Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: disaster recovery, disaster preparation, business disaster, disaster recovery software, business continuity software, Phoenix software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, COOP, Continuity of Operations, business impact analysis
In every company there are decision-makers and decision-influencers. Often it is the decision-influencers who see the need for the service/solution and who work to convince the decision-makers to agree and sign the contract.
So, how does this apply when making decisions about your disaster recovery and business continuity plans? What is the normal process for your organization when making decisions that will have a large impact on the longevity and success of your company?
Typically, most companies see the disaster recovery and business continuity plans falling into the responsibility of the information technology department. While ultimately, the IT department will be responsible for installing and managing your business continuity/disaster recovery software solution, who really makes the decision on this purchase? Are the disaster recovery and business continuity plans an IT issue or are they a company-wide issue?
In our experience, often companies approach this as an IT issue but as we discus the overall impact of the threats, what was an IT issue quickly becomes a company-wide issue. When we do our jobs correctly and thoroughly explain how a threat such as a flood or power outage can have an overwhelmingly negative impact on the company’s bottom-line and ability to survive, the decision-makers and decision-influencers are suddenly on the same page. With everyone realizing that business continuity and disaster recovery are not simply IT issues.
Really the person we want to talk to is the Chief Financial Officer. This is the person who can clearly see and appreciate the impact a disaster can have on the company. The CFO and really the entire management of the company should have disaster recovery and business continuity front and center on their “to do” lists. The trick is getting these key decision-makers to understand that a threat (no matter how small it appears) can and will affect the bottom-line.
So, where does this leave you?
If you’re a decision-maker – what are you waiting for? Call a meeting, get your CFO and managers in a room and find out what the status is with your disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
If you’re a decision-influencer – email the link to this blog post to your company’s decision-makers. Remind them that downtime results in missed sales, productivity, and potentially even bigger disasters.
To make it even easier for you (decision-makers and decision-influencers), here is our phone number: 1.888.246.6642. Make the smart decision – pick up the phone and call us.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge is a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity company specializing in Software, Seminars and Consulting. If you are looking for a Microsoft Office integrated recovery planning tool, Phoenix is not only an excellent tool, but the only completely integrated planning tool. Our seminars (online and in-house) are some of the longest running seminars in the recovery business. KingsBridge uses turn-key consulting for those who need the plan done, right the first time. For more information about KingsBridge, checkout www.disasterrecovery.com.
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: disaster preparation, business disaster, disaster recovery software, business continuity software, Phoenix software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, sharepoint, iPhone Application, Phoenix Mobile iPhone App, Apple, Phoenix Mobile iPad Application, iPad, iPhone, iPad Application
We’ve been busy here at KingsBridge, working on our latest addition to our industry-leading Phoenix software. You might be scratching your head, wondering what else we can add to the Phoenix software line, that already includes:
- Phoenix Online: all of your planning is done securely over the Internet. The plans are available to your organization anytime, from anywhere, through any browser.
- Phoenix for Windows: installed locally on your computer and fully leverages Microsoft Word for editing your plan.
- Phoenix SharePoint Standard Edition: integrates directly into your existing Microsoft WSS environment.
- Phoenix SharePoint Enterprise Edition: take full advantage of Microsoft SharePoint for advanced team collaboration within your Microsoft MOSS environment.
But that’s not all. As of last week, we have a new addition to our suite of Phoenix software: Phoenix Mobile. Yes, as the name suggests – Phoenix software wherever you are.
Reach into your pocket and dig out your iPhone… It is missing something – Phoenix Mobile.
Don’t have an iPhone – you have an iPad instead? No problem – Phoenix Mobile runs on the iPad as well!
We’ve got you covered from all angles with our free Phoenix Mobile application. Phoenix Mobile lets you have disaster recovery and business continuity plans in the palm of your hand.
Our free iPhone and iPad application has a simple-to-use and intuitive interface:
- Teach Your Team: access information on detailed pre-formatted disaster scenarios.
- Contact Your Team: automatically sync with your address book.
- Find Your Team: in the event of a disaster, quickly and easily send out a Google Maps pin, letting the people in your address book know where you and your phone are.
