Are you prepared for a business disaster?

Many companies don’t have a business continuity plan in place in the event that a disaster strikes. They often rely on friends and family for business IT advice. What they don’t realise is that unscheduled downtime can have a damaging effect on productivity but it can be avoided by having the right back up systems in place.

Of course there are a number of disasters that could bring your business to a halt. Last year’s flooding in South West England is a prime example where businesses could have their infrastructure damaged leading to a significant loss of business. It doesn’t have to be something onsite like flooding or a fire, problems can be caused by power failures and server problems too.

Planning for the unexpected

There are a number of issues that will need addressing in the event of a disaster. How do you keep your business going, contact customers, make sure orders are delivered or recover any lost data? Developing a business continuity plan before anything goes wrong will go a long way to ensuring that you are prepared and likely to be up and running again as soon as possible.

Develop a business continuity plan

• Identify the systems that you need back in place to operate effectively.
• Make a list of who are your key personnel and how the can be contacted, including who has the capacity to work from home.
• Have a list of contractors and vendors as well utilities you may need to contact.
• What critical equipment do you need to keep your business going including the software of your IT infrastructure?
• If you are coping with losing the entire infrastructure of your business, what are the critical documents that you need to start trading again?
• Identify where you can get alternative equipment if you need it. That doesn’t just mean things like PCs but delivery trucks and even office space.
• Make a how-to list with the people who are there to solve specific problems including how you get your IT infrastructure back in place.
• Keep your business continuity plan together in one place and make sure everyone is aware of how to implement it.
• And finally, make sure your contingency plan up-to-date. Things change, processes are added to your business as it develops and you need to be sure how you can get these back in place in the event of a disaster.

Protecting your data

Keeping your data safe is one of the most important parts of a business continuity plan – without it you could be losing a good deal of your company’s power to work. Having a reliable back-up in place can save a lot of time and money. With new cloud-based technologies, it is now easier than ever to ensure that all your IT systems are protected and can be readily replaced.

Speak to the experts

The most effective way to be prepared for any business disaster is to seek advice from an IT professional. They can assess the potential impact upon your business and provide the necessary back up and disaster recovery solution to give you complete peace of mind.

Article submitted by M2 Computing. Providing affordable, flexible IT Support and Consultancy for SME’s.  www.m2computing.co.uk