On February 13, 2011, CU*Answers successfully tested its high availability computer system from its new Muskegon, Michigan data center. CU*Answers has used high availability computer systems since 2002 to protect credit union member data and typically live tests its systems three to four times per year. This is the first test of the process since moving the high availability computer system to Muskegon, and certifies that facility as “HA ready.”

CU*Answers maintains two identical IBM Power-I computers, one in Kentwood, Michigan, and a second in Muskegon, Michigan and replicates transactions as they occur in near real time over a fiber optic network. Data replication means the hosts are kept identical, and if the production computer experiences a failure, a failover operation can reconnect credit unions to the high availability computer in Muskegon.

“This is an exciting test for CU*Answers and our owner clients because we have certified recovery of our computer operations to an out of region facility,” explains David Wordhouse, VP Network Technologies. “We didn’t just roll over and roll back and call it a day, either. We had two credit unions proxy test for us, recovered home banking and audio response and brought up third party connections. It was a major event – one for our client’s board reports.”

In keeping with continually expanding it business continuity testing efforts, CU*Answers is planning follow up tests in March including a live roll of all online service bureau credit unions.