Whether it's a server crashing or a natural disaster, most customers aren't prepared for IT disruptions. That's the reason for business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) solutions, a practice with much potential for sales of technology and professional services. "BCDR opportunities are extremely broad," says Chris Squier, technology solutions engineer at Ingram Micro, "limited only by your expertise and imagination." To help get your creative juices flowing, we present five BCDR technologies that you can sell today. Read them and reap:

Continuous Data Protection
Continuous data protection (CDP) refers to technologies that replicate data as changes are made. By enabling recovery back to a specific point in time, CDP solutions improve the business-continuity prospects for IT-challenged SMBs. Some CDP solutions copy the data changes at userset time intervals, whereas application-aware solutions ensure that copies are made after any significant change to data, such as the completion of a transaction. This makes CDP ideal for disaster recovery.

Host-based Intrusion Prevention
A host-based intrusion prevention system (IPS) complements perimeter and antivirus security by defending against attacks at the application and OS level, including attacks that originate inside the firewall. Host-based intrusion prevention detects and blocks attacks using methods such as malware signatures and recognizing anomalous behavior. The latest solutions can be managed from the same console as other security tools -- a boon to BCDR planning and execution.

Secure Socket Layer VPNs
Employees need to access applications remotely after a disruption, whether from a snowstorm that snarls traffic, a site failure or a more serious disaster. Providing for remote access via an SSL VPN appliance is an excellent solution. Cost-effective, secure and simple to use, an SSL VPN requires only a web browser to access the main or backup site. Flexible provisioning options can secure access based on user identity and type of client.

Server Load Balancing
For customers who depend on e-commerce, a website outage is unthinkable. Yet a burst of traffic, a failed server or a software glitch can slow access or lock buyers out -- unless server load balancing is in place. Load balancing can transparently balance traffic among multiple servers, while continuously monitoring server, application and content health. This enhances the overall reliability and availability of web services while ensuring server accessibility.

Server Virtualization
Implementing a reliable, rapid recovery strategy after a server failure or disaster can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if it entails duplicating physical infrastructure, applications and data. Server virtualization can make BCDR easier for all of these assets. Virtualized instances of running applications can be migrated in nearreal time to backup infrastructure, creating an instant failover plan. And by enabling conversion of OS and application instances into data files, virtualization helps to automate and streamline backup, replication and data movement -- very useful during an outage or disaster.

Ingram Micro offers extensive resources and training events to help you profit from BCDR solutions. Pre- and postsales tech support covers multiple BCDR manufacturers and ISVs. And Ingram Micro's sales representatives, business development managers and engineers are available for strategy sessions on maximizing the BCDR opportunity.

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For More Information
Ingram Micro's customers can call their sales representative, or visit Business Continuity. For technical assistance, call the Security Help Desk at (800) 445-5066, ext. 76102.