As severe weather season approaches, response and recovery teams at CU*Answers, a credit-union-owned CUSO and core processor, conduct regular training exercises to practice mobilizing a portable generator at one of three data centers, in the event of a hardware failure with the stationary generator. “Hand-on experience with transporting, staging, and starting generators is imperative to maintaining consistency of operations in the production data center,” states Patrick Schumaker, Business Continuity Coordinator at CU*Answers. “It’s the small details that matter when every minute counts during a power disruption. Ensuring that all equipment is in good working order and that procedures are well documented and practiced can mean the difference between success and failure during a response effort.”

Even though the portable generator is a tertiary power source, the significance of a potential power outage makes it a required component of a resilient business continuity strategy. History proves this when on February 8, 2019, during a significant regional ice storm in West Michigan, one of the data center stationary generators did experience a hardware failure. The prompt response by recovery teams at CU*Answers allowed operations to continue without interruption. Additional information about the CU*Answers Business Continuity program are available on the CU*Answers website.