In life I have found that there are two types of people: those who are prepared, and those who are not. I of course have found that being prepared is the only way to go – being on time for an event, checking directions before you leave the house or tuning into the weather channel before a trip can save so much time and headache. However, there are those who run around unprepared and are virtually behind on everything.
In business, it is no different. Being prepared is essential – especially when there is critical information to consider. Through the recent SMB Disaster Preparedness study that Symantec conducted, we found that most people don’t have a plan for disasters until it is too late. This isn’t a good sign as disasters can affect IT in all forms. While many think of floods, hurricanes, snowstorms or earthquakes when they hear the word disaster, it can also come in internal forms, like spilling coffee on your keyboard or dropping your laptop or smartphone on the concrete. Even something as small as human operating error – sending information to the wrong person or hitting the wrong key – can spell trouble for an SMB.
To help SMBs in their efforts to be prepared, Symantec has created a set of recommendations to ensure their IT systems are prepared for a disaster.
- Don’t wait until it’s too late: Start mapping out a disaster preparedness plan today. The plan should identify your critical resources.
- Protect information completely: Use appropriate security and backup solutions to archive important files.
- Get employees involved: Educate employees on computer security best practices and what to do if they misplace information.
- Test frequently: Regular disaster recovery testing is invaluable and should be done anytime anything changes in your environment.
- Review your plan: You should review your disaster preparedness plan at least once a quarter.
You wouldn’t go out into below-zero temperatures with your swimsuit and flip flops (well, at least I hope you wouldn’t), so don’t go another day without implementing a plan for your business before disaster strikes.