All you have to do is visit the iTunes Application Store and download Phoenix Mobile for the iPhone and Phoenix Mobile for the iPad. We want you to use it and let us know what you think. Be honest – tell it to us like it is. This is an opportunity for you to have some input on what we provide in the next version of Phoenix Mobile.
Teach, Connect, Find – all with Phoenix Mobile.
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: business continuity, swine flu, disaster preparation, business disaster, disaster recovery software, business continuity software, Phoenix software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, H1N1, swine flu education, business impact analysis, NDM-1, pandemic
Just last week we posted on this blog about the World Health Organization’s announcement about the end of the H1N1 pandemic…. And now just less than a week later, we’re reading about a new possible threat to our health and safety.
That’s right the NDM-1 enzyme which creates an antibiotic bacteria. This superbug can exist within bacteria and the concern is that it can make such bacteria resistant to antibiotics, thereby creating a “medical threat”.
Most often people are contracting this bacteria after visiting Southeast Asian countries for medical travel. That’s right, travelers visiting countries such as India and Pakistan with the purpose of receiving specific medical care are returning to their home countries having contracted this drug-resistant bacteria. This, medical officials are warning could result in the next pandemic.
So what does this mean for you? What did you learn from the H1N1 pandemic?
- Did you develop a business continuity plan?
- Did you do a review with your staff to determine what worked and didn’t?
- Have you developed a disaster recovery plan?
- Have you done your due diligence and researched the impacts of a subsequent pandemic on your business?
- Have you done a threat risk analysis and business impact analysis?
Are you responding accordingly to this new possible global medical threat or are you going to “sit back and wait”?
The really only smart choice is to react now. Remember that in times of crisis and disaster, it will be much too late to start developing a business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Take the time now to do a Threat Risk Analysis and Business Impact Analysis. Identify what the threats are to your business and move forward. Develop a plan, test the plan, refine the plan, and be confident that your business is protected and ready in the event that this does turn into the next pandemic.
Really, to be completely blunt about this, you’d be foolish not to do something. With all the information there is now about impending threats and disasters, you’re not going to get much sympathy when at your shareholders meeting, you say “Well, we just didn’t know. We didn’t think it would end up ruining our business supply chain and result in such a huge loss.”
So think about who you want to be, the businessman who can tell his shareholders that his company was protected and was able to respond to the NDM-1 outbreak and it was business as usual or the businessman who has to tell his shareholders that he ignored the warning signs, resulting in a massive financial loss and bankruptcy.
That business continuity and disaster recovery plan does more than protect your business – it protects you.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge is a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity company specializing in Software, Seminars and Consulting. If you are looking for a Microsoft Office integrated recovery planning tool, Phoenix is not only an excellent tool, but the only completely integrated planning tool. Our seminars (online and in-house) are some of the longest running seminars in the recovery business. KingsBridge uses turn-key consulting for those who need the plan done, right the first time. For more information about KingsBridge, checkout www.disasterrecovery.com
Filed under: software | Tags: business continuity, disaster recovery software, Phoenix software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Phoenix Mobile, iPhone Application, Phoenix Mobile iPhone App
Just a quick post to let you know what we’ve been up to… Namely Phoenix Mobile.
Yes, just as the name suggests – our leading Phoenix software is now available for your iPhone. Stay on-top of your business continuity and disaster recovery plans with Phoenix Mobile.
Download it. Use it. Give us some feedback. Post a review on the iTunes App Store.
We’re pretty excited about our free iPhone application. Stay tuned for more news about our iPhone application – lots of good stuff to come!
Filed under: Knowledge | Tags: business continuity, swine flu, disaster preparation, business disaster, business, disaster recovery software, business continuity software, Phoenix software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, H1N1, swine flu education, business impact analysis
Way back on November 9, 2009, we first wrote about the H1N1 flu virus. What at first appeared to just be another in the typical “winter flu” phase, quickly turned out to be much more than that. Seemingly overnight, we went from flu epidemic to flu pandemic.
Cue the panic. Cue the stress. Cue the chaos.
