IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services

IBM's continuity services help organizations maintain critical business continuity and recovery functions in an emergency through customized continuous availability, rapid recovery, and hot-site recovery. While IBM is by no means the only disaster recovery service provider in the industry, over the past 11 years IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services has grown to become the biggest. Acts of terrorism, unpredictable natural disasters, infrastructure failures, or unexpected downtime with hardware or software cost individual companies thousands of dollars in lost equipment and company productivity. Downtime— even minutes for a high-availability system— can represent a serious business interruption. With these services, IBM enables business continuity and Internet security management on the enterprise level.

Note

Business Recovers From Terrorist Attack on U.S.— At the opening of business on Wednesday, 12 September 2001, IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services Operations was supporting an unprecedented number of disaster declarations and subsequent alerts. Numbers rose throughout the following days. IBM's 24-hour-a-day Emergency Operations Center (EOC) staff of specialists in hardware platforms, networks, and crisis management began immediately to ensure that IBM customers were placed and supported to meet their requirements. Facilities along the Eastern seaboard and elsewhere supported the businesses affected— largely financial services companies in lower Manhattan, but a variety of industries have also activated IBM continuity support. In addition, building evacuations in other cities caused still other IBM clients to initiate an alert status of their service contracts.

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IBM

New Orchard Road

Armonk, NY 10504, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 914 499 1900

Internet: www.ibm.com

IBM's Business Continuity and Recovery Services (a business unit within IBM Global Services) focuses on managing the comprehensive business implications of an interruption in processing rather than simply coping with the technical problems. Services include risk analysis and management, disaster avoidance, consultation, recovery centers, and a range of business continuity and planning services. In addition to continuity and recovery services— including fully equipped hot sites— IBM offers recovery assessment and planning services, critical business process continuity services, risk management, and continuity advisory services and business continuity services. The suite of continuity services includes:

• Multi-Vendor IT Recovery Services— traditional hot site and rapid recovery facilities for network, IT, and workplace facilities involving platforms from a variety of vendors.
• Consulting— IT Recovery Assessment and Planning Services include recoverability assessment, recovery strategy definition, plan development, and process and procedures design.
• Business Risk Management and Continuity Advisory Services provide business impact analysis, risk management analysis, and crisis management services.
• Critical Business Process Continuity Services— call center continuity services, managed security, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and application continuity services.
• Business Continuity and Recovery Services Managed by IBM— coordinate with other IBM Global Services.

Customers for these services include large, midrange, distributed systems, and client/server environments.

In the event of a disruption or disaster, IBM subscribers can relocate their business processing to a selected IBM business recovery center (hot site) for restoring vital business data and processes. The subscriber can carry out normal business functions in that center for up to six weeks, although most recoveries require less time in the hot site. The subscriber then resumes business at its own site. If more time is needed, the subscriber has access to a "cold site" or ready-conditioned raised floor on which the subscriber may install its own IBM or non-IBM equipment. Multi-Vendor IT Recovery Services support hardware from a variety of vendors. Customers may select a combination of any of the following options to meet their needs:

• Multi-Vendor Technology— Backup and recovery services supporting non-IBM hardware for a wide range of computing environments and vendor platforms in a variety of configurations which may, or may not, include IBM products.
• IBM Technology— Provides options and programs specifically tailored to a client's IBM information technology environment. These options can include restoration of the client's computing hardware and peripherals, communications equipment, operating systems, and infrastructure.
• Networks— IBM Recovery Centers provide the computer equipment, peripherals, network connectivity, workspaces, and communications devices that allow corporations of all sizes uninterrupted processing as they recover from a disaster. Technical, operational, and administrative support can meet all recovery requirements. IBM's network and recovery specialists can develop a recovery program that facilitates connectivity and communication capabilities for a client's network. For instance, to ensure continuity in a Web-based environment, IBM can redirect Web traffic to an alternate site while providing recovery of the client's Web server environment. Solutions for LANs, SANs, etc., range from fast rerouting of WAN traffic to an IBM recovery center, to establishing a permanent point of presence for a client's network nodes at an IBM center. IBM services can be used to link recovery systems, providing end-to-end network connectivity over WANs, LANs, or a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• Workplace Environments (including Mobile Vans)— Support at any location where the customer has operations and needs assistance. This could extend to an end-user's home office and includes desktop, telephone, PC, servers, or anything that the end user would need to do the job. Service includes facilities, multivendor equipment, and technicians to support the workplace environment. Hardened recovery centers, the focus of IBM's workplace recovery portfolio, offer an alternative working environment for client personnel. Each site provides a capacity of 25 to 500 users, allowing access to 3,500 end-user workplace positions worldwide. Modular and mobile centers are also available to relocate employees to a temporary workspace. These mobile facilities can be configured as data/command centers or as end-user or call center facilities that can support over 400 users.

