What is High Availability?
High availability refers to a strategy that allows systems to be accessible nearly 100% of the time. This strategy can potentially eliminate downtime caused by hardware or software failure, power outages, viruses, etc. It is particularly effective for mission-critical applications and systems that, if down for any length of time, could negatively impact productivity, revenue, or even the company's image and reputation.
A high availability strategy creates redundant systems through disk arrays, replication technology, clustered servers, storage area networks (SANs) and off-site failover locations that can instantly switch the primary system to the backup system in the event of a service disruption.
Which High Availability Options Are Right for Me?
The first step in a successful high availability strategy is to ensure you have the proper security protocols in place to protect your systems from hackers and viruses as well as power protection to assist in power outage situations.
There are several high availability solutions that can be used independently or in conjunction with one another. Your CDW account team can help you determine what best meets your needs.
Storage Area Networks (SANs) - Creating a SAN environment is a popular method for storage environments. SAN systems share storage devices to ensure that if one goes down, the other devices have access to the data and can serve it up to users.
Replication and Clustering - Replication and clustering technologies are another popular component of a high availability strategy. At a basic level, both technologies copy data from the primary system to the secondary system. Replication software performs this at a file level while clustering does so at a volume level. Both replication and clustering can be conducted over a LAN or WAN environment. A key feature to look for in replication and clustering products is whether or not they support asynchronous or synchronous replication and automatic failover.
Failover - Having a failover site several miles—or better yet, in a completely different part of the country—can ensure that, in the event of a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or flood, your secondary systems are far enough away from your primary location and won't be negatively impacted.
Why Should I Consider High Availability Solutions?
A comprehensive high availability strategy delivers big benefits to any organization:
Mitigate Risk
Boost Productivity
High availability provides users with 24 x 7 access to mission-critical applications.
Protection from
Financial Loss
Revenue-producing systems such as web checkouts, order processing systems and call centers are always online.
CDW's Approach
CDW has developed a simple, yet comprehensive approach to high availability solutions that has proven successful for organizations of all kinds.
Engage Your Account Manager
Your CDW account manager and our pre-sales team will work with you to assess your current environment and future needs.
Implement and Manage
Working together, CDW will design detailed configurations for your future environment, drawing from best-in-class solutions from our enormous in-stock inventory. We work with multiple service providers to deliver a solution that fits seamlessly into your IT environment.
CDW's commitment continues long after your purchase. Certified technicians offer 24 x 7 telephone support for ongoing management needs, and you can always access online tech support through your My Account tab above. The My Account area also serves as a round-the-clock extension of your account team, detailing your pricing, order status, account history and more.
