, the value and use of that data, and your acceptable level of downtime for these systems. Based on this detailed study, CDW-G will provide a best-in-class solution.
Step 3: Implement
CDW-G takes a comprehensive approach to implementation, installation and integration. Working together, we will design detailed configurations for your future environment, drawing from our enormous in-stock inventory. We work with multiple providers to deliver a high-availability solution that fits seamlessly into your IT environment. We also offer complete software configuration and installation.
Step 4: Manage
CDW-G's commitment to your high-availability solution continues long after your purchase. Certified technicians offer 24 x 7 telephone support for ongoing management needs, and you can always access online tech support through your My Account tab above. The My Account area also serves as a round-the-clock extension of your account manager: detailing your pricing, order status, account history and more.
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