- Online Data Backups Save Company Information - Stock Xchng Image by ElaiEva
A small business disaster can take many forms. Natural events, such as a fire or flood, can wipe out all equipment, while a virus or theft can result in data loss or other problems. Planning ahead with a disaster recovery plan template helps small business owners maintain continuity in any emergency.
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
For business continuity, disaster recovery planning is critical. With this disaster recovery plan template from IBM, businesses can make sure that all of the most important aspects of a data recovery plan are implemented before disaster strikes.
- Data Recovery Personnel Lists - For emergency data recovery, maintain a list of data processing personnel. The list should contain names, positions and contact information, to allow administrators to call in critical personnel in the event of a disaster.
- Emergency Data Recovery from Critical Applications - Maintain a list of applications and software that run on company computers, and the level of importance of each type of software.
- Computer Hardware Inventory - This list should contain a full list of of all computer hardware on-hand. This list allows business owners to quickly replace equipment after a total loss or determine the value of losses for insurance purposes.
Backup for Disaster Recovery
Backup all software programs regularly to ensure a timely disaster recovery process. It may seem tempting to backup files, then secure the backups in a filing cabinet or in a desk drawer, but this does not protect the files in the event of a natural disaster. All company files should be stored both locally and remotely, to facilitate a swift restoral of business.
Physical backup medium, such as a data CD or a thumb drive are adequate for small backups. Online backup services can also provide a safe and reliable place to store business data. Read more about using online backups for small business data in the article: Small Business Disaster Recovery with Online Data Backup Services.
Small Business Disaster Recovery Plan
After filling out the small business disaster recovery plan template, a business owner will have a comprehensive list of software and hardware, lists of emergency contacts and action plans, and a clear idea of the best and fastest way to restore operations after a disaster. Perform tests of the disaster recovery plan at least quarterly, and update the plan information whenever there is a change in personnel, software or hardware. The use of a detailed and thoroughly researched plan for recovery after a disaster or emergency is essential to the swift restoral of business services.
Looking for more small business templates? Try:
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Victoria Nicks - Victoria Nicks has a Master's Degree in IT, and extensive hands-on experience with various types of hardware and software.
