Small-Business Guide to Disaster Recovery
Every business should have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. Unfortunately, because the idea of developing one can seem time-consuming and tedious, many entrepreneurs choose to go without one. Although it’s always best to have a complete plan, it’s better to have a few crucial pieces than nothing at all. So even if you can’t do everything, do something.
That’s what Len Oppenheimer, chief executive of the Golden Box, a provider of custom packaging to companies in the tristate area around New York City, did — just before a power surge in his office blew out a primary server. “We had started doing online backups literally three days before the server went down,” Mr. Oppenheimer said. “If we hadn’t had that safety net in place, I hate to even think about where we’d be right now.”
At some point your business is going to face an emergency situation, it’s just a matter of what type, what magnitude and when. The best preparation for any situation you may face is to have a well-thought-out plan in place and to educate your team on its elements.
Quick Tips:
- Make sure your plan addresses all of the likely emergencies that might occur to your business.
- Get your employees involved in the plan-development phase. Brainstorm scenarios with them.
- Do a test run of your plan regularly.
- Upload critical documents to a secure online location.
- Review and update your plan regularly.
See Small-Business Guide to Disaster Recovery by Jennifer Walzer for The New York Times
