While the song “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” may evoke smiles and laughter, if it were your business being run over by a disaster, we suspect you wouldn’t be smiling. Getting backups and disaster recovery (DR) right can be difficult. Add cloud technology into the mix and the complexity can increase even more. So, while many say, “there’s no such thing as a disaster,” but as for us at IT Radix, we believe.
Being prepared for disaster starts with a plan, and sadly, more than 65% of small-to-medium businesses don’t have one. So, let’s get started on your DR plan:
- Inventory your systems, services and operations. Knowing what is needed
is the first step. - Backup all critical systems regularly.
- Have all critical data and applications backed up offsite.
- Prioritize what is needed most.
- Assign responsibilities so that everyone is clear. Don’t forget to include how
to contact them in an emergency. - Identify what must be done onsite versus what could be done at an alternate location.
- By conceptualizing a disaster in advance, you can understand alternatives and remain operational in the event of a disaster. You may need to adjust some of
your operations and procedures to accommodate for a disaster situation. - Work with your partners and vendors to ease the entire process from plan
creation to actual DR plan execution. - And don’t forget, once you’ve got your plan in place, to practice and test it
to ensure your team is ready in the event your business gets run over by
a reindeer.
Finally, don’t put your plan away like holiday decorations—it’s a living document that should be modified whenever your business operations change. Need help getting started? Give us a call today.
Need help pulling it all together? Click here for information on business continuity software that helps smooth the way.
First published in our December 2018 IT Radix Resource newsletter
