Computer Systems: Network Services
Disaster Recovery
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Secure Server Room
IT maintains a main server room at China Basin Landing and a separate fail-over site. Both sites feature state-of-the art environmental controls and security features such as:
- Secure, limited access server rooms with alarm systems
- Floor-mount, locking server racks with built-in AC and mounted power strips
- Dedicated AC unit with temperature monitoring, fire detection and suppression, and alarm systems
- Dedicated circuit breaker and power distribution units to main server room
- Uninterruptible power supply equipment for all servers
Back-ups
All department workstations and servers are automatically backed-up every day of the week. Back-up systems are monitored daily. Cumulative snapshots are taken of data on all servers and workstations at night. Laptops are backed-up during the day. To ensure that your data benefits from this protocol:
- PC users — Do not turn off your PC when you leave for the day. Turning the computer off prevents automated maintenance and back-up procedures from running (monitors can be turned off).
- MAC users — Store important documents on your M drive.
- Laptop users — If you use a network-supported laptop, physically connect it to the network during the day so that data will be backed-up automatically. Non-supported laptops must be backed-up manually. If you are part of the Biostatistics Division, contact Richard Tabor for assistance. For other users, contact the Helpdesk.
IT also performs ad-hoc back-ups of retired systems and closed studies, and data from the desktops of employees who have left the department. Ad-hoc back-ups are kept for one year unless otherwise requested.
Off-site Storage
Network back-ups are written to tape and sent to an off-site vendor every two weeks, with tapes being rotated every two months.
Recovery/File Restores
If you inadvertently delete important files or data from the network, contact the Helpdesk to have them restored. Provide as much information as possible (e.g., file/database name and network location) so that IT can locate the correct items. IT will always restore data from the most recent back-up, and in most cases, can do so within an hour.
For larger recovery efforts, IT has established priorities for restoration of services. For more information, see network SOP N04, Back-up and Recovery of DEB Network and Systems.
Documentation
IT maintains documentation of the network environment and changes to the environment according to network standard operating procedures.
Prevention Inspections
QA conducts annual inspections of user areas, server rooms, and network documentation and reports findings to the IT Oversight Committee and SFCC Executive Committee. Findings are tracked to resolution.