Backup Checklist for Small Businesses
Have you ever spent hours of frustration with your computer?
Now imagine if you spent days or weeks of work - or imagine loosing important data files, emails from clients, quotes, service orders, or important employee information.
Imagine what would happen if your Computer network went down for days where you couldn't access e-mail or the information on your PC. How frustrating would that be?What if a major storm, flood, or fire destroyed your office and all of your files? Or if a virus wiped out your server, do you have an emergency recovery plan that you feel confident in? How quickly do you think you could recover your data?
Many small business owners tend to ignore or forget about taking steps to secure their company's network from these types of catastrophes until disaster strikes. By then it's too late and the damage is done. There's no recovering important data.
After doing computer support with several small and mid-size businesses in the Southern California area, we found that 6 out of 10 businesses will experience some type of major network or technology disaster that will end up costing them between $9,000 to $60,000 in repairs and restoration costs on average. That doesn't even include lost productivity, sales, and client good-will that can be damaged when a company can't operate or fulfill on its promises due to a down network outage.
I have found that most small business owners have no idea of the importance of regular preventative maintenance and disaster recovery planning because they are already swamped with more immediate day-to-day fires demanding their attention. If your company depends on having access to the information stored on your server or PC, then it's time to get serious about protecting it from damage or loss. That's why I decided to write this report.
The 5 Most Important Things You Should Do To Make Sure Your Company Is Protected From These Types Of Disasters:
While it's impossible to plan for every potential computer disaster or emergency, there are a few easy and inexpensive measures you can put into place that will help you avoid the vast majority of computer disasters you could experience.
Step#1: Make Sure You Are Backing Up Your System
It still amazed that many businesses never back up their computer network, OR only keep an onsite copy of their data. Imagine this: you write the most important piece of information you could ever write on a chalk board and I come along and erase it. How are you going to get it back? You're not. Unless you can remember it, or if YOU MADE A COPY OF IT, you can't recover the data. If your data is backed up make sure there is a regular process in place that will notify you when your backup fails. Data corruption will happen sooner or later, just a matter of time.
Step #2: Perform A Complete Data Restore To Make Sure
Your Backups Are Working Properly
This is another big mistake I see. Many business owners have their local computer support people set up some type of backup system, but then never check to make sure it's working properly. It's not uncommon for a system to APPEAR to be backing up when in reality, it's not. Backups should be testing on a regular basis to make sure there is not a "Successful" back of corrupt, useless files.
Step #3: Keep An Offsite Copy Of Your Backups
What happens if a fire or flood destroys your server AND the backup tapes or drive? What happens if your office gets robbed and they take EVERYTHING? Having an off-site back up is simply a smart way to make sure you have multiple, redundant copies of your data stores somewhere other than your office.
Step #4: Make Sure Your Virus Protect Is ALWAYS On And Up-To-Date
All of us know how devastating a virus can be to your network. With virus attacks coming from spam, downloaded data and music files, web sites, and even e-mails from friends, you cannot afford to not be protected.
Not only can a virus corrupt your files and bring down your network, but it can damage your reputation. If you or one of your employees unknowingly spreads a virus to a customer, or if the virus hijacks your e-mail address book, you're going to make a lot of people very upset.
Step #5: Set Up A Firewall
Small business owners tend to think that because they are "just a small business", no one would waste time trying to hack in to their network, when nothing could be further from the truth. I've ran through the logs of corporate firewalls that I have setup for very small businesses, only to find them hammered from attacks of hackers trying to break into their system. The simple fact is there are thousands of unscrupulous individuals out there who think its fun to disable your computer just because they can.
These individuals strike randomly by searching the internet for open, unprotected ports. As soon as they find one, they will delete files or download huge files that cannot be deleted shutting down your hard drive. They can also use your computer as a zombie for storing pirated software or sending spam which will cause your ISP to shut YOU down and prevent you from access the Internet or sending and receiving e-mail.
How Disaster-Proof Is YOUR Network?
A solid Security Audit Reveals The Truth
Hopefully this report acted as an eye opener to all small business owners who are not adequately protecting their data and computer network. If you are not doing the 5 steps outlined in this report, your network is a problem waiting to happen and the most important thing for you to do now is take immediate action towards protecting yourself.
Many Computer Repair shops are offering some type of Network Audits to help small businesses find security holes. I'd recommend finding a reputable small business who is local to your area that is willing to do such an audit for you. Depending on your area, the cost will be somewhere between $300-$500. If your office is in the Orange County area and you have more than 5 computers, I would be happy to offer such an audit as a complimentary service. Please contact my website for further information. Complimentary Network Audit
If you haven't lately, have your computer support company check your network today.
Good luck and stay safe!
