The Merrick Printing Co., Inc. (MPC) has eight main centralized servers:

1. Accessory Server – The Accessory Server has 8GB of hard disk storage and performs spooling services for all network printers.
2. Applications Server – The Applications Server has 34GB of hard disk storage and performs all Anti-Virus management and runs several client-server applications.
3. DPI Server – The DPI Server has 144GB of hard disk storage and holds all DocuTech/DocuPrint print ready files for online printing.
4. Electronics Server – The Electronics Server has 90GB of hard disk storage and holds all conventional printing customer production files.
5. Exchange Server – The Exchange Server has 34GB of hard disk storage and runs Merrick’s e-mail services.
6. File Server – The File Server has 85GB of hard disk storage and holds all on-demand digital printing and technical publishing customer production files, as well as application files for Merrick’s internal use, and data storage of all office and administration files.
7. Internet Server – The Internet Server has 34GB of hard disk storage and houses Merrick’s Web and FTP sites.
8. Prinergy Server – The Prinergy Server has 50GB of hard disk storage and is our Computer To Plate primary server that holds all conventional print ready files for instant plating of jobs.

BACKUP PROCEDURES:

The DPI Server, the Electronics Server, and the File Server each have a DLT Tape Autoloader to run file backups. A full backup and verification of all files on these servers run every Saturday Night. The software is configured on the DPI Server, Electronics Server and File Server so that it e-mails MPC’s Information Technology group after every backup with the status of whether that backup was successful or not. The File Server additionally backs up the contents of the Accessory Server, Applications Server, Exchange Server, and Internet Server.

MPC uses a differential, grandfather backup schedule on these servers. This means that a full backup of every file on each server is saved to a set of DLT tapes each weekend (can range from 2 to 3 tapes per server’s set). Then the same set of tapes appends a backup of files each day that were updated since the last full (weekend) backup. This differential weekly backup occurs nightly Monday through Thursday.

There are three different "Week" multi-tape sets for each of the three servers. They are numbered "Week 1", Week 2", and Week 3"; and there are six different "Month" multi-tape sets for each of the servers, numbered "Month 1", Month 2", "Month 3", "Month 4", "Month 5", and "Month 6". The way the cycle works is that MPC runs a backup for three weeks using the Week 1, 2, and then 3 tapes, but on the fourth week the backup uses (for instance) the Month 1 set. This repeats except that the Month 1 through 6 sets are rotated on a month by month basis. As a result, MPC has a set of backup tapes for the last 6 months plus each week of the most current month and the daily differential updates for each of those weeks. Please note that months and weeks within the backup cycle do not directly correlate to calendar dates.

OFF-SITE STORAGE OF FILES:

In order to take extra precaution, MPC keeps two recent full backups at an off-site storage facility and then the remaining full backups are stored on-site in a locked fire safe. Each week, the oldest set of full backup tapes is returned to MPC from the off-site facility and is thus ready to be re-used. In exchange, the appropriate week’s tapes are sent to the off-site storage facility. This adds the safety of storing tapes off-site in a secured facility that greatly lowers the risk of catastrophic destruction to all of MPC’s main servers’ files.

RESTORING FILES:

The software that manages the backups is Veritas Backup Exec for Windows NT. The files that are backed-up, are cataloged on the server itself, not just on the tapes. So if the Information Technology group needs to look up a particular file on a backup, all the information as to the location of the file can be found on the server itself. This way of cataloging helps MPC manage the backed up files whether they are on off-site or on-site DLT Tapes. Backup Exec is also flexible in restoring information. Files can be restored one at a time, a directory tree structure at a time, or the entire directory structure at one time. When the files are restored, the files and their file structure stay intact. Since we use a differential, grandfather system of backing up files, MPC can restore most files that were saved on its servers up to 6 months prior.

RAID 5:

On all of MPC’s Servers, where data is stored, we use technology that is called "RAID 5". This means that as data is saved to one of these servers, it is spread across multiple hard drives, adding bits of information to each drive instead of all in one spot. If one of the drives were to crash, the other drives would have enough information among them to re-create the faulty drive’s information on a new drive and thus prevent any loss of information. "RAID 5" can be implemented at the hardware or software level. Our servers utilization of "RAID 5" is always at the more reliable hardware level.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

MPC has a 7 x 24 On-site Hardware Support Contract with Hewlett Packard (HP). This means that seven days/week, twenty-four hours/day, HP will provide on-site hardware support if our servers experience any hardware problems. The software that runs the servers is Microsoft Windows NT. We have a contract for Microsoft Priority Support on Operating Systems, Desktop Applications, Development Programs, and Server Products. In addition, Matt Merrick is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), which means he is certified by Microsoft to set up, administer, and troubleshoot any enterprise using Microsoft Windows NT technologies.

SUMMARY:

We feel that as the print industry becomes heavily electronic, it is critical to have precautions in place to protect the associated electronic information. As a result, we have invested strongly in procedures and technology towards that goal and are proud that MPC is on the leading edge of processes to safeguard electronic assets.