| Loss of data is a common problem for | | | | solutions to each. Your list should include losses |
| businesses. Fortunately, it's a problem that can | | | | that won't affect the business very much, and |
| easily be avoided with the correct preparation. | | | | those that would shut the business down |
| While devastating amounts of data can be lost | | | | temporarily or permanently. Information |
| during catastrophes like hurricanes, the September | | | | Technology experts can assist you with creating |
| 11 terrorist attacks, fires and floods - it doesn't | | | | the potential risk inventory - as they will have the |
| take such large events to cause a business to | | | | knowledge and experience to identify possibilities |
| lose important data. Believe it or not, businesses | | | | that you are not likely to think of but need to |
| can lose data in common events. It can be as | | | | plan for all the same. These IT experts will also |
| simple as dropping a laptop to the floor, or a | | | | be able discuss preventative solutions to guard |
| power surge that results in burning out a storage | | | | against each type of potential data loss. |
| device. If you don't have your crucial data backed | | | | 2) Rate each of your potential data loss situations. |
| up, even a small and common situation like these | | | | How likely is it for each of the items on your risk |
| can turn into a major disaster. | | | | inventory to occur? Rating them in order of |
| If you still think natural disasters are the leading | | | | importance and likeliness to occur will help you |
| causes of data loss - and that the chances of it | | | | determine where to focus your disaster recovery |
| happening to you are pretty slim, take a look at | | | | plan efforts. |
| the results from a study by Strategic Research | | | | 3) Develop your disaster recovery plan. Go |
| Corporation of the leading causes of business | | | | through each of your potential risks and their |
| continuity and disaster recovery incidents: | | | | solutions, and determine how long it would take |
| Hardware Failures (servers, switches, disk drives, | | | | you to recover from the loss of data for each |
| etc) - 44%. | | | | risk. Could your business be offline for 24 hours? |
| Human Error (mistakes in configurations, wrong | | | | A week? Depending on the nature of your |
| commands issued, etc) - 32% | | | | business, being offline for even just 24 hours |
| Software Errors (operating systems, driver | | | | could result in your losing customers to your |
| incompatibility, etc) - 14% | | | | competition. Look at ways to reduce the length |
| Viruses and Security Breach (unprotected | | | | of time it would take you to recover from each |
| systems are always at risk) - 7% | | | | type of data loss risk. |
| Natural Disasters - 3% | | | | 4) Put your disaster recovery plan to the test. |
| Establishing a disaster recovery plan will prevent | | | | Once you've created your plan of action for |
| your own data from loss, and can be done in the | | | | recovering lost data, you should test your |
| following four steps: | | | | solutions. A disaster recovery plan is just a plan |
| 1) Take a potential risk inventory. Make a list of | | | | until it can be tested and proven. |
| every potential cause of data loss and the | | | | |