Ensure Data Backups Can Even Survive a Hurricane

The official start to hurricane season is June 1. If the power goes out, a critical system crashes, or natural disaster strikes, the company will be crippled without backup and recovery software. No business should be without data backup software. However, how many businesses are sure that their disaster recovery solutions can survive the worst of the worst? A hurricane may be a worst-case scenario for a business, but that is exactly what disaster recovery is for. If a business continuity strategy cannot protect the company from a hurricane, IT professionals should question exactly what emergencies it can protect them from. In order to maximize disaster recovery protection and ensure that the business is ready for even worst-case scenarios, IT decision-makers must examine certain aspects of operations. If the company uses virtual machines or the cloud, it can use these technologies to its advantage. The cloud provides convenient, reliable, and flexible access to information, while virtualization allows a business to simplify the backup process. Especially when disaster concerns are weather-related, online backups of virtual machine images can be a blessing for a business. With remote access capabilities of the cloud and the ease of recovering a computer image, the company can get employees up and running swiftly, even if they have to work remotely because storms knocked out power to the office, or worse, blew the office away entirely. Just because a business has implemented the latest technology for its disaster recovery needs doesn't mean it can rest easy. Training, planning, and other steps are still required in order to be fully prepared for a data-related crisis. For any company, business continuity is about know-how and foresight more than quick action, and having the backup and recovery software in place well before disaster strikes is the only way to ensure prosperity afterward.