| AT&T stages network disaster recovery exercise in Boston Starting today, AT&T is conducting a three-day network disaster recovery in Boston (US). The exercise is designed to test and evaluate how well the company can respond to a simulated disaster that destroys a Boston telephone switching centre. "AT&T's Disaster Recovery Team has responded to some of the country's worst disasters and is recognised as a leading authority for telecom service restoration in the event of a catastrophe," said Frank Ianna, former president of AT&T Network Services. "We conduct these exercises to keep our skills sharp, to educate businesses on the need to be prepared with a disaster recovery plan in advance of adversity, and to ensure minimal impact on AT&T business customers." In the last 10 years, AT&T has invested more than $300 million in its network disaster recovery programme, which includes a team of more than 100 managers, engineers and technicians, as well as a fleet of more than 150 trucks that carry every type of equipment necessary to restore access to the AT&T Network. Exercises are held quarterly to test the company's network disaster recovery processes, from the initial team dispatch to equipment transport and service resumption and testing. NDR exercises begin with an initial call to NDR team members to assemble at the disaster site to prepare for the arrival of AT&T trucks containing the equipment needed to restore telecommunications services. Once the trailers arrive at the exercise site, the team can deploy up to 15 miles of coaxial and fibre optic cable to interconnect the individual components in the trailers to match the unique configuration of the damaged switching facility. Temporary microwave towers and satellite earth stations also can be erected for situations where cable cannot be used to access AT&T's global network. The NDR team then begins the process of re-activating and testing communications service. Using the equipment in the trailers, they can convert electronic signals to optical signals for transmission over AT&T's fibre optic network, amplify or regenerate optical signals, and link a recovery site by satellite to AT&T Network Operations Centers to allow remote testing. The trailers, which have self-contained or dedicated power and environmental systems, generally travel by road, although they have been designed to be shipped by rail or air, when necessary. When not in use, the trailers are strategically located in facilities scattered across the US. In addition to the Network Disaster Recovery drill taking place this week, AT&T will schedule tours of its Boston-Area Internet Data Center, one of its 21 facilities that supports clients' application networking needs. www.att.com/protectyourbusiness
•Date:
16th September 2003 • Region: N.America •Type:
Article •Topic: Telecoms
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