Why is a disaster recovery plan essential for your GIS database?

In order to estimate risks, we should elaborate a risk index, for example we can use the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) or the Costal Risk Index (CRI) for climate risk assessment. The Index is composed by several physical and socio-economic indicators linked in an equation which can be developped by statistical methods.

It's not just about protecting data; it's about safeguarding the lifelines of our communities. GIS data directs emergency services, informs urban planning, and supports critical environmental decisions. Without a robust recovery plan, a single unforeseen event - a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or even a technical glitch - can erase this vital information, paralyzing our response to crises and halting progress. In essence, disaster recovery is not just a technical necessity; it's a commitment to resilience and continuity in an unpredictable world.

Having a disaster recovery plan for my GIS database is like having a superhero for my data. It helps me be ready for computer troubles. I figure out what might go wrong, set goals to fix it, and make sure I have backup plans. This plan is like a roadmap to get things back to normal if something bad happens. Regular check-ups and practice make sure my superhero plan is always ready. Also, I keep an eye out for any new problems or techie stuff, so my GIS data stays safe and sound.

Risk assessment involves identification of all possible situations that can cause potential threats and impacts on database and data, Risk assessment is a critical procedure that has to be done with high consideration of software possible risks, Hardware possible risks and environmental possible risks.. With detailed information from risks assessment one is able to understand how to prepare the disaster recovery plan.

Es vital, a la par de crear e implementar un sistema GIS, el de también establecer con la mayor precisión posible los riesgos a los que se verá expuesto, estos pueden ser: - Internos: como fallos en el software o hardware, cortes de energía, ciberataques, etc. - Externos: como vandalismo, incendios, inundaciones, etc. Estos pueden afectar el funcionamiento del sistema de manera ocasional o permanente, por lo que también debemos estimar la probabilidad de que suceda un evento y el grado de afectación.

For me, I believe that the main goal here is disaster recovery plan. To minimize interruptions to the normal operations. To limit the extent of disruption and damage. To minimize the economic impact of the interruption.

Dentro del plan de contingencia debemos establecer claramente las metas posibles de recuperación de la información y el tiempo crítico para que se restablezca el sistema, esto está directamente conectado a la disponibilidad de los recursos y presupuestos que disponga el proyecto.

For an effective backup strategy, consider regular backups, off-site storage, and documentation. Additionally, it's crucial to verify the integrity of your backups by performing periodic tests to ensure that the data can be successfully restored. This helps identify any issues or errors in the backup process and allows for timely corrections.

Databases not only have the advantage of being able to work with large datasets, but also other advantages such as managing multiple users or providing efficient access and indexing. For this reasons, they are a fundamental element in any software context, including GIS. also Without the proper database backup strategy in place, your company could suffer massive amounts of downtime, contributing to lost profits, and unhappy customers. A good database backup strategy should have three objectives: comprehensive backup, quick backups, and speedy restores.

Siempre debe estar considerado dentro de un proyecto SIG el diseño e implementación de una copia de seguridad de la información estableciendo el medio de soporte (discos externos, servidores espejo, nubes, etc.), su ubicación geográfica, así como la frecuencia con la que se realizarán los respaldos para garantizar la integridad y recuperación de la información.

If you lose access to the data in a data store—for example, an ArcGIS Data Store machine crashes or an editor deletes the wrong data from a hosted feature layer—you can restore the data using backup files. In the case where one or more of the machines in a data store crashes and cannot be recovered, install ArcGIS Data Store on a new machine and restore the latest available full backup to the new machine using the restoredatastore utility. How you do that will vary depending on the type of data store and how many or which machines you're replacing.

The task of keeping map and spatial data up-to-date can also be complex, especially where multiple integrated applications are involved and downtime must be avoided. Our GIS experts can perform data maintenance for your map data on your behalf, including updating Ordnance Survey and other third-party data. In order to maintain and test a GIS database here are a few steps to consider Backup and recovery. Data quality and validation. Data security and access control. Performance tuning and optimization. Data archiving and purging. Data migration and integration.

Reputation Management: In the aftermath of a disaster, how quickly and effectively you recover can significantly impact your organization's reputation. A solid recovery plan not only safeguards your GIS database but also demonstrates preparedness and responsibility to stakeholders, clients, and partners. #management #gis #datarecovery

Having the same copy of a database in a different machine is very useful, I have come across some offices that even have a separate machine located at a very separate place, the machine can only be accessed by authorized users only, Once a new volume of data is added to the database authorized users have responsibility to update data to the other copy of the database..

Debemos considerar que a pesar de proyectar cualquier escenario de riesgo y sus posibles soluciones, siempre debemos estar preparados para algo que no estuvo dentro de nuestras proyecciones y que pueden poner a prueba nuestra propia creatividad para encontrar una solución viable para reestablecer nuestro sistema en el menor tiempo posible.