Check Lists

Check lists for high availability are a good way to get a feel for what needs to be done and what can be done. Beware however, no check list is either complete nor does a check list apply perfectly to a specific business.

Since availability has two components, reliability and reparability, we like to divide up our check lists accordingly. For reliability, poor quality is the enemy, and check list entries focus on either improving quality or compensating for known types of problems. (Of course, it is the "unknown unknowns" that really get you!) For reparability, downtime is the enemy, and check list entries focus on ways to reduce downtime.

Reliability

Hardware failures

Software failures

Security failures

Power failures

Infrastructure failures

Environmental failures

Human failures

System design failures

Process design failures

Accidents

Disasters

Reparability

Failover: automatic, manual, reconfiguration

Spares: on hand, guaranteed supply, frantic search

Notification to repair personnel: automatic, beeper, phone call, search

Current asset inventory

Current network diagram

Current cabling and wiring diagrams

Up-to-date building construction plans

Data backups

System image backups

Written repair and emergency processes

Call Bristol Systems Inc. at 714.389.4136 to develop detailed check lists specific to your company. This is an initial step in our availability services.