Business protection encompasses data protection, security protection and making sure that data and services are still up and running in any down time.
But many small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) think that contingency plans are excessively expensive and without obvious payoff, barring a disaster of epic proportions to justify the spending.
Here's how to address the issue without making business protection complex, costly or burdensome.
1. Keep data backed up
With new, made-for-SMB backup and recovery solutions in the market, businesses can protect their data easily and cost-effectively. For instance, the latest HP StorageWorks D2D Backup System and All-in-One Storage System are affordable solutions that do not require storage expertise to install and operate.
Instead, they have easy-to-use functions like automated backups, quick recovery and remote monitoring.
For added security, businesses can use these disk-based backup systems in combination with tape drives. These drives allow the company to move the backup media offsite and away from the primary IT systems, allowing for disaster recovery in case of theft, fire, flood or other site-wide catastrophes.
SMBs should also convert paper documents to digital images to safeguard important documents from harm. Once digitised, these files can then be protected like any other business data.
2. Defend your data
Protect data, networks and systems against viruses, spyware and intruders.
It is important to keep security protection software up-to-date to combat the spread of damaging computer viruses, with automated functions and at a low cost.
SMBs should leverage intrusion detection and prevention solutions and network firewalls to defend against hackers and unauthorised users. For example, a virtual private network (VPN) is necessary technology for any SMB with employees who regularly work from home or on the road.
In addition, purchase business PCs, notebooks and workstations that come with tools that provide multilayered security. These include the use of biometric authentication, smart cards, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) embedded security chips and USB tokens.
Also consider developing a wireless security policy. Employees love it because they can travel throughout the office with a notebook computer, free of cables or cords, and never leave the network. Security solution providers can help SMBs to assess their security gaps and identify the right solutions.
3. Keep vital systems up
Unplanned down time has many causes: hardware malfunctions, software crashes, security breaches and human error. Crashes of certain applications, such as Web applications and e-mail, can cause serious havoc.
No matter what the cause, unplanned down time costs SMBs much in the way of lost revenue, time and customer frustration.
So SMBs might want to think of clustering solutions specifically designed for small businesses to keep critical applications running with even the most limited IT staff.
For example, the HP BladeSystem solutions, unlike single server solutions, offer a consistent, modular and integrated approach that results in a better managed and flexible computing infrastructure. Remote management options also allow IT staff to easily monitor systems and diagnose problems for maximum up time.
4. Prepare for a disaster
All of the planning in the world will not prevent disasters such as fires, floods and power outages. That is why it is important to create a disaster preparedness plan for the less predictable problems.
Then, test the plan, refine and update as necessary. For example, if the contingency plan involves operating the business from an offsite location, the company should routinely conduct exercises to ensure that employees can access the company data, and continue to work seamlessly from that site.
- David Foo is director, Storageworks Division, Hewlett-Packard.
