Decision Template for
Selection of Disaster Recovery (DR) Technology

Summary.... 4
Audience....6
Explanation and Evaluation of Selection Criteria.... 8
     Business Requirements..... 8
     What to Replicate ?.... 16
     Application Characteristics / Data Characteristics and Data Volume... 26
     Implementation Time frame and Purpose..... 27
     Operational Aspects..... 28
     Additional Benefits.... 35
     Other .... 36
Replication Technologies – Overview..... 37
Technology Evaluation – Details..... 41
     Backup based DR Solution..... 42
     Host-based: Standby – Database (Transfer of Transaction Log information)...45
     Host-based: Database Replication (Replication of database tables).... 55
     Host-based: Replication of files utilizing “Volume Manager based Replication”... 60
     Storage based Replication..... 63
     Switch / Fabric based Replication ..... 66
     Hybrid Solutions.... 67
Selection Process .... 68
     Selection Step 1: Elimination ..... 68
     Selection Step 2: Evaluation of the last 2 to 3 options.... 70
Audits.... 72
Appendix – Glossary / Definition of Terms..... 73

About this Template..... 4
1. Summary.... 7
2. Requirements.... 8
    System Classification.... 8
    What to Replicate ?..... 14
    Application Characteristics / Data Characteristics and Data Volume.... 21
    Implementation Time frame and Purpose..... 21
    Operational Aspects.... 22
    Other ..... 26
Audits..... 26
3. Selection Process .....27
    Selection Step 1: Elimination ..... 27
    Selection Step 2: Evaluation of the last 2 to 3 options.... 29
    Step 3: Final Decision and Explanation of the Decision ..... 31