Website Loss and Recovery

Website maintenance is often written only on paperincludes dealing with issues of life safety, emergency
and never implemented. The result is a gamble wherepolicies and server rules and website functioning
there is every chance of your website beingguidelines.
damaged and inaccessible.Resumption: This stage refers to the actual stage of
Causesplanning and implementing the website recovery plan.
Server Problems: Sometimes, websites run intoThe recovery plan should be time-sensitive,
problems when the host network server is runningcost-effective and enable a user or business to
redundant sites and backups. Apart from analysingresume normal business activity.
personal location risks, a user has to consider certainRecovery: The phase of recovery can be described
factors about servers:as the timeline of expanded operations after a
· Does your host server have redundancywebsite loss. The phase helps a user to deal with
backups?time-sensitive business operations after resumption.
· How often does the host server performRestoration: This can be classified as the final stage in
backups?website recovery planning. It involves pre-planning the
· Can the host server handle 'denial of servicerepair or relocation of the primary site and its
attacks'?contents. It also ensures that the repaired website is
· Does the host server provide a program offunctional including latest tools and processes to
virus scans and firewall protection systems checkingdetect sluggish speed.
all data and website material released to yourThe Recovery Plan: Every website is made up of
network?three parts:
Physical Problems: Sometimes, a user gets· What you need in order for users to view the
disconnected from the web because the contactwebsite
service provider was running an illegal operation. It· The tools you need to maintain the website
could also be that the network connections got· The things you need for new development on
faulty due to sudden power surges of lightning. Thisyour website
could affect your system and make your websiteThus, a user has to first consider the things that are
inaccessible.available which relate to and deal with the live
Natural Disasters: A user also runs the risk of losingoperation of the website. This includes all hardware,
website access due to natural disasters ofoperating system, network connectivity and all files
earthquakes and floods. These natural disasters couldand scripts that make up the website. A user has to
occur at the service provider location or host location.have hosting package i.e. regular backups. This
Either way, website access is lost. Sometimes, limitedensures that the website does not use or run on
and minimal LAN connectivity also restricts the user inredundant mechanisms. It is recommended not to
opening up personal website.depend solely on the host service provider. Develop
Human Error: Usually human error is accidental inpersonal service contents installing regular backups
nature. Maybe the user forgot to renew the domainand updates.
name. It could also happen that the user accidentallyNext in line is content management or analysing all
input the wrong date and time. Usually, this happensthe web tools and mechanisms that are available. A
for online business that input 2003 instead of 2007 oruser has to update them regularly. Sometimes,
01/07 instead of 07/08.updates including virus scans may take a long time.
How to Plan for Website LossBut, a user needs to install for website protection.
Risk Assessment: In order to plan for any eventualityThe last step involves analysing the tools a user will
of website loss, every user -- whether a business orneed for future development and maintenance of
a home user -- has to conduct an analysis of riskswebsite. This includes documenting digitally and in
and vulnerabilities. This includes documenting financial,paper format, all the tools of your browser, host
server and human error risks and prioritising them.provider and business guidelines. A user also needs to
Prevention: This usually includes activities whichdevelop and store a web log in a data storage
minimise the possibility of an emergency occurring indevice. This device documents in detail the exact
your organization. The main aim of prevention is toprocedure followed when opening the website initially.
protect user assets minimising risk and loss.This helps the user to retrieve the website and make
Response: Response deals with reacting to loss andnecessary changes for the future.
disaster situations in a practical and safe manner. It