Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
unified threat management (UTM)
products to protect their networks from security threats
and breaches.
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Preventing, Detecting, and Correcting Errors
The most cost-effective time to deal with potential errors is early in the design phase. Every
example, had installed backup electrical generators in case of a power failure. When a fuel
truck crashed near its facility and spilled its flammable cargo, the city shut down all power
to the area and didn't let Hanford Brothers use its electrical generators, fearing it could cause
an explosion or severe fire. This minor incident completely shut down the IS center for the
company until the spill could be cleaned up. In addition to minor problems, other important
security and control measures, including disaster planning and recovery and adequate backup
procedures, must be considered.
Disaster Planning and Recovery
Disaster planning
is the process of anticipating and providing for disasters. A disaster can be
an act of nature (a flood, fire, or earthquake) or a human act (terrorism, error, labor unrest,
or erasure of an important file). Disaster planning often focuses primarily on two issues:
maintaining the integrity of corporate information and keeping the information system run-
ning until normal operations can be resumed. Disaster planning, however, can be expensive.
According to a director of project development for a filtration company, “The business
side just isn't aware of the costs of disaster recovery projects, and that lack of understanding
34 percent of IS data center managers believed they were prepared for a disaster or data center
failure.
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Disaster recovery
is the implementation of the disaster plan. According to a Harris
Interactive survey, 71 percent of IS managers considered disaster recovery as important or
disaster recovery
The implementation of the
disaster plan.
Figure 13.4
Disaster Recovery Efforts
(Source: UPI Photo/Earl Cryer/
Landov.)
