Disaster recovery as a dynamic service

1. A disaster recovery (DR) brokerage infrastructure, comprising:

a system that provides access to a network of intermediate storage nodes and peering points; and

a brokerage manager that periodically evaluates a set of DR as a service (DRaaS) providers and selects a cost optimal DRaaS provider for a subscriber, wherein the brokerage manager replicates DR related data for the subscriber in a selected intermediate storage node prior to delivery to the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

wherein the brokerage manager includes:

a replication orchestrator for determining the selected intermediate storage node and scheduling replication of the DR related data therein;

a candidate selection system that periodically evaluates the set of DRaaS providers and selects the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

a switchover manager that manages a process of switching to a new DRaaS provider for the subscriber; and

a failover manager that triggers failover procedures for the subscriber to the selected DRaaS provider in the event of a disaster incident.

2. The DR brokerage infrastructure of claim 1 , where the subscriber and set of DRaaS providers access the DR brokerage infrastructure via the peering points.

3. The DR brokerage infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein determining the selected intermediate storage node is based on at least one of a recovery point objective (RPO) of the subscriber and a purchased service level of the subscriber.

4. The DR brokerage infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein the candidate selection system:

evaluates the set of DRaaS providers based on workload constraints of the subscriber; and

schedules a switchover if a more cost optimal DRaas provider is identified.

5. The DR brokerage infrastructure of claim 4 , wherein the switchover manager:

bases timing of a switchover on a set of cost variable associated with the switchover; and

ensures an uninterrupted flow of DR related data from the subscriber to the intermediate storage nodes and to more cost optimal DRaaS provider.

6. The DR brokerage infrastructure of claim 1 , further comprising an external information manager for receiving external cues to assist in failover decision making.

7. A computer program product stored on computer readable storage medium, which when executed by a computer system, provides a disaster recovery (DR) brokerage infrastructure, comprising:

programming instructions for managing a network of intermediate storage nodes and peering points;

programming instructions that periodically evaluate a set of DR as a service (DRaaS) providers and selects a cost optimal DRaaS provider for a subscriber;

programming instructions that manage replication of DR related data for the subscriber in a selected intermediate storage node prior to delivery to the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

programming instructions for determining the selected intermediate storage node and scheduling replication of the DR related data therein;

programming instructions that periodically evaluate the set of DRaaS providers and selects the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

programming instructions that manage a process of switching to a new DRaaS provider for the subscriber; and

programming instructions that triggers failover procedures for the subscriber to the selected DRaaS provider in the event of a disaster incident.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , where the subscriber and set of DRaaS providers access the DR brokerage infrastructure via the peering points.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein determining the selected intermediate storage node is based on at least one of a recovery point objective (RPO) of the subscriber and a purchased service level of the subscriber.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein selecting a cost optimal DRaaS provider includes:

programming instructions that evaluate the set of DRaaS providers based on workload constraints of the subscriber; and

programming instructions that schedule a switchover if a more cost optimal DRaas provider is identified.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising:

programming instructions that base timing of a switchover on a set of cost variable associated with the switchover; and

programming instructions that ensure an uninterrupted flow of DR related data from the subscriber to the intermediate storage nodes and to more cost optimal DRaaS provider.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , further comprising programming instructions for receiving external cues to assist in failover decision making.

13. A method of implementing a disaster recovery (DR) brokerage infrastructure, comprising:

providing access to a network of intermediate storage nodes and peering points;

periodically evaluating a set of DR as a service (DRaaS) providers and selects a cost optimal DRaaS provider for a subscriber;

replicating DR related data for the subscriber in a selected intermediate storage node prior to delivery to the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

determining the selected intermediate storage node and scheduling replication of the DR related data therein;

periodically evaluating the set of DRaaS providers and selecting the cost optimal DRaaS provider;

switching to a new DRaaS provider for the subscriber; and

triggering failover procedures for the subscriber to the selected DRaaS provider in the event of a disaster incident.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the selected intermediate storage node is based on at least one of a recovery point objective (RPO) of the subscriber and a purchased service level of the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting a DRaaS includes:

evaluating the set of DRaaS providers based on workload constraints of the subscriber; and

scheduling a switchover if a more cost optimal DRaas provider is identified.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

timing of a switchover is based on a set of cost variable associated with the switchover; and

the switchover ensures an uninterrupted flow of DR related data from the subscriber to the intermediate storage nodes and to more cost optimal DRaaS provider.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving external cues to assist in failover decision making.