Planning for Business Recovery

No one wants to think about it, but in light of recent events it makes sense for every company to have in place a business continuity plan. This might include installing a backup generator for power, having access to a second office available for re-location, and ensuring your insurance policy is current, relevant and up to date.

Some of the above may be more applicable for larger companies, however one element that�s 100% critical for ALL businesses regardless of size is to make and keep up to date backup copies of your computer files.

We�ve all lost files or know someone that has, and appreciate the panic this causes. Files can be lost instantly by a power surge, fire, flood, theft, virus and of course the most common risk � human error such as the accidental deletion of a critical file!

Information is the lifeblood of your business, and needs to be backed up regularly (as well as being kept safe and instantly accessible when disaster strikes). Unlike your office or the computer itself, your computer files cannot be replaced, yet without them you have no business.

For most companies, the files that need to be kept safe will include:

• Databases
• Client records
• Presentations
• Invoices
• Emails
• Historical work archives
• Research

In addition, most of us now keep digital images stored on our computers (both work related and just as important �personal� photos), which could be critical or at the very least upsetting if lost. A simple risk assessment question to ask is:

�How long would my business survive if the files on my computer disappeared right now?�

Unless you have a current �back-up� or copy of your information it is quite likely that your business will cease to operate for some time, if not indefinitely.

There are a number of ways for you to make backup copies of your information, and these methods can be divided into 2 main categories.

• Manual processes, which use recordable media such as tapes or disks.
• Online backup services, which use your Internet connection to transfer data.

Manual processes rely on you carrying out the backup, rotating the media and then removing it offsite every day. Consequently they can be labour intensive, costly and in addition the media can be unreliable (i.e. disks can be scratched or warp).

For this reason, many companies are now using online solutions, which back up your information securely and automatically each day for you.

Furthermore your information is encrypted to ensure privacy and stored safely off-site so when disaster strikes your files are completely safe and can be instantly restored to any machine. It�s human nature to think �it�ll never happen to me�, however it is more accurate to think �when will this happen to me�.

Don�t gamble with your business continuity, back up your files and give some thought to any other areas that need safeguarding.

For further information about manual backup devices contact your local PC supplier