Posted by Eric O. Schueler, Senior V.P. of Information Technology
Is your business protected if disaster strikes?
Find out why your business should have a disaster recovery plan, especially during hurricane season. Call HRCT at 757-399-3350 for help with data backup and data recovery planning.
Data and Disaster Recovery
What would happen to your company if a disaster struck? Hurricanes, fires, floods, turn on The Weather Channel® or local news and the segments are full of disasters happening all around the world. 2011 was the costliest year in term of world disasters with direct property losses at $380 billion.
Personal safety and your property are not the only things at risk. Your business is at risk for data loss. Not only could your physical property be damaged, your company’s data could be vulnerable. A disaster plan with data recovery is the first step in determining how to protect your company’s important data.
Disasters
We all know the dangers of hurricanes after Katrina, tornadoes after Joplin, Missouri and fires such as those that rage in California year after year. There are other threats to your company’s data that can and do happen more frequently. Those are man-made disasters. Those disasters can happen with a simple move of the hand, and that coffee cup spills all over your keyboard and into your computer. They can happen with the opening of what looks like an innocent email attachment. Is your data protected? Do you have a data recovery plan?
Data backup and storage
Sadly, it is estimated that 25% of businesses do not reopen for business following a major disaster.* Many of those lost company data, which is vital to the livelihood of a company such as client lists, payroll files, and financial records. The goal for any company should be to minimize downtime after a disaster, so the loss to your company is not devastating. Unfortunately, having a single backup strategy will not be sufficient for most companies. Data recovery can take time and in turn, create more lost revenue. Most companies could benefit from a multi-level strategy of managed services available 24/7.
Imagine your company in Norfolk, Virginia just experienced a hurricane similar to Isabel in 2003 that destroyed 77 businesses and damaged 1400 other businesses. With the right data backup and data recovery plan, your employees could use their laptops and cloud computing, from wherever they are, to handle many aspects of the business as if they were in the office. They could access invoices that need to be sent to clients or proposals needed for a meeting the next day. All of your secure data is stored securely and waiting for you to access the information. Just think of what a relief it would be to know that your company is still running even if the physical property isn’t.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing plays a large role in data backup and security. With cloud computing, your data is safe in the cloud and is duplicated seamlessly, so even if a server breaks down, it can still be accessed. Now with the new Microsoft Office 365, you have your complete Office in the cloud. Now the cloud offers the same features, but without the risks, as an onsite server. It is also easier on your company’s budget having your storage, programs, applications and licensing in the cloud. Cloud computing:
- Offers the ability to login and access data, files, etc. anywhere you go, whether traveling or at home, on a variety of devices.
- Removes the bulk and need to increase server capacity. Consider server virtualization which creates an image of a data center that can be quickly accessed thus reducing downtime.
- Allows more flexibility of paying for only what you need when you need it.
Make a plan: Backup and protection
When deciding what documents, applications, and other aspects of your business, need to be included in your data recovery plan, it’s time to assess your information and your plan’s effectiveness.
- Do a data assessment with a concentration on high-value data and sensitive information by using the 80/20 rule, where 20% is what’s critical to the business.
- Work with a trusted partner to ensure the solution meets your needs.
- Discuss what an acceptable time of recovery would be and choose accordingly.
- Sensitive date should be properly encrypted.
- Set up regular backups especially of critical data.
- If able, test your data recovery.
Preparation is key. Know what’s critical to keep your business running, and how Cloud Computing can help, backup your data, applications and other programs.
A managed service plan with HRCT is a proactive way to protect and backup your data. Call now and talk to our VP of Information Technology, Eric Schueler. Eric can put together a backup and protection plan customized for your business. 757-399-3350
*Institute for Business and Home Safety
Posted by Eric O. Schueler, A+, MCP, MCSE, MCTS, CSSA, ACSP – Senior V.P. of Information Technology at HRCT. Eric has been in the business of providing IT and consulting for small and medium business for more than 15 years.
Hampton Roads Communication Technologies (HRCT) provides quality business telecommunications solutions, like Microsoft Lync and Office 365, computer and IT support and managed service agreements to companies and organizations throughout the United States, Mid-Atlantic and the Hampton Roads Virginia cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton, north into Williamsburg and south into the Outer Banks of North Carolina. HRCT keeps your company connected with 24/7 emergency service.
Call today. (757) 399-3350
Sources: usatoday.com, cio.com, vaemergency.com, sba.gov
Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.com by Photokanok (Earth), phasinphoto (coffee) and hywards (Cloud computing)