No one was prepared. The international health bodies weren’t prepared. Business wasn’t prepared. School boards weren’t ready. The general public was either consumed with hysteria or sticking its collective head in the sand pretending that H1N1 wasn’t an issue.
Really we should be very relieved that we all came out of this pandemic as well as we did. And just to reinforce how well we did survive this pandemic, the World Health Organization announced on Tuesday August 10 that the H1N1 flu pandemic was officially over.
But this doesn’t mean that you can forget about this pesky flu bug. Rather, this is the perfect opportunity to pay extra attention to what worked and what didn’t work during this tense and stressful period. We should all take this experience with H1N1 as a learning opportunity and use it to be prepared for the next pandemic or equally serious threat or disaster.
In an article in the Vancouver Sun on Tuesday August 10, Dr. Kumanan Wilson, the Canada research chair in public health policy at the University of Ottawa, said “we need to be prepared to shift rather quickly our seasonal flu programs to reflect this new reality. It’s a new disease. It’s not the same disease as we’ve been treating. It’s a disease that affects a different population with a different mortality rate.”
All this to say, that what worked in the past, won’t necessarily work in the future. Just because your company survived the recent pandemic with little to no interruption to your business processes, doesn’t mean that this will always be the case. Take a look at your business continuity and disaster recovery plans, did they include:
- Emergency contact information
- Work from home options
- Details on the nearest hospitals and clinics
In addition, did you take a proactive approach for your employees and look into vaccinating staff against this disease? As we all know, the ad-hoc vaccination clinics set up through-out North America were not that effective in vaccinating people. How many work hours did your company loose to employees spending up to six hours waiting at their local clinic for the vaccine?
If you’re still thinking of brushing off the H1N1 pandemic as a bit of hysteria on the part of the governing international health bodies, consider this statement from WHO director-general Dr. Margaret Chan, “pure good luck” helped prevent H1N1 from morphing into the killer first feared last year. The virus did not mutate during the pandemic to a more lethal form. Widespread resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) did not develop. The vaccine proved to be a good match with the circulating viruses and showed an excellent safety profile.” She added that the international community support ensured that countries with weaker healthcare systems were able to detect and report cases quickly.
“Had things gone wrong in any of these areas, we would be in a very different situation today.”
So, a few things to think about when looking at your current business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Just because your business survived this recent pandemic, will you be prepared in the event of another such pandemic? There is no time like the present to update your plans – or if you don’t have a plan – to do a complete threat risk analysis and business impact analysis and make sure your company is ready with well-defined and practical business continuity and disaster recovery plan.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge is a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity company specializing in Software, Seminars and Consulting. If you are looking for a Microsoft Office integrated recovery planning tool, Phoenix is not only an excellent tool, but the only completely integrated planning tool. Our seminars (online and in-house) are some of the longest running seminars in the recovery business. KingsBridge uses turn-key consulting for those who need the plan done, right the first time. For more information about KingsBridge, checkout www.disasterrecovery.com
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: business continuity, business continuity software, business impact analysis, Continuity of Operations, COOP, disaster preparation, disaster recovery, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Phoenix software
Thankfully, more and more businesses are recognizing the need for business continuity plans (BCP) and disaster recovery plans (DR). This means that more companies, such as yourself actually have BCP and DR plans.
But it also means that your clients and potential clients are aware of the need for such plans… So what do you do when a potential or existing client asks to see your BCP or DR plan? Is this information private internal material or should it be made “public”?
Private or Public?
This is a tough situation to be in. On one hand, you’re lucky that you’re prepared and have considered how your company will react, survive, and maintain continuity of operations in the face of disaster or disruption. Being prepared such as you are has actually become a marketing and sales tool. When you need to differentiate your company from your competitors, you can speak about your BCP and DR plans – highlighting how you can guarantee continued service, product, and business relations in the event of a disaster. But on the flipside, often these plans involve private internal data that really is not for external knowledge.
