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If the big one hits, is your business ready?

Okay, maybe that giant earthquake that’s supposed to hit California sometime in the next thirty years is not at the top of your worry list.  Still, it’s important to have a business continuity and disaster recovery plan in place in case a more everyday type of calamity hits.  If your business were affected by fire, theft, vandalism, or catastrophic data failure, what would happen?  How much data would be lost?  How much time would it take to get your systems back up and running again?  Would your business be able to function in the meantime?
The first step in creating a business continuity plan is to evaluate the most important aspects of your business.  What functions are most critical to keeping your business up and running?  What threats, liabilities, and assets affect those most critical functions?  For example, a restaurant might need to have a backup generator hooked to the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage.  If a fire or flood made it impossible to access the office, a real estate agent might need to be able to remotely access client files and listings, and retail businesses need a way to track inventories and orders in case of computer or equipment failures. Continuity and disaster plans should include strategies to ensure the safety of your personnel, a clear chain-of-command and communication strategies in the event of a disaster, and a plan to insure that your business can continue to function with as few disruptions as possible.
Though a robust continuity plan should include planning for various contingencies, in terms of disaster recovery we often focus on what would happen to your business’s data.  There are several data solutions that can help insure business continuity, such as virtual snapshots and cloud computing.  One of the strengths of cloud computing is that storing data in the cloud helps guarantee reliability and redundancy.  If something does go wrong, cloud storage means that your business can continue to function with no disruption to your customers.
GeekTek is a Los Angeles based business specializing in managed IT services for small and medium sized businesses.  We can help you create a business continuity and disaster plan that meets your needs.  Contact us for more information or a free evaluation.