NYLI Making it Through the Storm

Ralph MonacoExecutive Director

The New York Law InstituteImage credit: beizmendi on Instagram

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Overview• While we had procedures in place to create

backups of our files, we had not anticipated the effect that a storm such as Sandy would have on business continuity when we were unable to physically access the office and the power was out.

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Electronic Databases• Problem: Our servers went down during the

storm due to power outage, knocking out access to all of our electronic databases for NYLI members.

• Temporary Solution: We contacted all of our database providers and requested temporary logins and passwords for our members which we emailed using MailChimp – an online service.

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MailChimp Mailing

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Electronic Databases• Disaster Recovery Solution: Alternative

Hosting for EZProxyo We realized we needed an alternative off-site server to host our

EZProxy which is our authentication software that logs in all of our members into our databases.

o We decided to keep our backup at IIS - our outsourced IT provider. They monitor our network every 30 minutes, and in the event that our network goes down they will switch us over to the backup version of EZProxy housed there on their server.

o They have agreed to house this backup for no additional charge, the only fees we will incur will be their time needed to switch us over when/if this happens. We were told that time should be limited to .05 – 1 hour.

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Outlook Email Server• Problem: Due to the power outage, we had no

access to our Outlook email since it’s housed on our server.

• Temporary Solution: We used our personal email accounts to communicate

• Disaster Recovery Solution: We now have added email continuity as a part of our McAfee email protection service. This program provides email continuity in the event that our server at NYLI goes down. In that event, we can access our email online from within the McAfee console so that if we can’t get into our server we can still send/receive our email.

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Outlook Email Server

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Other Measures Since Sandy

• We’ve developed and put into place a formal Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Plan

• We’ve inventoried all of our hardware, software, and battery backups.

• We’ve documented our in-house & cloud backup processes and inventoried which files are backed up where and when.

• We’ve instituted new backup procedures for cloud-based services as well.

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Disaster Relief HandbookJune Berger

Stroock and Stroock and Lavan LLP

Contact Lists Library staff contact

information-home/cell/emergency contact local/emergency contact out- of- state, personal email accounts

 Firm administrative contact information  Firm emergency phone numbers  Vendor contact information-online and print

representatives-local/home office key account executives—obtain cell numbers when possible individual account numbers

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Disaster Relief HandbookJune Berger

Stroock and Stroock and Lavan LLP

Lists

Essential desk books/rule books—by practice and vendor name

Daily newspapers titles with customer service and account numbers

Firm client and non-billable codes

LLAGNY directory-interlibrary loan

Library budget codes

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Disaster Relief HandbookJune Berger

Stroock and Stroock and Lavan LLP

Lists

Library/firm credit card number

Lexis/Westlaw- password lists/bill group and account numbers/Quickview/Power Invoice passwords

Master List of E-Publications- user names/id’s and passwords/contacts. Include special notes: single location, enterprise, general firm login. When logging in from different location seamless authentication will not work.

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Disaster Relief HandbookJune Berger

Stroock and Stroock and Lavan LLP

Lists

Outside library resources-membership libraries include phone numbers and account numbers; type of services offered and pricing details:photocopy; fax; interlibrary loan; on demand research; normal turn –around time; rush service.

Remember to include at least 2 services that are not in your state.

Renewal schedule of periodicals and newsletters

Important library document list with titles and document numbers

 

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Sandy: Making It Through the Storm

Nancy RineJune 26, 2013

New York | Washington DC | London | Paris | Frankfurt | Hong Kong | Shanghai

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Designing a Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Program

Business Continuity Team (BCT)Smaller the betterSkills vs. department functionsClearly identified roles/responsibilities Communication – who’s making the decisions

DR/BCT PlanAccount for all contingencies/scenariosChecklists Have a Plan B

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Checklists Staff

Keep current contact information in hard copy, off site – cell, personal email Establish communication procedures

o Broadcast messages (Preparis), website, emailso Phone tree or call-ino Regular contact – daily/weekly meetings, conference calls

Ensure other offices can support Ensure staff is equipped and trained to work remotely

Resources Space – other offices, vendors Critical applications, subscriptions Vendor contacts, accounts, passwords, etc.

Services/Action Print subscriptions – redirect needed pubs, stop shipment of others Alternate access to IP-authenticated databases Outreach – don’t wait for lawyers to contact, start with alerts and email subscriptions Rotate staff in alternate space?

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Lessons Learned

Critical ElementsCommunicationFlexibility – do whatever is neededVisibility/on-site support Know what’s important to lawyers and practice groups

Start NOWDevelop/test own planLearn as much as you can about the firm’s DR/BCTEstablish reputation as a resource, not limited to research support

Implications for the FutureSpace design Remote support