This decision really is up to you but there are a few measures you can take to ensure that all parties are happy and protected:
- Non-Disclosure Agreement – the client should sign such a document before seeing your plans
- Excerpt the plan – you don’t need to show your client the full plan. Rather excerpt it and highlight the key points that emphasize how you are prepared
- Table of Contents only – showing your client the table of contents is an excellent overview of your plan and gives you some easy talking points
- FAQ – prepare an list of questions and answers for the client that address how you handle specific situations
- Contact Information – give the client a reliable set of contact information. This way if something does happy, the client has peace of mind of knowing that he can contact you when he needs to
The Client
Of course this brings up an interesting question – what about the client? Is your client prepared with a BCP and DR plan? It is worth asking this question as well… Remember, business is a two-way street – you need to guarantee continued service but you also want assurances of a consistent revenue stream.
If you’re prepared, but your client isn’t, now you’re the one left without knowing if in the event of a disaster, your client will be able to maintain business, continue to generate revenue and in turn pay invoices and continue to be a revenue for you.
So when a client asks for your BCP or DR plan, be sure to do the same of your client. Both of you can rest easy at night knowing that you’re working with reliable and forward-thinking businesses. Being prepared goes a long way in protecting your business and confirming to outside eyes that you’re here to stay for the long-term.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: business, business continuity, business disaster, business impact analysis, disaster preparation, disaster recovery, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Phoenix software, software
We’ve all seen them… The new companies that appear seemingly out of nowhere. Often these companies have fancy marketing material, a snazzy logo, a few fast-talking sales staff, and typically an energetic and keen staff working behind the scenes. Everything ticks along nicely, the company is getting noticed and even making some sales. The board is happy, the sales staff are confident, and the team is focused on growth and new opportunities. This company looks like it is going to succeed – put a checkmark in the win column.
But then as quickly as the company appeared on our radar, it’s gone. The website is still active but emails are not answered, the sales staff aren’t answering their phones, and the energetic staff doesn’t appear to be so energetic anymore. Hmm, strange that such a successful company that was making money and a name for itself simply closed its doors and shut down. You chalk this up to the current economic situation or even perhaps to bad management.
But what if this company isn’t really dead? Look at the signs – no one answering the phones, emails not being answered – but the website is still live. Strange that if the company has indeed closed its doors that the website is still live… After some investigating by some curious business-watchers, it turns out that to put it quite simply: this company wasn’t prepared.
That’s right – this hot young company who appeared on paper and in person to be doing everything right, neglected to pay attention to one key component of good business: being prepared. Confidence and success convinced the IT manager, the board of directors, and management team that they were doing everything right. But they forgot to consider a couple of key things:
- What if our servers go down? How will we keep hosting the software that our customers rely on?
- What if the power goes out? How will we guarantee that our 24/7 support is available?
- What if employees can’t get into the office due to weather or family emergencies? How will the work get done and the vital sales demos be delivered?
That’s right, this company simply did not consider the things that could go wrong. All too often when business is good and the bank account is growing, no one ever takes the time to think about the “bad stuff”. Unfortunately for this company, this is exactly what happened. Call it over-confidence if you want, but really it comes down to poor management and decision-making. A power outage, a tough winter that featured an ice storm, and unstable servers, all resulted in the company being forced to close its doors.
All it took was three separate incidents that alone perhaps wouldn’t be considered to be serious. But when in one year, this company was threatened three times, it simply became too much. Sales started to drop, productivity was behind, and the board became frustrated – investors pulled out and the company quietly closed its doors.
If only this company had followed advice and initiated Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning. The three incidents would have been just that – incidents. They wouldn’t have turned into threats and eventually forced this company to close. Staff would have been prepared and equipped to work from home, back-up power generators would have been purchased, and the pesky and unstable server software issues would have been addressed. (The only reason the website is still live is because it was hosted off-site…)
What does this mean for you? Well, hopefully you’ll take a hard look at your business – are you equipped and prepared in the event of a threat or disaster? Remember the disaster doesn’t need to be “huge” – it simply needs to be something that causes an interruption in your ability to get the job done. How many of these interruptions can your bottom line sustain? Do you have a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan in place? Perhaps it is time to stop operating by the seat of your pants….
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com.
