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