Southern Network Associates Offers Tips for Minimizing the Digital Impact of a Disaster by Properly Backing Up and Restoring Data
Wake Forest, NC, November 1, 2016 (Newswire.com) - During this time of year, many companies in the greater North Carolina area are thinking about what would happen to their business in the event of a storm. Southern Network Associates, an IT services provider specializing in helping organizations make technology more affordable, efficient and secure, is offering advice to small and medium-sized businesses regarding best practices for backing up important data and recovering it after a disaster—natural or manmade. Additionally, the company is providing complimentary backup and recovery assessments to North Carolina companies to help them prepare.
According to Daren Ellis, CEO at Southern Network Associates, “Here in North Carolina, storms are a serious concern. Organizations need to be prepared, and that includes ensuring their data is properly backed up to an off-site location and that there’s a plan in place for restoring that data after the storm. Our goal is to help companies put a plan in place so they can get back up and running as quickly as possible.”
Southern Network Associates’ Advice for Backup and Recovery in the Event of a Storm
1. Think About Your Business Needs
When it comes to your technology infrastructure, there’s a great deal to think about—networks, servers, workstations, databases, applications and proprietary data, just to name a few. When it comes to IT, you should base your priorities for safeguarding and recovering equipment and data on your specific business. If hardware is more essential than data, then relocating equipment to a safe location should be your priority. If access to customer or other vital data is essential, then your priority should be on having a backup (preferably off-site) to recover from afterward.
2. Talk to the Experts
Consulting with an IT services company—especially one that specializes in backup and recovery planning—can be a good idea, especially if a business doesn’t have dedicated IT personnel or a relatively small IT team. The IT consultant can identify potential weaknesses that may normally go overlooked and provide options for backing up data, as well as hosting servers and vital applications on a cloud-based platform to ensure seamless business continuity.
3. Make a Plan … and Test It
After priorities are established for hardware, software and data, and an expert has been consulted regarding backup and recovery, a complete contingency plan should be created. Individual responsibilities for securing equipment and data must be identified, and training must be completed to ensure all tasks can be completed successfully. Once this is done, the business should run a “mock disaster” drill to find and fill any gaps, as well as ensure data backup and recovery goes smoothly.
“Businesses of all sizes can benefit from taking precautions,” said Daren Ellis. “Many of the same actions one would take after a storm are the same you would use if recovering from a system-wide failure, a manmade disaster, a freak accident or a cyber-attack. Even if you don’t feel particularly threatened by a storm, it’s essential to have a what-if plan.”
Southern Network Associates is offering free disaster backup and recovery assessments from November 1 to November 30, 2016. For a small to medium-sized business or non-profit to qualify, they must be located within the greater Raleigh, Durham and Wake Forest, North Carolina area and rely on computer systems for day-to-day operations. Qualifying organizations can sign up for their no-cost assessment online or call 919-321-8398.
About Southern Network Associates
Southern Network Associates is a veteran-owned, local managed IT services provider for small businesses located throughout the greater Raleigh, Durham and Wake Forest, North Carolina area. The company provides a single point of contact, working as an extension of their clients’ IT staffs, to deliver industry-leading response time and IT solutions, such as customized IT services for IT projects, and cloud computing and cloud management, to many business sectors and industries, including education, insurance, non-profit, medical, legal, financial, manufacturing, advertising and media, real estate and engineering. For more information about Southern Networks and its IT services, call 919-321-8398 or visit the company online. To get the latest industry news and trends, visit the company blog.
MEDIA CONTACT
Daren Ellis,
CEO, Southern Network Associates
919-321-8398
Source: Southern Network Associates