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: business continuity, business continuity software, business disaster, business impact analysis, Continuity of Operations, COOP, disaster preparation, disaster recovery, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, phoenix foundation, Phoenix online, Phoenix software, software
We need it to be hosted! I don’t trust the security of the Internet! Can I access my plan online?
These are just a few of the questions and objections I hear when talking with clients here at KingsBridge. For the last few years there has been a significant shift in how software and applications are delivered and run – all thanks to the growth of the Internet. This Internet boom has given us access to information at a moments notice as it is being held in the cloud.
It is this shift that motivated us to re-evaluate how we deliver products to our customers.
From our early days in 1985, our flagship Phoenix Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity software has always and only been offered in a local install version. The application resides physically on the hard drive of the computer much like its integrated partner Microsoft Office.
But just like you, we’ve also recognized the power of the Internet and how we can use it to ensure that you have constant and immediate access to your disaster recovery and business continuity plans. After months of development and testing, in February we launched our online version of Phoenix.
The product launch was a big success, with many new and existing customers choosing the online version of Phoenix. But as is normal, we’re still getting many questions about the pros and cons of the online and local install software solutions.
So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of the key considerations you need to make when determining the best way to manage and deliver your disaster recovery planning and business continuity software.
Advantages of the Online Version of Phoenix
- Constant and immediate access to the online version of Phoenix. Assuming you have Internet access, you can quickly and easily access, update, and use your disaster recovery plan.
- Your office truly becomes global. With the online version of Phoenix, you can interact with co-workers wherever they are – you are no longer limited by the “cubicle” walls.
Advantages of the Locally Installed Version of Phoenix
- The software is running independently of the Internet. You can be guaranteed that if you’re in your office and the Internet goes down – you can still access Phoenix and you disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
- Working on a laptop with a locally installed version, gives you the flexibility to access your plans without worrying about Internet access.
In the end both solutions can work, the answer lies within your business environment. Regardless of the path you choose, having a plan and being able to manage it is the deal breaker for your company. Selecting the appropriate tool comes second.
Ultimately, don’t be caught standing in the parking lot of your burning building wondering where your plan is, or worse asking yourself why you didn’t take the time to get a plan in the first place.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com.
Filed under: KingsBridge Train | Tags: business, business continuity, business continuity software, business disaster, business impact analysis, Continuity of Operations, COOP, cyclo-cross, disaster preparation, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Phoenix software, plus 3 networks, tabor, vicki thomas, world championships
For the past three years, KingsBridge has sponsored an Ottawa bike racer. Vicki is a cyclo-cross racer and this past season; she represented Canada and raced at the 2010 World Cyclo-Cross Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic. Some of you were fortunate enough to have met Vicki in our DRJ Spring World booth in Orlando, the rest of you will have to wait until the DRJ Fall World to meet her. Vicki has a website where she writes daily about her training, racing, and life as a bike racer. We thought you’d enjoy reading about her life and seeing the other side of KingsBridge. So in the next few days you will start to see Vicki’s Ottawa Cross blog posts appearing on the KingsBridge blog. But before this happens, we thought you should hear from Vicki herself and let her introduce herself… So without further adieu, here is Vicki….
Wow – with an introduction like that, I’m not really sure where to start! But here goes… Well, as you read, for the past three years, I’ve been very fortunate to be sponsored by KingsBridge. The support that Skip and his staff provide is truly overwhelming – thanks to these guys I’m able to travel to Belgium for the winter months and live like a professional bike racer.
Now, you might be sitting there wondering “what is cyclo-cross”. Cyclo-cross is one of the most difficult forms of bicycle racing. It is a winter sport, with the season starting in late September and ending in mid-February. Woodland trails, open meadows, mud, and short, steep hills are the main features of a cyclo-cross course. Normally the circuit is 2.5-3 km in length, and the race duration is around 40 minutes. Cyclo-cross is also the most popular discipline of bicycle racing in North America. The United States championships are held over four days to accommodate racers and fans. In Europe, spectators arrive upwards of four hours early and will pay 20 dollars to watch the race.
