Agenda Item
a. Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) (Not to exceed $400,000)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the second year of DraaS expenses pursuant to RFP 24-577 Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) awarded to MGT (Formally Layer 3) as the lowest responsible, responsive bid and the purchase of Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), in an amount not to exceed $400,000.
This is year 2 of a 5-year agreement.
Why: This recommendation provides the DeKalb County School District with a disaster recovery plan, services, and support.
Details: Disaster Recovery as a Service provides the DeKalb County School District with a disaster recovery plan and services for data storage and replication in case of the occurrence (in this region) of a natural or intended disaster. The district continues its commitment to enhancing disaster recovery solutions for the data center infrastructure, which is essential for the continuation of key business processes and information system services. By not having a solution in place, we put our assets and stakeholders at risk.
RFP 24-577 is a five-year award with a required annual renewal by the Board of Education. The solicitation was published in December 2023 and evaluated during January 2024.
"Disaster Recovery as a Service" (DRaaS) refers to a cloud-based solution where a third-party provider manages and delivers data protection and disaster recovery capabilities to businesses on demand, allowing them to quickly restore their systems and data in the event of a disruption without needing to maintain their own dedicated recovery infrastructure; essentially, it's a pay-as-you-go service for disaster recovery needs, accessed over the internet.
Key points about DRaaS:
Cloud-based:
DRaaS leverages cloud computing to store and replicate data, enabling rapid access and recovery in case of a disaster.
Managed service:
The provider takes care of managing the DR infrastructure, including data replication, backups, and recovery processes.
Scalable:
Businesses can scale their DR needs based on their requirements, paying only for the resources they use.
Benefits of DRaaS:
Reduced costs:
Eliminates the need to invest in and maintain a separate physical disaster recovery site.
Faster recovery time:
Enables near-instantaneous recovery of applications and data in the event of an outage.
Improved agility:
It allows businesses to quickly adapt their disaster recovery strategy to changing needs.
How DRaaS works:
Data replication:
Regularly replicates critical data from the primary site to the cloud-based DR environment.
Recovery testing:
Provides the ability to regularly test disaster recovery plans to ensure effectiveness.
Failover process:
In case of a disaster, the DR environment takes over seamlessly, allowing operations to continue with minimal disruption.
Financial impact: $400,000
100.1000.530000.00011.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
Contact: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Effective: March 2025
Status: Awaiting Legal Approval
DATE RECEIVED: ______________
MATTER ASSIGNED TO: _________
Request for Legal Assistance
DCSD Office of Legal Affairs
ATTORNEY – CLIENT COMMUNICATION
PLEASE SUBMIT COMPLETED REQUEST FORM TO
DCSD OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS.
*** This request is a confidential communication and should be treated as such ***
DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST
Title of Item/Topic:
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)
________________________________________________________________
(e.g., contract review, policy matter, etc.)
1/7/25
Date of request: ___________ Due Date: ___________ (Allow 3 to 5 business days)
This item provides the DeKalb County School District with
Background information/Detail: __________________________________________________________
a disaster recovery plan, services and support.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
PROCUREMENT DETAILS (if applicable)
Include details confirming that all applicable DCSD procurement policies and requirements have been
adhered to: ____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Please attach/include any additional supporting documentation that are relevant to your request.
Description of supporting documentation, if any ____________________________________________
REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION
LaKeisha Brooks
Requested by: _____________________________________________________________________
lakeisha_brooks@dekalbschoolsga.org
Email: __________________________ 678-676-1274
Telephone: ____________________________________
DIIT
Department: _______________________________________________________________________
Kermit Belcher
Cabinet Member authorizing the request: _______________________________________________
LEGAL APPROVAL
Approved as to form by the DCSD Office of Legal Affairs? ☐ Yes ☐ No
-OR- (check one only)
Approved as to form by Outside Legal Counsel? ☐ Yes ☐ No
*Referrals to Outside Legal Counsel must be coordinated and approved by the DCSD Legal Dept.
H. Eric Hilton, Esq.
Approving Attorney (and law firm if Outside Counsel ____________________________________
Comments: __________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________