Protecting Your Critical Data: Make Sure Your IT Department can Prove it

Backup. Backup. Backup. Several articles have been written on this topic, but it cannot be stressed enough.  Statistics show businesses that do not protect their critical data and processes will fail when disaster strikes. It is a question of when, not if, your data will be lost.   Proper planning is required, along with testing and verification for both Cloud and premise based solutions.

It’s no secret that small businesses spend a lot of time making sure the customer’s data is protected. It is important to regularly check the business continuity process to ensure data can quickly be restored after a disaster.   At KME, we want to get our clients critical servers back operational in under 30 minutes. How can we do that?  We demand our engineers prove it.

It’s not enough to back up the data.   There must also be a tested plan that examines the following:

1. Am I backing up the right data?
   • Who determined it was the right data?
   • Has that decision been reviewed and verified in the last 90 days?
2. Am I protecting entire servers?
   • Do I have all the install software I will need in an emergency?
   • Do I have all the software licenses ready to re-install?
3. Have I attempted a full server restore from my backup solution?
   • Have I documented the entire process?
   • Do I have access to this documentation at all times both electronically and in print?
   • If I have failed hardware, how do I replace it?  Do I have service contracts?

The cloud presents some excellent options to augment any on site backup solution. It is a common thought that the cloud is safe and backed up automatically.  However, there have been instances where cloud corporations simply decide to cease operation and give 30 days for clients to not only get their data but migrate to other solutions.   Therefore, you need to have copies of the cloud data stored either physically onsite or in a completely different data center with a different cloud firm.

Ask the tough questions of your internal team or IT support firm.  Make sure they can demonstrate their ability to get you back to operational status quickly and efficiently. These are important steps to be prepared when disaster hits. If you would like to learn more about how to protect your critical data or other steps to take to prepare for disaster, give us a call at 949-462-7001 ext 460 or sales@kmesystems.com