IT Blog

Hurricane season is upon us, and a disaster recovery plan is essential for business continuity. 

Regardless of your type of business, the severe weather associated with hurricane season can be unpredictable and devastating to any organization, especially if you are unprepared. 

That’s why it is of utmost importance to develop a disaster recovery plan for businesses well in advance in order to provide much-needed peace of mind. 

We have the necessary experience to provide suggestions to help your organization prepare for a hurricane’s effect on your business operations, technology, and employees. 

While we can’t control the weather, technology has provided us with the ability to work from anywhere in many cases, allowing business operations to continue from the comfort and safety of our homes. This is one of the best options when it comes to keeping your business running.  

We have prepared a guide to follow to prepare your business in the best way and keep it safe before and after any storm. 

Create a Disaster Recovery Plan in 5 simple steps 

 1- Prepare a plan  

Prepare and practice the hurricane disaster recovery plan for businesses before a storm occurs.  

This is the most important step in business continuity and the most effective way to mitigate the impact of a hurricane.  

As a business owner, an individual should consider identifying mission-critical applications, selecting essential backup data, securing off-site data storage, end-user relocation/colocation, remote equipment/access to that equipment, and the identification of key personnel.  

Organize a team of key individuals within your business. Practice the disaster recovery plan in a simulated scenario to ensure its effectiveness. 

 2- Backup your Data  

Make sure backups are done in a timely manner and are stored in a secure and reliable facility. If you use a recovery service provider, ensure that all of your data is properly stored and protected. If your recovery window is extremely short, you may want to consider using electronic vault technology.  

This will allow the data to be transferred to an alternate recovery site quickly and efficiently. These measures will ensure that your data is accessible, wherever you are. 

 3- Protect your site 

Protecting your business facilities and equipment is important to continue or restore operations in the event of a hurricane.  

This includes adding uninterruptible power supplies to your devices, adding a backup water source, and trying to keep the lower levels of the facility free from flooding. If closed for an indefinite period, create a plan to do it safely and prepare a different workplace, if necessary. 

 4- Work Remotely  

 The introduction of remote access, Cloud-based systems and applications, and mobile devices into the workplace have made remote work much easier than it has been in the past. 

Many businesses allow staff to work from home when necessary. Allowing this provides many benefits since remote work allows businesses to continue, even in adverse conditions. It also provides a competitive advantage that customers will notice.

Working remotely is far safer than trying to get to work during a storm. If a disaster occurs, having a hurricane preparedness plan in place will allow for critical business functions to occur remotely. 

 5- Secure a recovery services provider 

There are two methods of planning to recover and resume business processes in an alternative location. The first method involves using a dedicated computer only used for storing backups within the business. (Storage Solution Device).

This is generally accepted but is still prone to damage or loss since it is a physical appliance. This device must have enough capacity, to be able to secure your most important business files.  

The second option is utilizing an outsourced business recovery service to provide the services needed at the time of the disaster. The advantage of this approach is that it can be fully tested before the disaster strikes, in order to ensure it will work when necessary.

The key advantage of securing a recovery service vendor is that you can continue doing business seamlessly with the assurance that customer confidence is maintained.  

 There are many ways to prepare your business for disaster. It is imperative to have a continuity plan for your business and practice it, as many times as necessary in order to be ready if disaster strikes. 

Conclusion

Having a step-by-step guide and the service of an expert disaster recovery staff is very important for your business before a hurricane strikes.

Taking the time to create and implement a business continuity/disaster recovery plan is critical to remain operational throughout this time of year in Florida. Maintaining control during any natural disaster event and protecting your organization and employees should be of utmost importance.

NETVOIX can help you get started today and protect your business against potential closures due to extreme weather. If you have questions, or if you require assistance, do not hesitate to contact us today!

Hurricane season is upon us, be prepared, and do not forget to create your Disaster Recovery Plan! Contact us today