Warren Hino
Owner of Numa Networks, LLC.
Now imagine if you spent days or weeks of work - or imagine loosing important data files, emails from clients, quotes, service orders, or important employee information.
Imagine what would happen if your Computer network went down for days where you couldn't access e-mail or the information on your PC. How frustrating would that be?What if a major storm, flood, or fire destroyed your office and all of your files? Or if a virus wiped out your server, do you have an emergency recovery plan that you feel confident in? How quickly do you think you could recover your data?
Many small business owners tend to ignore or forget about taking steps to secure their company's network from these types of catastrophes until disaster strikes. By then it's too late and the damage is done. There's no recovering important data.
After doing computer support with several small and mid-size businesses in the Southern California area, we found that 6 out of 10 businesses will experience some type of major network or technology disaster that will end up costing them between $9,000 to $60,000 in repairs and restoration costs on average. That doesn't even include lost productivity, sales, and client good-will that can be damaged when a company can't operate or fulfill on its promises due to a down network outage.
I have found that most small business owners have no idea of the importance of regular preventative maintenance and disaster recovery planning because they are already swamped with more immediate day-to-day fires demanding their attention. If your company depends on having access to the information stored on your server or PC, then it's time to get serious about protecting it from damage or loss. That's why I decided to write this report.
The 5 Most Important Things You Should Do To Make Sure Your Company Is Protected From These Types Of Disasters:
While it's impossible to plan for every potential computer disaster or emergency, there are a few easy and inexpensive measures you can put into place that will help you avoid the vast majority of computer disasters you could experience.
Step#1: Make Sure You Are Backing Up Your System
It still amazed that many businesses never back up their computer network, OR only keep an onsite copy of their data. Imagine this: you write the most important piece of information you could ever write on a chalk board and I come along and erase it. How are you going to get it back? You're not. Unless you can remember it, or if YOU MADE A COPY OF IT, you can't recover the data. If your data is backed up make sure there is a regular process in place that will notify you when your backup fails. Data corruption will happen sooner or later, just a matter of time.
Step #2: Perform A Complete Data Restore To Make Sure
Your Backups Are Working Properly
This is another big mistake I see. Many business owners have their local computer support people set up some type of backup system, but then never check to make sure it's working properly. It's not uncommon for a system to APPEAR to be backing up when in reality, it's not. Backups should be testing on a regular basis to make sure there is not a "Successful" back of corrupt, useless files.
Step #3: Keep An Offsite Copy Of Your Backups
What happens if a fire or flood destroys your server AND the backup tapes or drive? What happens if your office gets robbed and they take EVERYTHING? Having an off-site back up is simply a smart way to make sure you have multiple, redundant copies of your data stores somewhere other than your office.
Step #4: Make Sure Your Virus Protect Is ALWAYS On And Up-To-Date
All of us know how devastating a virus can be to your network. With virus attacks coming from spam, downloaded data and music files, web sites, and even e-mails from friends, you cannot afford to not be protected.
Not only can a virus corrupt your files and bring down your network, but it can damage your reputation. If you or one of your employees unknowingly spreads a virus to a customer, or if the virus hijacks your e-mail address book, you're going to make a lot of people very upset.
Step #5: Set Up A Firewall
Small business owners tend to think that because they are "just a small business", no one would waste time trying to hack in to their network, when nothing could be further from the truth. I've ran through the logs of corporate firewalls that I have setup for very small businesses, only to find them hammered from attacks of hackers trying to break into their system. The simple fact is there are thousands of unscrupulous individuals out there who think its fun to disable your computer just because they can.
These individuals strike randomly by searching the internet for open, unprotected ports. As soon as they find one, they will delete files or download huge files that cannot be deleted shutting down your hard drive. They can also use your computer as a zombie for storing pirated software or sending spam which will cause your ISP to shut YOU down and prevent you from access the Internet or sending and receiving e-mail.
How Disaster-Proof Is YOUR Network?
A solid Security Audit Reveals The Truth
Hopefully this report acted as an eye opener to all small business owners who are not adequately protecting their data and computer network. If you are not doing the 5 steps outlined in this report, your network is a problem waiting to happen and the most important thing for you to do now is take immediate action towards protecting yourself.
Many Computer Repair shops are offering some type of Network Audits to help small businesses find security holes. I'd recommend finding a reputable small business who is local to your area that is willing to do such an audit for you. Depending on your area, the cost will be somewhere between $300-$500. If your office is in the Orange County area and you have more than 5 computers, I would be happy to offer such an audit as a complimentary service. Please contact my website for further information. Complimentary Network Audit
If you haven't lately, have your computer support company check your network today.
Good luck and stay safe!
Warren Hino
Owner of Numa Networks, LLC.
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