Disaster Recovery Planning

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  1. Disaster Recovery Planning

This article details disaster recovery (DR) planning for a MediaWiki 1.40 installation. A robust DR plan is crucial for minimizing downtime and data loss in the event of a server failure, natural disaster, or security breach. This guide is aimed at system administrators and server engineers responsible for maintaining a MediaWiki deployment.

== Understanding Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery is the process of restoring critical infrastructure and operations after a disruptive event. For MediaWiki, this involves restoring the wiki software, database, and uploaded files. A well-defined DR plan includes preventative measures, backup strategies, and restoration procedures. It is distinct from Business Continuity Planning, which focuses on maintaining essential business functions during a disruption, whereas DR focuses on *restoring* those functions.

== Identifying Critical Components

Before developing a DR plan, identify the crucial components of your MediaWiki installation. These typically include:

  • Wiki Software: The MediaWiki core files and extensions.
  • Database: Containing all wiki content (pages, revisions, user data, etc.). Typically MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL.
  • Uploaded Files: Images, documents, and other media stored in the `images` directory.
  • Configuration Files: `LocalSettings.php` and other configuration files essential for wiki operation.
  • Virtual Machine/Server Images: If using virtualized environments like VMware or VirtualBox.
  • Operating System: The underlying OS (e.g., Linux, Windows Server) upon which MediaWiki runs.


== Backup Strategies

Regular backups are the cornerstone of any DR plan. Several backup strategies can be employed:

  • **Full Backups:** Copies of all data. Time-consuming but simplest to restore from.
  • **Incremental Backups:** Copies only the data that has changed since the last full or incremental backup. Faster than full backups, but restoration requires all incremental backups *and* the last full backup.
  • **Differential Backups:** Copies all data that has changed since the last *full* backup. Faster than full backups, but restoration requires only the last full backup and the latest differential backup.
  • **Database Dumps:** Using tools like `mysqldump` (for MySQL/MariaDB) or `pg_dump` (for PostgreSQL) to create logical backups of the database.
  • **File System Snapshots:** Creating point-in-time copies of the entire file system. Fast and efficient, but requires sufficient storage space.

Here's a sample backup schedule:

Backup Type Frequency Retention Period
Full Backup Weekly 4 Weeks
Differential Backup Daily 7 Days
Database Dump Hourly 24 Hours

== Restoration Procedures

Detailed restoration procedures are essential. These procedures should cover:

1. **Server Rebuild:** Recreating the server environment (OS, web server, PHP, etc.). 2. **Database Restoration:** Restoring the database from the latest backup. 3. **Wiki Software Restoration:** Copying the MediaWiki files to the web server directory. 4. **Configuration Restoration:** Restoring `LocalSettings.php` and other configuration files. 5. **Uploaded Files Restoration:** Restoring the `images` directory. 6. **Verification:** Confirming that the wiki is functioning correctly after restoration.

== Hardware Considerations for DR

Having redundant hardware is a key element of a comprehensive DR plan.

Component Primary Configuration Secondary/DR Configuration
Web Server Dual Xeon Gold 6248R, 128GB RAM, RAID 10 SSD Single Xeon Silver 4210, 64GB RAM, RAID 1 SSD
Database Server Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8280, 256GB RAM, NVMe SSD RAID 1 Single Intel Xeon Gold 6248R, 128GB RAM, NVMe SSD RAID 1
Storage 10TB RAID 6 NAS 5TB RAID 5 NAS (Replicated Data)

== Geographic Redundancy

For maximum protection, consider geographically separating your primary and DR environments. This protects against regional disasters. This often involves utilizing a Cloud provider like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure.

== Testing and Documentation

Regularly test your DR plan to ensure its effectiveness. Document all procedures meticulously. Here's a checklist for testing:

Test Item Frequency Pass/Fail
Full System Restore Annually
Database Restore Quarterly
Backup Verification Weekly
Failover to DR Site Semi-Annually

== Advanced Considerations

  • **Replication:** Implementing database replication to a secondary server for near-real-time data synchronization. Consider Semi-synchronous replication for increased data safety.
  • **Automated Failover:** Using tools to automatically switch to the DR site in the event of a primary site failure.
  • **Version Control:** Using a version control system (e.g., Git) for `LocalSettings.php` and extension configurations.
  • **Monitoring:** Implementing monitoring tools to detect server failures and trigger DR procedures. Nagios and Zabbix are popular options.
  • **Security:** Ensuring the DR environment is as secure as the primary environment.


== Resources



Help:Contents Manual:Configuration_settings Manual:Database_setup Manual:Extensions Help:Images Help:Linking Help:Templates Special:AllPages Manual:Upgrading Manual:Command_line Manual:Security_best_practices Manual:Configuration_form Manual:Admin_tasks Manual:API Manual:Shortcuts Special:Search Help:Editing


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