Do You Have A Backup?

Do you have the right backup for your computer systems, in case of technical glitches, a disgruntled employee messes with your data, or, say, I don’t know—an earthquake and a hurricane hit in the same week?

The only thing you can truly expect—is the unexpected. A pipe bursts in your office and soaks your servers. The power goes out and you lose an hour (or more!) worth of work on your computer. A natural disaster happens, and you have to evacuate—could you pick up, get the heck out of Dodge, and maintain operations off-site?

There are a lot of options and pieces to consider. How can you be sure that you have enough protection?

¨      Proper electrical backup. Every computer should start with the basics—a battery backup and a surge protector. Verify electrical levels on your system to determine what level of battery you need. Make sure to test it regularly—9 times out of 10, your universal power supply (UPS) or surge protector is what gets fried in a power outage or storm. For more information on basic UPS and surge protector protection, including how to insure your system, see our blog on protecting your computers in a storm.

¨      Cloud computing. Depending on how big your business is and what it is you’re trying to store and protect, cloud computing may be the answer for you. By consistently storing and accessing information and work from servers that are located safely away from your own office, you can work from anywhere as long as you have internet access. Bonus:  Your data isn’t affected by local conditions.

¨      Backup software. There are a number of fantastic products that can copy, clone and make images of your data. Data retention isn’t the only piece of your backup and data recovery plan that you have to worry about—but it is a big chunk of it. Whether or not data backup software is right for your needs—and how to choose a product—depends on variables, such as the amount of data you’re trying to protect, what industry you’re in, and much more.

¨      Backup systems. Backup systems can include external hard drives, USB drives, server duplication, and other systems. Sometimes, a backup system can refer to your entire set-up—how the UPS, backup software and backup hardware work together. Check out this article for a great review of available products for Mac and PC.

 Confused yet? Don’t be. One of the things we specialize in is consulting with clients on the best options for their security and backup needs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. Not sure if you need one, two or all of these pieces included in your plan? Do you think you may have outgrown your current protection? Call Prince at (804) 767-2136 for a consultation or to set up an appointment today. You can also visit us on the web at www.RichTechGroup.com.

It may sound like a cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true—the best time to plan for an emergency is BEFORE disaster strikes. Contact us today. An hour or two of your time and a very small investment in some equipment and some software could save you not only time and heartache—it could literally save your business.