[LINK] FLoods taking out banking infrastructure

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Stilgherrian
> Sent: Thursday, 13 January 2011 8:19 PM
> To: Link list
> Subject: Re: [LINK] FLoods taking out banking infrastructure
> 
> 
> On 13/01/2011, at 7:53 PM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:
> > Brendan wrote:
> > <snip>
> >> If it is a failure of a secondary nature then so be it - "no 
> >> electricity" shouldn't cut it as they should have on site 
> generators, but perhaps a problem with connectivity to/from 
> the site sounds more plausible?  A *DR site* which is taken 
> out by the same flood as the primary seems to me a failure in 
> planning.
> > <snip>
> > 
> > It is more an issue of the scope of a DR Strategy rather
> > than site. The most effective approach is to have multiple 
> > operational sites - that way, if one goes down the service 
> > is still available but at reduced capacity.
> 
> And links. Sites are useless if links go down. And sites and 
> safe locations A, B and C are useless is links to customers 
> pass via not-safe location D.
> 
> In case someone hasn't already mentioned it, there's also a 
> reasonableness factor here. Do we really need to fret is 
> something fails for a few hours in a once-a-century event? 
> Perhaps there are more important things to focus on.
> 
> Stil

Err, for some databases, possibly you are correct.
Who cares if their ATM card doesn't work for a couple of days or if they
can't get the current hotest selling item on eBay translated into
AUSLANG.

But for medical, police and emergency services, the communications and
data need to be kept high and dry.

As yet no-one has built a data centre in the centre of Australia with
abundant solar energy (and even some other "clean" energy if one cares
to negotiate with the US D.O.D.); fibre to Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin
and there hasn't been any known floods since about 30,000,000 BC

I think Government needs to look seriously at emulating a worthwhile US
model. Find a mountain, stack it deep, stack it high and keep it dry.

Besides, I've spent some time out there... It's very peaceful. Not many
trees, not many animals unless you know where to look, and the big
bonus, hardly a terrorist in sight.
Last known earthquake, about 12,000,000 BC.

Hint to ICT people thinking of going out there - Pack a snake bite
kit... :-) Taipan bites are not forgiving of a long drive to a Base
Hospital.

TomK