CU*Answers, the 100% credit union-owned cooperative CUSO, recently announced that it will be performing another test of its high availability (H/A) system during the month of September. Combined with annual disaster recovery tests, the H/A tests constitute an important part of the CU*Answers Business Continuity Plan.

During the event, CU*Answers will roll production of its core processing system to its high availability data center in Muskegon, Michigan. The test will span three days, after which the system will be rolled back over with minimal interruption to members.

CU*Answers first implemented a second data center in 2005, further ensuring network availability by placing a redundant system in a separate location, and providing the opportunity to sharpen staff skills for production rollovers and remote system monitoring. Building on what was learned through the process, the CUSO celebrated the opening of its third data center in 2010, designed from the ground up for network and systems high availability and business resumption. “Having three strategically designed data centers gives us the options required to sustain the day-to-day risks we face that threaten the stability and reliability of the network,” said Jim Lawrence, Manager of Business Resumption and Disaster Recovery Services.