Problem
Few organisations can move everything to the cloud at once. They end up with some services in their own data centre or server room and some in the cloud, managed with different tools, different security rules and different teams. Connections between the two are fragile, and backups cover some systems but not others.
Outcomes
- One design covering on-site and cloud infrastructure.
- Secure, reliable connections between sites and the cloud.
- Consistent security and management across the estate.
- Backups covering every critical system, tested regularly.
- Recovery times agreed with the business and proven.
Scope
In scope
- Hybrid architecture design.
- Data-centre and server room consolidation.
- Virtualisation and storage.
- Site-to-cloud connectivity.
- Unified management and security.
Not included
- Building or fitting out physical data-centre facilities.
Backup and recovery
A backup is only useful if it can be restored. We design backups for every critical system, agree recovery times with the business, and test restores regularly so you know they work.
- Backup design across on-site and cloud systems.
- Immutable or off-site copies to protect against ransomware.
- Scheduled restore tests with recorded results.
Approach
Discovery
We map what runs where and how it connects. We then agree the target hybrid design and a recovery target for each critical system.
Delivery Planning
We plan consolidation and backups in stages. For each stage, we agree the cutover plan, the rollback route and a named business owner.
Build and Test
We consolidate and modernise in stages, set up backups for every critical system, and test restores against the agreed recovery targets. Before go-live, you get the test results.
Operational Readiness, Hypercare and Closure
We carry out each cutover with the rollback route ready, and check the service afterwards. We hand over the backup design, recovery objectives and restore test reports to the team who will run them. We provide extra hypercare for the first few weeks, then close the work with your sign-off.
Deliverables
Technologies
Controls
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we test restores?
Critical systems should be tested at least every few months, and after major changes.
Can backups protect us from ransomware?
Backups that cannot be changed or deleted, and are kept separately, are an important part of recovering from ransomware.
We have several server rooms. Can you consolidate them?
Yes. Consolidation is part of this service, usually alongside moving some workloads to the cloud.
What is a recovery time objective?
It is the maximum time a system can be unavailable before the impact becomes unacceptable. We agree it with the business for each critical system.
Not sure your backups would work?
A Technical Audit reviews your hybrid estate and your backup and recovery arrangements in 10 to 15 working days and gives you a prioritised remediation plan.