> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.plenit.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.plenit.com/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/how-to/how-to-run-a-failover.md). # How to Execute a Failover in Disaster Recovery Failover is the move to the backup site: you execute it when the primary site goes down or you need to evacuate the servers, to keep providing service from the Recovery site. It is the critical moment of Disaster Recovery, and with the plan already set up it is reduced to a few guided steps. This guide walks through the execution. > #### 👍 What you get > > The workload evacuated to the Recovery site and operational, with the services running from the backup site after an incident at the primary one. ### Before you begin * Access the administration panel at [admin.plenit.com](https://admin.plenit.com) with permissions on the environment. * Having a protected Server or Remote Desktop subscription, and its subscription of **Disaster Recovery** with active replication. Throughout the guide, an example is used with **Madrid** as the primary site and **Paris** as the backup site, so the evacuation makes sense. ### Step 1. Run the failover In [admin.plenit.com](https://admin.plenit.com), go to **Cloud Services → Disaster Recovery**, enter the subscription and open **My Plans**. Under normal operation, the **Primary Site** is **active** and the **Recovery Site** is **inactive**. Click **Failover** to start shifting the services to the backup. {/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 1 · My Plans · active/inactive states · Failover button \*/} ![Start of the failover from My Plans](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/disaster-recovery-failover-01.png) ### Step 2. Choose the restore point and confirm Select the **restore point** you want to move the operation to and click **Confirm**. A message appears to validate the failover to that point: click **Yes** to proceed. {/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 2 · restore point selection · Confirm \*/} ![Selection of the restore point for the failover](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/disaster-recovery-failover-02.png) > 📘 Which restore points will you see > > The available points depend on the Disaster Recovery plan configuration and on the time elapsed. If you choose one that does not have the configuration you expected, after the failover you can switch to another restore point. ### Step 3. Wait for the evacuation The subscription carries out the migration preparation operations and you can watch the progress. When the **Recovery Site** is available, a message appears confirming it: click **Perfect** to continue. {/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 3 · evacuation in progress and Recovery Site available notice (Perfect) \*/} ![Evacuation of the services to the Recovery Site](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/disaster-recovery-failover-03.png) ### Step 4. Check that everything is running on the backup With the workload already in the Recovery site, check that all services are running correctly and are accessible. From here on, you operate normally from the backup site. {/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 4 · services running in the Recovery Site \*/} ![Services operational in the Recovery Site](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/disaster-recovery-failover-04.png) > 🚧 Protect the environment again after the failover > > Once operating on the backup, the environment is left without a replica protecting it against a new incident. > > To protect it again, reconfigure replication as explained in [How to configure the frequency and the number of copies.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/how-to/how-to-configure-replica-frequency-and-copies.md) ### Conclusion Failover turns a normally stressful moment into a predictable process: from My Plans, you click Failover, choose the restore point, confirm, and the platform evacuates the services to the Recovery site. What you should not forget is what comes next: check that everything is running on the backup and reconfigure replication so you do not remain unprotected. When the primary site becomes available again and you want to return, that path is failback. ### Next steps * When you want to return to the primary site, follow [How to do a failback.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/how-to/how-to-perform-a-failback.md) * Review what failover and failback are in [Failover and failback.](/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/concepts/failover-and-failback.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.plenit.com/docs-en/productos/disaster-recovery/how-to/how-to-run-a-failover.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.