So, this is what I do. I race my bike in the cold winter months through mud, sand, rain, snow, and ice. And I love it! There is nothing quite like a cyclo-cross race. The races are short at 40 minutes so every minute is pretty darn action-packed. Throw in 20,000 spectators at a typical race in Europe and you’ve got a very exciting atmosphere.
I’m based in Belgium from November to February where I focus solely on racing and training for cyclo-cross. Being in Belgium allows me to compete on the European elite circuit and the World Cup circuit. My goal this season is to once again represent Canada at the 2011 World Cyclo-Cross Championships in St. Wendel, Germany. To get there I spend a lot of time out riding my road bike (to get in base miles and fitness), my mountain bike (to work on technical skills), and my cyclo-cross bike (to work on cyclo-cross specific skills).
To keep my sponsors, fans, and family up-to-date, I created Ottawa Cross as a way to let everyone know what is going on. During the off-season, I typically write about my training, goals for the year, and general musings on the bike racer life. During the race season, I write race reports, updates on training and recovering, and pretty much anything else that is going on. I try to be honest as possible on my website – I don’t believe in sugar-coating things. If things are going great – then you’ll know about it. If things are going not-so-great – then you’ll know about it!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about my bike racing life. Enjoy the ride and please don’t be shy to comment on my blog posts – I love getting feedback and finding out who is reading.
Filed under: Knowledge | Tags: business, business continuity, business continuity software, business disaster, business impact analysis, Continuity of Operations, COOP, disaster preparation, disaster recovery, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, Phoenix software, sharepoint, vicki thomas
Last week our sponsored cyclo-cross racer, Vicki Thomas, had a near disaster of her own… No, luckily this did not involve a car meets bike or bike racer meets big tree type of disaster. This disaster while not affecting her personal health definitely could have had a big impact on her bike racing, career, and peace of mind. Luckily thanks to the awareness of her neighbours, an attempted break and enter on her house was averted.
Vicki’s eagle-eyed neighbours noticed a young man attempting to get into her house via the basement window and a crowbar…. As luck would have it, one of her neighbours is an undercover police officer who was just returning from work. So yes, the guy with the crow bar and the two in the getaway car were caught. Thank goodness. While not on the same scale as a flood, fire or pandemic, if these guys had managed to get into Vicki’s house, this would have been a disaster.
You see it is all about how you think of disasters. We touched on this previously when we talked about the air travel disruptions thanks to that big volcano in Icecland. Well, similar case here. While the break and enter would have most likely have resulted in the house being messed up, the cat getting scared and the potential loss of Vicki’s laptop, iPod and a few other valuables, it is this potential that makes you worry. The potential of what could happen if “x” or “y” happens or goes wrong.
Now, Vicki is the first to admit that she hadn’t really considered how important her laptop is to her day-to-day life. Sure she uses it for her freelance writing career, updates her blog posts with it, surfs the Internet with it, and pokes around on Twitter and Facebook – but this didn’t really seem that valuable until the potential for it not being available was considered. She started going through her computer, taking an inventory of the files she actually has on it. Well, what do you know – there is a lot of stuff on there, ranging from sponsorship proposals, to works-in-progress, contact information, articles she’s written, invoices, and photos. Yes, a lot of really good stuff could have gone missing.
The headache of trying to rebuild her computer combined with the stress of starting some of the bigger projects from scratch, would for this “smaller entity” been of disaster-like proportions. The time spent trying to rebuild contact lists, emailing people for their copies of this document or that document – really would not have been fun.
Now, Vicki is in the process of investigating off-site back-up methods for her files. She may not be running a multi-national company out of her home, but what she has is valuable for her. And the potential loss of this content is pretty severe to her bottom line. What if her computer had been stolen? Then what? Well, with a bit of planning and consideration of the bigger picture – likely it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. Nope instead it would have been a chance to get a shiny new computer. But the alternative without the backups and file recovery plan would have been pretty darn horrible. Not only did she loose five plus years of content and information, but she also would have had to figure out how to start over.
Something to consider when you’re looking at your disaster recovery plan and business continuity plan – the potential for disaster. It doesn’t have to big – it just has to be there.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com
