Preparing for Disaster

As we are all experiencing, disasters, natural, mechanical and man-made, do happen. Let’s not wait any longer, you need to have a backup plan for when a disaster happens to you.

Since I deal with technology, I am going to leave it to you to get food, to be prepared to help yourself, family and others. I am going to get on my soapbox and say, get your computer data protected too!

Every computer that holds your critical information (data server or stand alone PC) needs to have what is called RAID (it is multiple disks acting as one disk). This way if one hard drive fails you can still access the information you need to run your business, access your customer et al.

Next if you have 3 or more computers, you really need an external backup device that is NOT one of the computers you use. There are a couple of GREAT choices. Using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device with a QUALITY backup program (such as Genie-Soft’s backup ) is one very good idea. Another idea to backup your ENTIRE computer (not just the data you select) is a Windows Home Server (WHS). A WHS is NOT just for homes, as a matter of fact, I don’t know of a single home that uses one, except mine. By using a WHS in your business, it can make a mirror image backup (think “complete backup”) of up to ten computers and constantly keep that backup updated, automatically. If you have over ten computers you can either get two WHS or get Windows Server 2011, it has the same backup capabilities plus the advantages of security (another topic) for your network and works with 11 to 75 computers.

So now your main computer / data computer has redundancy internally with RAID, your computers are backed up on a WHS, but a tornado occurs. If everything is blown away, you won’t want to add to your worries. You will be going about helping your family and community. When the time comes to re-open your business, you must have your data and customer information.
This is why you should use off-site storage of your most important data somewhere “out there” in the cloud. I don’t suggest backing up everything or entire computers over the internet. There are local options such as “the Mountain” in Taney County and across the country such as Mozy. By using these services you can access your data from ANY computer and get your staff back to work as quickly as you can. Yes, your data can be made secure both at the off-site location and while being transmitted over the internet.

My suggestion to solve the backup needs of your business, call Ward Computers. Discuss with them your current backup plans and we will determine the BEST solution for YOU. We don’t “sell” you, we don’t determine what makes us the most money, at Ward Computers, we determine and promote what is absolutely best for YOUR business.

Next time, if I don’t continue the series on the View Pad tablet PC, I will cover the proper use of Universal Power Supplies (UPS) to protect from power surges and power outages.

Until we meet again, have a virus free week, and if you don’t, call Ward Computers at 417-353-1794

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