Posted by: TAZ Networks on October 12, 2018 at 8:00 am
Any backup is better than no backup, but it’s better to plan ahead and prepare for a data disaster.
We often think of a “disaster” as a life-altering event: a flood or file, for example. But a data disaster doesn’t have to be a major hack or a breach. It could be as simple as forgetting to save a file before closing, or a file getting corrupted because it was left open during an update. This kind of “disaster” can strike anyone at any time. So what can you do to prepare for a data disaster?
Here are four ways:
Talk to Your IT Provider.
This is where to begin to prepare for a data disaster. An IT provider can provide a risk assessment, and then offer solutions to save you from data loss. Think of the spreadsheet you have been working with for months. It would be a shame if it were gone forever. How about that project you and the team have been assigned with a rapidly-approaching deadline? It would be a waste of time and a hassle to recreate if the file was corrupted or lost. In any case, a BDR solution can help alleviate these stressors.
Be a Part of the Conversation.
You know files your staff needs access to for a successful day at work. (If you don’t? Ask your staff.) Be involved in the process of backing up your data. Then, should your company fall victim to ransomware or data loss, you will know how to respond. Your IT provider will ultimately be responsible for recovering your data and maintaining your backups, of course, but knowing how to access your files while they get you back up and running may help you get back to work quicker. When the disaster recovery solution is put into place, there may also be some training available to you from your IT provider that should help you prepare for a data disaster.
Know That You Are Protected.
Call your IT provider and ask, “If we fall victim to ransomware, or our company files are lost, what do we do?” With this simple question, you can prevent costly downtime and data loss. With one question, you can protect your office and coworkers from being locked out of your files indefinitely. Asking this question can help you establish if you actually do have an effective disaster recovery plan. After all, when it comes to a data disruption, it’s not a question of if but when.
Save Your Work.
This sounds easy and like a no-brainer, but with our years in IT, we’ve seen many times how saving work sometimes falls by the wayside. Even if your machine is being backed up, and your files are being protected, you still need to save often. Should disaster hit and files are in need of being recovered, your progress will be lost if you haven’t saved your work. There is always a risk of losing some work in the event of a disaster, but if you save often, the risk decreases ten-fold.