Disaster recovery for edge computing

Not long ago, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) implemented power cuts in California to prevent power facilities from sparking wildfires. Power outages occurred in San Francisco and several other Bay Area locations. Critics said PG&E's move to shut off power was wrong because it quickly became a public safety issue. This raises the question of how businesses that rely on the network to run their business can prepare for power outages.

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As more and more businesses move their data to the edge, network facilities are more vulnerable to outages caused by natural disasters than when networks were primarily run out of a few centralized locations with solid infrastructure and dedicated employees. However, with the trend toward edge computing showing no signs of slowing down, and with the increase in the incidence and severity of natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes, network engineers must develop strategies to protect and maintain edge networks during natural disasters. The following practices are a good place to start.

1. Marginalization strategy

In the past, businesses would focus their disaster recovery plans on their headquarters and other major data centers. But now, they also need to consider the advantages and evolve their strategies to ensure that each site has a recovery plan.

2. Build a resilient network

Whether it’s a natural disaster or not, after a power outage, network engineers must ensure plans are in place to quickly and safely get the network back online. As the move to the edge continues, creating resilient networks that can withstand and recover from service disruptions has become mission critical. Network resilience allows businesses to continue operating normally even in the event of a power outage.

3. Direct links to core infrastructure

Enterprises can implement out-of-band management (OOB) at edge sites, allowing administrators to remotely access devices and provide visibility into the network. In the event of a disaster, network administrators can remotely reconfigure network devices and restore the network without the need for IT experts to assist with circumventing faulty equipment.

As natural disasters intensify, businesses will need to rethink their strategies to ensure they can weather the storm. By developing a strong disaster recovery plan, businesses can be better prepared to respond quickly and resume operations.