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What You Need to Include in Your Disaster Continuity Plan

Dale Shulmistra

Dale Shulmistra

Data Protection Specialist @ Invenio IT

Published

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The 1, 2, 3’s of a Disaster Continuity Plan

You’ve probably heard that knowledge means nothing if the person doesn’t apply it to their everyday life. Believe it or not, the same can be said for having a disaster continuity plan. Many businesses know just how important it is to be prepared, but the problem is that they’re not using their knowledge effectively. Most business disasters are unique, and it’s important that each one is handled differently. For example, you wouldn’t deal with a power outage the same way you would handle a natural disaster. The former might cause a loss of data, but the latter could actually impact or even destroy the building itself. When creating a disaster continuity plan, what should you keep in mind?

#1. Do You Have Multiple Backup Methods?

Obviously, the entire point of creating a disaster continuity plan, is so that you can easily recover in case of a disaster. Backup methods are a perfect contingency plan, but having just one isn’t enough. For example, let’s say your main method for storing all data, was with a USB flash drive. It’s portable, stores gigabytes of info, and it’s easy to transfer your files. However, flash drives are far from perfect. They can easily be stolen, misplaced due to their small size, or even malfunction at a moment’s notice. As another backup method, you should also invest in cloud computing. Considering that it stores all data over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive, you can access your files from any device that has Internet connection. Lastly, consider using hybrid cloud computing as well. A mix of both private and public cloud services, its greatest benefit is that by being able to move between both services, it allows for greater flexibility as your computing needs and costs change.

#2. Know The Types of Disasters

As I mentioned earlier, each disaster in the workplace needs to be handled differently. On top of that, make sure you know what kinds of disasters could happen as well, especially depending on your business location. Some companies are more prone to storm power outages and natural disasters, while other organizations don’t have to worry about them. It’s also important to remember that not every disaster is beyond your control. The funny thing is, that many incidents might even be your fault entirely. After all, careless mistakes do happen. Are you someone who brings coffee to the workplace? Keep it away from your computer, as spills are quite common. Also, always make sure to double-check before deleting any files you think are no longer of value. Overall, know which disasters could happen depending on your location, and be prepared to deal with careless mistakes.

#3. Update Your Disaster Continuity Plan

The needs of a business are always changing, and this is no exception when it comes to having a disaster continuity plan. Are you updating yours on a regular basis? Nothing is foolproof, and just because you can fully recover from disasters at the moment, doesn’t mean that will always be the case. As an example, let’s say you’re prepared to deal with attacks from hackers. Those criminals are always updating their software, however, making it increasingly difficult to deal with their attacks. As an example, let’s look at ransomware. Basically, it’s malicious software the encrypts and deletes all files on your computer. While many businesses could get around this with cloud computing, ransomware has become more advanced than ever. With the rise in Cerber ransomware, not only does this type bypass traditional security methods, but it can also go through cloud email programs undetected. Are you prepared?

For more information about what you should include in your disaster continuity plan, feel free to contact us today at Invenio IT.

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