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