Technology is truly an amazing thing. 
From the dark ages of early computing to now,
technological advancements have been made at an alarming rate.
This influx of new hardware and software has proved
beneficial to humankind in a multitude of ways.
But, as people grow increasingly reliant on their gadgets and gizmos,
what happens when it all goes awry and everyone’s new tech falters?
If you, your family or your company are among those that rely
on technology, crafting a disaster recovery plan is a great
way to bounce back in the chance of rampant fallout.
Assess Potential Disasters
Disasters, either natural or otherwise, are around every corner in the internet age.
With hackers upping their arsenals daily, and rampant climate change creating
bizarre weather patterns around the world, the potential for calamities is always increasing.
Whether it is bloggers hell bent on destruction that you’re worried about,
or tornadoes at your doorstep, taking preventative measures early on is
an excellent way to prevent a minor setback from becoming a full blown disaster.
You may not be able to prevent every mishap, but getting a team together to brainstorm
all the things that can go wrong is an excellent first step. Like any other sort of disaster
preparation, preparing for the worst up front can mean a greater sense of resilience
when an earthquake levels your servers, or a storm severs your electricity.
Plan for Data Recovery
After you have assessed all the potential dangers to your company, it’s time to
begin building an infrastructure around your initial plan. If it’s data you’re afraid
of losing, investing in IT hosting and cloud storage is highly recommended.
By storing all of your information in the cloud, you’re not only scaling back on overhead,
but also getting a larger return on your IT investment. For smaller companies without
the space or funds to house their servers, the cloud acts as a perfect
replacement for traditional hard drives.
Although new to the scene, the advantages of cloud computing are aplenty,
especially in a disaster recovery scenario. In the event of a fire or other catastrophe,
hard goods and data are often severely damaged and or lost, but, by storing
information in the cloud, you can protect the wellbeing of your company and ensure a full recovery.
Test and Retest
Once your plan is set and the memos have been sent out, it’s time to test and retest.
Much like a fire drill, running through mock disasters is not only good practice,
but also a way to see if all preventative measures are in place.
It may take a little bit of imagination, and a great deal of cooperation from everyone
at your company, but preparing scenarios to run through is an essential part of
strengthening the safety of your data and your employees.
After your first round of testing, either successful or not, it’s important to
retest frequently thereafter.
You might not need to have a drill every day, but running through one once or twice
a month can directly affect your level of success in the future. After all, it’s better to
be overly prepared beforehand then thrown for a loop later on down the road.
As you move through this process, you should always keep the specific needs of you
and your company in mind. Keep all preparation within your budget and keep
your staff actively involved and informed.
Protecting yourself and those that work for you is the most important part of owning a
business, and by backing up all files and documents, you can guarantee that you
remain competitive even in the face of disaster.
Author Info: Reanna Gutierrez is the Product Marketing Manager for OneNeck IT,
which provides hosted application management and other cloud-based
services for mid-level businesses.