hurricane

Prepare Your Business Technology for Hurricane Season

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Hurricane season has arrived! It’s time to dust off your hurricane-preparation list and add to it ways to prepare your business technology to it. Just like we have preparation plans for our homes and family, it’s a must to also have a plan for your business, more importantly the technology within it.

 

What happens if you can’t get into your email? What if you lose your servers or data? How will your employees be able to access their work? This is an important question to ask, even if your employees work remotely.

 

Data Backup Is A MUST – We recommend Carbonite as a cloud backup solution.

Backing up your data is an extremely important part of running a business these days. Without it, you can put yourself at risk for a catastrophe. If you already have a data backup system in place, don’t assume it is working properly.

  • Make sure to recover information from your backup system before the storm hits. This will ensure your data backup is working as it should, and it also makes you familiar with how to access information. Store critical data in multiple locations, preferably in network files. If you are using a storage device, it should be encrypted.
  • Do NOT wait until the hurricane is approaching to test your backup. Instead, test it often.
  • If you have critical information stored physically, such as documents in a filing cabinet, ensure they are protected from water damage. You also need to make sure employees know how to access these files.

 

Protect Your DEVICES

Move all important devices away from windows or areas subject to debris, wind, and rain. Protect your physical devices with tarps or plastic to prevent water damage in case of flooding or leaks. If possible, move your devices to an area with no windows, such as a closet.

NEVER place your devices on the floor. If there is a flooding situation, they would most certainly experience damage if they are on the floor.

 

Post-Hurricane Recovery PLAN

Create a plan that includes thing such as where your important documents will be stored – preferable offsite in a location away from the hurricane. Outline a plan with protocols and process, as well as assigning roles to staff. Know what data your company has, who has access to it, who uses it, and how critical it is to everyday operations. Have a backup location ready to conduct business from if you cannot access your office building after the storm.

 

EMERGENCY Kits

You may need to continue your operations after the hurricane from a remote office location. Create a kit with everything you will need in such a case. Items to include in the kit would be checks, letterhead, cash, licensing information for your software, a weather radio, list of important contacts, etc.

 

COMMUNICATE with Employees & Vendors

Make sure your employees know the plan. Test out your plans and tweak as necessary. Ensure staff with critical roles understand what they need to do in case of a storm. Make sure they know the post-storm actions and processes as well as the pre-storm preparation plans.

 

Talk to your vendors! Ensure they are prepared as well. You should also be familiar with what to do in case you need to conduct business with them, but they are unable to go back to their office. This is extremely important if you heavily rely on this vendor.

 

Always have emergency or backup contact information from both, employees and vendors.

The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind.  Contact us to find out how we can help.