| Do You Have a Disaster/Recovery Plan?With the | | | | complete inventory of my hardware; know what |
| recent onslaught of ice storms and flooding | | | | I have.- Know where my CDs (software, |
| happening all over the US and Canada, as well | | | | backups) are located and keep them in a safe |
| as the hurricanes that ripped through Florida | | | | place.- Know where the licenses are stored |
| and the south earlier this year, many people | | | | (keep a list as well).- Take regular backups |
| are finding themselves faced with tremendous | | | | and test them occasionally. Make sure they |
| losses regarding both their homes and their | | | | are readable and that they are backing up the |
| offices. Most people have some type of | | | | data I need.- Rotate my backup media and |
| homeowner's and business insurance to help | | | | always keep a copy off-site.- Keep critical |
| rebuild and replace personal and business | | | | files in a safe place.- Keep passwords, user |
| items, but what about your business records | | | | names, etc. in a safe place. Document what I |
| and critical files? If your office was | | | | have.- Keep a list of all clients, vendors, |
| destroyed today, would you be able to | | | | and who I use to help run my business, with |
| continue serving your clients and running | | | | current phone numbers, contacts and account |
| your business, or would your business come to | | | | numbers- Know what my insurance will cover; |
| a complete halt? If you were sick or | | | | keep contact names and policy numbers handy.- |
| incapacitated, would anyone else know where | | | | Have an alternate place to conduct business |
| to find important files on your computer? Is | | | | in case of an office disaster.- Have someone |
| everything documented so someone could fill | | | | in place to fill in for me if I became ill or |
| in for you until you were able to resume | | | | incapacitated in any way.- Make sure I'm not |
| working?Terence Kierans, Principal, | | | | the only one that knows all of the above |
| Cyberspace Virtual Services, Western | | | | information!This is by no means a |
| Australia made the following statement | | | | comprehensive list of things to consider when |
| regarding a disaster/recovery plan while | | | | putting together a disaster/recovery or |
| participating in an International Virtual | | | | business continuity plan, but it should help |
| Women's Chamber of Commerce (IVWCC) Meet & | | | | to get you going in the right direction. |
| Greet. He said . . . "In essence it is an | | | | Consider your individual business and what |
| essential part of Business Continuity | | | | you need to do to stay in business should |
| Management (BCM).This is not just about | | | | something unforseen happen.So keep in mind, |
| disaster recovery, crisis management, risk | | | | If disaster struck tomorrow, would you have |
| management or about IT. It is demonstrably a | | | | everything in place to get everything back up |
| business issue. It is definitely an area | | | | and running in a short period time, or would |
| where proactivity is the keyword - as in not | | | | your business be stopped dead in its |
| shutting the stable door after the horse has | | | | tracks?Copyright 2005 Terry L. Green, |
| bolted.It enables you to identify and manage | | | | GVATerry L. Green, is a Graduate Virtual |
| those risks which could result in:- Inaility | | | | Assistant with more than 25 years of |
| to maintain services to your clients.- Damage | | | | experience in executive and administrative |
| to your image or professional reputation.- | | | | support. Established in 1991, Fastype |
| Failure to protect your business assets, | | | | provides administrative support to small |
| tangible and intangible.- Business control | | | | businesses, mobile executives, professional |
| failure.- Failure to meet legal or regulatory | | | | speakers, and life and business coaches. |
| requirements."He then quoted The Business | | | | Terry produces "virtual work that matters" |
| Continuity Institute, "Business Continuity | | | | for her clients, and gives them the "gift of |
| Management is the act of anticipating | | | | time" so that they can spend their valuable |
| incidents which will affect critical | | | | time on the more important issues that |
| functions and processes for the organization | | | | increase their bottom line and grow their |
| and ensuring that it responds to any incident | | | | businesses.This article may be reprinted in |
| in a planned and rehearsed manner."His | | | | its entirety as long as the copyright and bio |
| comments sure made a lot of sense to me. Here | | | | remain intact, all links are active, and a |
| are some of the things I thought of when | | | | copy is sent to the author. |
| considering a plan for my business.- Take a | | | | |