IBM offers several levels of recovery configuration options to provide the extent of service each client may need.

• Security: Each site's security includes 24-hour building security guards, ample private parking, and badge or scramble pad access to private suites.
• Office Areas and Supplies: Most facilities include a range of fully equipped end-user spaces, technical software support, reference manuals, customer amenities (ATM machines, conference rooms with white board and markers), office area and various supplies (desks, chairs, locking file cabinets, restrooms/showers, office supplies, fax, and copier), and loading dock. They also have a freight elevator, shipping and receiving, telephones, phone ports for laptops, a vending area, a customer lounge with color TV, couches, a food preparation area, reading material, refrigerator, sink, coffee maker, vending machines, microwave, and ice and water dispensers.

In addition to basic hot-site recovery services, Rapid Recovery services include vaulting, journaling and mirroring services for operating systems, applications, and databases— either directly or to Storage Area Network (SAN) disk. To IBM, "Rapid Recovery" means getting the customer restored in less than the normal hot-site time. The goal is to reduce the recovery window. Services at the hot site, such as having the operating system up and running, ready to load for the customer, decrease the time it takes to start the process. Other features include the electronic transfer of data, direct-access storage device (DASD), and dedicated hardware. These features allow mirroring of client data— simultaneous storage of the client's live production data at another location. Since the live data is duplicated and the mirrored storage is virtually current at all times (the lag depends upon the solution implemented), no "restore" component is required— which speeds up the recovery time. Rapid Recovery supports NT, NetWare, and Solaris servers, as well as Oracle, S/390 standby operating system, S/390 journaling, and S/390 mirroring.

Two consulting approaches provide outsourced planning services for business continuity and recovery with the expertise of IBM Global Services' Business Continuity and Recovery Services. IBM support can range from consulting only to operating and managing the entire process for clients. This service can focus on both IT and business issues.

IT Recovery Assessment and Planning Services help assess and improve the recoverability of IT infrastructure and include:

• Recoverability Assessments,
• Strategy Definition,
• Plan Development,
• Process and Procedure Design, and
• Continuity Workshops.

Business Risk Management and Continuity Advisory Services help assess the impact of a disruption to critical business processes and include:

• Risk Management Analysis,
• Business Impact Analysis, and
• Crisis Management Services

These services provide a fully outsourced service for all or any part of continuity program management from planning to execution of a recovery. Critical Business Process Continuity Services provides:

• Continuity and Security Services for e-business,
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Continuity Services,
• Call Center Continuity Services, and
• Application Continuity Services.

Managed security provides comprehensive services to reduce e-business-related security risks with proactive, ongoing testing of an organization's Internet environment with:

• Intrusion detection,
• Vulnerability scanning,
• Firewall management, and
• Incident management.

Business Continuity and Recovery Services can assume the responsibility of managing the scope of business continuity for the client, providing skilled professionals, proven methodologies, and program management offerings to help reduce the risk of interruption, improve the efficiency of the client's operations, and allow the client organization to recover quickly if a disruption cannot be avoided.

These services complement other offerings within Integrated Technology Solutions (ITS) and IBM Global Services to provide a set of solutions to improve the availability and continuity of client business operations through analysis of all aspects of the IT environment— process, technology, and organization. Through these services, IBM provides a total range of hardware, software, and services solutions to address clients' total IT availability and business continuity requirements.

IBM has maintained market leadership in a number of hardware and software arenas and extends its expertise to disaster recovery and business continuity. The ISO 9000-certified company maintains more than 100 recovery centers in 76 countries. Offering a comprehensive recovery solution, IBM Global Services continues to develop its continuity and recovery capabilities to meet the needs of diversified environments.

IBM notes that there has never been a failure to support any customer despite the simultaneous high-volume demands generated by hurricanes. Hurricane Floyd, for example, required deployment of 96 configurations to support 46 customers. This is generally accepted as the largest simultaneous recovery effort in the history of the industry.

The disaster recovery market has expanded in recent years. As new applications are developed, particularly in e-business, cost parameters begin to expand, creating more exposure for organizations that suddenly suffer a disaster. With 130,000 professionals serving clients in 160 countries, IBM Global Services Business Continuity and Recovery Services has successfully implemented recoveries for more than 400 customers faced with disasters such as Hurricanes George, Opal, Erin, and Andrew; the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings; the Northridge, California, earthquake; and other infrastructure and operational disasters.

