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Outsourcing or Out of Business?

10/11/2005

Maybe it’s time to turn outside of academia to develop a plan we all can glean from as we look ahead. Should schools consider outsourcing their DR needs to a commercial enterprise as an option? We need to make sure we are prepared to light our backup systems the day after the disaster. With software hosting services, disaster recovery strategies can be part of the service contract; including backing up databases, imaging systems, and storing media in multiple safe locations.

That said, we all know the reasons many schools have opposed outsourcing: perceived loss of control, quality concerns, and cost. But to the end user, the reality is that all campus services are in effect outsourced to someone they have no control over. Following a software services model, what is the difference to your customers if you provide the service directly or it is handled by another source?

Take something like off-campus e-mail. If it g'es down Saturday morning, what are the users’ choices? Who do they call? With a contracted backup service, around-the-clock system monitoring, metrics for measuring performance, and a 24X7 phone center they can get results today and assurance of continuous service when disaster strikes. I am not advocating turning over all IT operations to an outside vendor; rather I’m suggesting that schools should begin working with professional services groups to assure that in times of need customers will have uninterrupted services.

My hope is that we all will continue to help with the monumental task in front of our sister schools, engage with industry to gain a “business-centric” approach to disaster planning, and adopt a real sense of urgency…before it is too late.

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"Outsourcing or Out of Business?," Campus Technology, 10/11/2005, http://www.campustechnology.com/article.aspx?aid=40544

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