The Berkeley County GIS Department currently has a simple yet thorough and redundant backup process to ensure minimal data loss in the event of an infrastructure failure or the need to scale out if needed. GIS data comprises the most expensive and important component of a GIS and also requires a continual investment to maintain and update. On a daily basis, backups of our primary enterprise databases are produced. Additionally, on a daily basis, exports of GIS data from the enterprise database to file system format occurs. Seven days of database and file system backups are stored at any given point.
Every night core working data and files are written to a tape. This ensures the GIS Department can restore all necessary data files in event of a hardware failure. The GIS Department is additionally in the process of adding cloud based cold storage to the backup process. All data and files will be stored in cold storage, and core data that is updated frequently will be pushed to cold storage on a weekly basis.
Two copies of pertinent GIS data are also archived twice a year on tape and external hard drives. One copy is stored offsite creating data redundancy and recovery in case of hardware failure, power failure, virus attacks, fires, and natural disasters. GIS data backup copies are also stored to external hard drives when events like potential hurricanes are imminent and distributed to several off-site locations.
