Disaster Recovery Plan: QuickEasy Database Recovery on AWS EC2

This document outlines the procedures to be followed in the event of an outage affecting a QuickEasy Cloud Server hosted on the AWS EC2 platform. This Disaster Recovery (DR) plan aims to ensure the swift recovery of services to minimise downtime and data loss.

Contact Information

In the event that a cloud server (and the QuickEasy Application) becomes unavailable, the following personnel should be contacted immediately:

Recovery Procedures

Step 1: Outage Detection

  • On notification of a cloud server unavailability, the QuickEasy Helpdesk will attempt to connect to the server through various protocols and management tools. 
  • Should the cloud server still not be reachable, QuickEasy will monitor AWS EC2 alarms and alerts for any indications of an outage.
  • In case of a critical outage, the QuickEasy Helpdesk will communicate with the customer on an estimated time to repair provided by AWS and with any options to remain operational.

Step 2: Data Restore

Should there be a requirement to remain operational or move the cloud server instance to another AWS location, QuickEasy will: 

  • access the latest backup of the Database from the secondary storage site.
  • restore the backup to a new EC2 instance in the same or alternative AWS region.

Step 3: Database Configuration

  • Configure the restored database with the necessary settings and parameters.
  • Verify connectivity and access permissions for applications and users.

Step 4: Application Reconfiguration (if applicable)

  • Update application configurations to point to the newly restored server and QuickEasy application.
  • Test application functionality to ensure seamless integration with the newly implemented server.

Step 5: Validation and Testing

  • Conduct thorough testing of the backups to ensure data integrity and functionality.

Step 6: Communication

  • Notify relevant stakeholders about the status of the recovery process and the expected recovery time of the original cloud server/location.
  • Provide regular updates until normal location/service restoration is achieved.

Testing

  • QuickEasy performs regular testing of the DR procedures to validate our effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
  • QuickEasy documents the results of tests and updates the DR plan as required.

Continuous Improvement

  • QuickEasy reviews and updates the DR plan periodically to incorporate lessons learned from testing and real-world incidents.
  • QuickEasy stays informed about AWS’s best practices and new features that can enhance DR capabilities.

Conclusion

This DR plan outlines the procedures to be followed for the recovery of the QuickEasy application and database hosted on the AWS EC2 platform in the event of an outage. By following these steps, we are able to minimise downtime, ensuring the continuity of critical business operations in case of a prolonged AWS outage.