| Business continuity and disaster planning go | | | | water outside of the building? Is the office |
| hand-in-hand. When they prepare for disasters, | | | | weatherized for the winter so water pipes running |
| businesses owners usually think about emergency | | | | overhead do not burst from freezing |
| numbers, evacuation plans, and insurance matters. | | | | temperatures? |
| But what about the technology in your offices? | | | | Data Back-up |
| Do you have a plan for preserving important | | | | Every business should back up data at regular |
| printed and structural materials? Are you aware | | | | intervals. There are many ways to do this: onto |
| of your firm's technology risk? | | | | CDs or DVDs, an external hard drive, or even |
| Assessing Technology Risk | | | | online. Many businesses even keep backed-up |
| The first step in assessing a company's | | | | storage off-site in the event of a fire at the |
| technology risk is to create inventories of | | | | office. |
| computers, software, and other electronic items | | | | When planning for data backups, think: What |
| that may need programming. After a disaster, | | | | information is the most important to save? How |
| applications and hardware may need to be | | | | often will this information need to be backed up? |
| reinstalled and replaced. Having a list of hardware, | | | | How long will you save electronic files? If any files |
| legal licenses, applications, and software can help a | | | | are lost, can they be recovered quickly? |
| business create recover budgets. | | | | Don't Forget Disaster Recovery Planning |
| Your inventory spreadsheet might include | | | | No matter how well prepared you are, sometimes |
| information like: name/type of electronic | | | | disasters happen. Designate a back-up work site in |
| equipment; who uses it (for example: CEO's | | | | the event that the office becomes uninhabitable. |
| desktop computer); location of the equipment, | | | | Disaster planning also needs to include plans to get |
| RAM; the speed of the processor; the operating | | | | back up on one's feet. How long will it take to |
| system (for example: Linux, Windows, Apple, | | | | become operational again? Where will all of the |
| etc.); disk size; server information; date and | | | | equipment, new or old, be set-up after a disaster? |
| location where the item was purchased; and | | | | Have the contact information for a disaster |
| accompanying hardware. | | | | restoration specialist in your list of important |
| Assessing Printed and Structural Material Risks | | | | business numbers. These professionals will help |
| Assess what can be done to prevent a disaster in | | | | ensure repair work is done correctly the first time |
| your offices. Many business owners plan for big | | | | so that secondary problems (like mold from |
| natural disasters, but fail to prevent more | | | | water damage) do not make an appearance |
| common mishaps like fires, water leaks, and mold | | | | down the road. Document restoration specialists |
| damage. | | | | can help companies get back to business quickly. |
| Think about which printed materials would | | | | Specialists can restore items like photographs, |
| devastate your business if they were lost. These | | | | books or documents, and even x-rays. |
| documents may include deeds, client files, | | | | It is not pleasant to think about the worst case |
| architectural plans, models, tax documents, | | | | scenarios when it comes to planning a business' |
| x-rays, photographs, etc. Place these documents | | | | future. However, when it comes to business |
| in a secure (perhaps off-site) location. | | | | continuity, not thinking planning for the worst is |
| Also, identify hazards in your workplace. Are | | | | foolish. Protect your business' assets: prepare for |
| candles allowed? Are fire extinguishers in plain | | | | technological disasters. |
| sight? Are there any leaky windows or pools of | | | | |