{"id":531,"date":"2019-06-24T17:56:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T22:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/roundrock-tx-1071\/?p=531"},"modified":"2023-02-21T09:55:42","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T15:55:42","slug":"will-your-disaster-recovery-plan-weather-the-strongest-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/roundrock-tx-1071\/blog\/will-your-disaster-recovery-plan-weather-the-strongest-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Your Disaster Recovery Plan Weather the Strongest Storm?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hurricane season kicked off June 1st. The official names have been picked and we already saw named storm Andrea hit the coast. This got us thinking\u2026do you have a plan in place if a disaster strikes your business?!<\/p>\n

Before we dive into strategies to prepare for a disaster, let\u2019s take a step back because disasters will strike every business and they can strike in a number of ways; not just weather-related incidents. We want to make sure you are ready for it all with a solid disaster recovery plan!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Disaster Scenario 1: Data or Systems Loss<\/h4>\n
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Imagine this scenario: It\u2019s 7:30 am, you open the doors to your business, grab your cup of coffee, and head to your desk to turn your computer on. But today, your computer doesn\u2019t boot up. It could have been the result of an overnight storm that sent an electrical surge through your office, a power outage that continues through the next day, a malware attack that\u2019s taken over your systems, or your system simply took its last gasp.<\/p>\n

How quickly could you get back to business as usual? Has your data been backed up regularly? Would you know where to find your backed up data \u2014 and how to access and implement it once you located it?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all had those inadvertent mouse clicks (you know the one where you accidentally hit delete!). Would you know how to recover that file? What about if you get attacked by malware or a virus? Or worse yet, a complete system failure that strikes the entire office? Remember, time is money especially for small businesses and every day \u2013 or even every minute \u2013 you do not have access to your critical data is money gone.<\/p>\n

The only surefire way to protect computers and the information they store from data disaster is with a\u00a0managed and automatic remote data backup and recovery<\/a>\u00a0process. This stores your critical business information in several locations\u2014often on-site and in the cloud\u2014so that you can roll back to an uninfected or unaffected machine with ease. That allows you to restore critical data quickly so you can get back to work.<\/p>\n

But what about data security? How do you thwart off a malicious attack to your systems? Unfortunately, there isn\u2019t a single security practice or strategy that can provide comprehensive protection. Without the proper layers of security in place, one lucky shot by a hacker can completely disrupt your business operations at all levels. That\u2019s why we always preach that a\u00a0multi-tiered approach to data security<\/a>\u00a0is the best approach to safeguard from data or systems disasters or mishaps. Hackers won\u2019t stand a chance and you have one less thing to worry about.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Disaster Scenario 2: Mechanical Breakdown<\/h4>\n
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Imagine this scenario: The dog days of summer are here. Temperatures in the area have hit the triple digits for a solid week. Your A\/C unit is struggling to keep up with demand and blows a capacitor \u2013 or even worse, just died completely. You have a bank of computers that must operate in a cool climate or they risk overheating. What do you do?<\/p>\n

While this scenario seems like an easy fix \u2013 get the A\/C repaired. As we all know, when the temps hit the triple digits here in Texas, the A\/C people are busy and can\u2019t always jump to your rescue.<\/p>\n

According to Allison Hale, General Manager at\u00a0SOS Mechanical<\/a>\u00a0in Round Rock, the key is being prepared. \u201cHaving a maintenance plan on HVAC equipment will ensure drain lines are kept clear and safety switches are operational,\u201d advises Hale. \u201cJust like having regular, automatic, and managed backup of your company\u2019s data, preventative maintenance on your business\u2019 equipment also decreases the likelihood failure. It also allows a contractor to understand your needs and suggest safety mechanisms and alarms in the case of a failure.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also crucial to make sure your data is being backed up with automatic, remote backups and that you know how to access that data when it comes time to restore your systems. You never know when your heater might break, your pipes freeze, burst, and flood your office, something triggers your fire sprinklers, or even worse yet, fire strikes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Disaster Scenario 3: Weather<\/h4>\n
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Central Texas is all too familiar with the effects of flooding rains. Whether it\u2019s from a tropical depression that settled over our area or the outer bands from a hurricane, lately we\u2019ve seen our fair share of water.<\/p>\n

But, the opposite can also happen (probably more often than not, right?) and brush fires pop up from extreme drought conditions. I think we all remember the year that Bastrop and Spicewood both fought terrible forest fires!<\/p>\n

So how do you prepare your business for a natural disaster when they can be so unpredictable at times?<\/p>\n

\u2013 Have a solid disaster recovery plan in place!<\/p>\n

\u2013 Backup, Backup, Backup! (Sound familiar?)<\/p>\n

\u2013 If you have a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) battery with surge protection, make sure the unit is connected and auto-shutdown software is installed and operational.<\/p>\n

\u2013 If you do not have a UPS, power down your PCs, servers, printers, and other equipment, and disconnect from the power source.<\/p>\n

\u2013 In the case of water-related damage, move equipment off the floor and put as high up as possible. You might also consider using trash bags to fully cover the equipment (but not with the power on).<\/p>\n

\u2013 Enable remote access to your data for you or your employees. Depending on the severity of the weather-related incident, time away from the office can vary. Business must go on so giving employees remote access will get you up and running faster \u2013 or prevent any downtime.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the disaster, many precautions need to take place to prevent electrocution, touching fire-damaged items, etc. We have a\u00a0few tips in this post<\/a>\u00a0that will help, but never hesitate to contact us as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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To Sum it Up:<\/h4>\n
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\u2013 Conduct a risk assessment and create a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that addresses the steps needed to get your business up and running \u2013 no matter the event.<\/p>\n

\u2013 It is imperative that you implement off-site, redundant, and encrypted data backups.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Formulate a business continuity plan.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Create (and test!) a virtualization strategy before disaster strikes. Virtualization takes the data you have backed up remotely and rebuilds it on existing or secondary equipment in case of disaster.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Understand incident management.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Without the proper plan, tools, and implementation, it could take a business weeks, if not months, to recover from a disaster. For some businesses, this could spell the end. We certainly don\u2019t want that to happen to you!<\/p>\n

If we haven\u2019t convinced you that you need a proven and tested disaster recovery plan, then we need to talk. CMIT Solutions of Round Rock specialize in helping small to medium-sized businesses prepare for and weather even the roughest of storms (pun intended).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Let CMIT Solutions Round Rock worry about keeping your data safe so you don\u2019t have to! Contact us today!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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