Prices vary according to the needs of the individual clients. Contracts can range from a very small-value contract (for one server recovery portfolio, for example), to a larger contract covering several platforms, added workplace recovery, and perhaps enhanced services. Each service is individually priced. Each customer has specific requirements, and the solutions are custom designed to fit those needs.

Yes.

A strong case can be made for naming IBM the leading global provider of disaster recovery services. IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services has supported over 400 recoveries without a failure. It has consistently delivered products and services to meet the needs of a number of computing requirements and delivers to the business continuity space the same attention it gives to client management and resolving technology issues. However, other vendors in the mainframe recovery arena such as Comdisco and SunGard are providing heightened competition in North America. More competition in continental Europe from vendors such as Guardian plc and Safetynet— a market leader in the IBM midrange recovery business— are challenging IBM's hold on those markets.

While the major players essentially deliver services comparable to IBM, the primary difference is that IBM's personnel are available in more global locations, putting it in a somewhat better position to help the "global client." For instance, a client in India with offices in the U.K. and the U.S. would need the support of an organization that can not only solve its immediate continuity plans, but also provide disaster protection across different geographic regions. If one site goes offline, the recovery agenda would also need to be linked to all other company locations (and carried out seamlessly so that business is not interrupted). IBM appears to be in the best position now to offer such flexibility of coverage to a global client.

Since entering the disaster recovery market in 1989, IBM has become the largest global provider of recovery services, centers, and operations. IBM has consistently expanded its portfolio of offerings to keep up with the demands of the highly volatile recovery market. IBM's Business Continuity and Recovery Services has also successfully handled over 400 recoveries for organizations throughout the world. IBM Global Services Business Continuity and Recovery Services has the ability to leverage every service and specialist within the organization in addition to the resources of the entire IBM Corporation, including hardware, software, and research.

Through its various consulting groups, IBM assists in managing the complexity of various computing hardware, peripherals, communications equipment, operating systems, and infrastructure. IBM consultants can assist an organization in developing a recovery strategy. This is an advantage for clients who need one trusted source to manage the recovery plan for them. Many organizations are so overextended with managing the daily IT requirements that it becomes necessary for them to obtain the consulting assistance of an outside provider. IBM consultants can define the goals of the recovery plan and manage the overall recovery project development. In addition to the consulting service, IBM can then manage and operate all— or any part— of the client's business continuity program either from the customer's site and/or through testing and recovery at any required number of hot sites.

IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services have a presence with ready-to-run recovery centers in 76 countries, supported by satellite communications if necessary. The centers are equipped with up-to-date IBM and multiplatform systems, storage devices, printers, communication controllers, network links, display consoles, telephone systems, and end-user space. IBM business continuity and recovery specialists staff each facility. Offerings are focused on a complete continuity and recovery strategy, including multivendor recovery, network recovery, end-user recovery, voice recovery, item-processing recovery, and mobile recovery. Backed by IBM's Global Services division, business continuity and recovery clients are offered flexible contracts and the assistance of experienced IBM consultants.

Some regional centers may have only proprietary systems "on the floor," although IBM does arrange project management support for users of non-IBM systems. In these cases, each regional center has remote console access to the three fully outfitted recovery centers (Sterling Forest, New York; Gaithersburg, Maryland; and Boulder, Colorado). It should be noted, however, that a number of regional sites do support non-IBM systems such Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, Sun, Tandem, Unisys, and Compaq and offer ERP continuity services for SAP, BAAN, Oracle, and PeopleSoft.

In addition to designing, manufacturing, and marketing computer systems and software, IBM is generally known as a premier service provider. IBM Business Continuity and Recovery Services can support all or any part of an IT infrastructure. The company emphasizes its services as a means of ensuring business continuity and recovery, rather than systems recovery alone. Therefore, Business Continuity and Recovery Services puts a great deal of importance on consulting, planning, and testing— a comprehensive program of business continuity planning and management services for the full business continuity life cycle. Services include distributed, multivendor hardware, operating systems, ERP applications, data, and networks. IBM has helped clients recover from hundreds of disasters at the various worldwide recovery operations. Many customers may prefer Business Continuity and Recovery Services because IBM is already their hardware or software supplier. The broad business perspective gained from its customer base, combined with the experience IBM has attained in disaster recovery, makes IBM an excellent provider of services for the continuity market.

This research is part of a set of related research pieces. See AV-14-5338 for an overview.