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Weather Worries
It’s that time of year again.
Hurricane season, thunder storms
and lightning strikes, and tornadoes are common weather problems
for our area. For many area businesses, it’s a time to pause
and consider your business plan in the event of a disaster.
Weather, however, may not be your worst enemy.
According to a study by Ontrack Data recovery, the greatest risk
facing a business is hardware or system malfunction. This study
indicates that a business has almost a 60% chance of experiencing
an electric failure, a hard drive crash or a controller card failure.
In fact, our Computerland Savannah team responded to a new client
call in April and found a server where the controller card had failed.
If it were not for a completed backup the night before, this business
would have been piecing data together to recover.
Your next greatest risk is human error. The
Ontrack Data study points out that over 25% of data loss occurs
when employees accidentally delete data. While the loss of data
may be limited to a single file, our company also had a situation
recently where a client had inadvertently “cleared”
their entire general ledger table from their SQL server. Once again,
their tested backup system saved them from days and perhaps weeks
of finding and then rekeying data.
Ways in which you can help your business be
ready in the event of a disaster include the following:
- Have a tested disaster plan. Today, many
larger businesses are required to not only have a disaster recovery
plan, but to publish their plan and tested processes
- Ensure your backup solution is defined
AND tested. Too often we find a client who says “sure we
have backup tapes.” Several questions we immediately ask
are:
o When is the last time you restored a file from the tape?
o How old are your tapes?
o When did you last clean your tape drive?
o How often do you review your backup set to ensure you have all
the files required to do business?
o Who is responsible for your tape rotation and where do they
store the tapes? Tapes MUST be removed from the premise every
day to be effective.
Finally, tape backup solutions are still the
most widely used in the business community. However, there are several
options that your business should consider the next time you review
your disaster recovery plan. Options include disk-based backup and
offsite backup. Many businesses are adopting disk-based backup solutions
for speed and ease of use. However, disk -based backups still require
a human element in your business to be responsible for taking the
media away on a daily basis. Offsite backups generally remove a
person from the equation. These offsite locations have grown rapidly
as many businesses realize that their greatest weakness is a human.
the major drawback of offsite backups is the price. A business has
to be prepared to pay for this level of security.
When considering disaster recovery, a business owner has to ask
the questions: how much is my data worth to my business? How long
can I function without my information system and data? These questions
will help determine how much your disaster recovery plan will cost
your company
Finally DON’T BE A STATISTIC. If you
don’t have a plan or haven’t tested your plan, Call
our office today!
According to the American Red Cross, up to
25% of small business don’t reopen after a disaster.
If you don’t have a disaster recovery
plan, start building one today. Below are some points from the American
Red Cross
Suggestions from the Red Cross that you may
want to consider:
- Keep phone lists of your key employees
and customers with you, and provide copies to key staff members.
- If you have a voice mail system at your
office, designate one remote number on which you can record messages
for employees. Provide the number to all employees.
- Arrange for programmable call forwarding
for your main business line(s). Then, if you can't get to the
office, you can call in and reprogram the phones to ring elsewhere.
- If you may not be able to get to your
office quickly after an emergency, leave keys and alarm code(s)
with a trusted employee or friend who is closer.
- Install emergency lights that turn on
when the power goes out. They are inexpensive and widely available
at building supply retailers.
- Back up computer data frequently throughout
the business day. Keep a backup tape off site.
- Use UL-listed surge protectors and battery
backup systems. They will add protection for sensitive equipment
and help prevent a computer crash if the power goes out.
- Purchase a NOAA Weather Radio with a tone
alert feature. Keep it on and when the signal sounds, listen for
information about severe weather and protective actions to take.
- Stock a minimum supply of the goods, materials
and equipment you would need for business continuity.
- Consult with your insurance agent about
precautions to take for disasters that may directly impact your
business. Remember, most policies do not cover earthquake and
flood damage. Protect valuable property and equipment with special
riders. Discuss business continuity insurance with your agent.
- Keep emergency supplies handy, including-
o Flashlights with extra batteries.
o First aid kit.
o Tools.
o Food and water for employees and customers to use during a period
of unexpected confinement at your business, such as if a tanker
truck over-turned nearby and authorities told everyone in the
area to stay put for an extended period.
For additional information
call our office at 912 447 5000 or e-mail Info@abscls.com
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