disaster recovery · Page 13 of 15

BYOD Policies, Part I: 5 Things to Consider Before Implementing A Program

BYOD Policies, or Bring Your Own Device programs are becoming more popular across a

multitude of industries and businesses, including healthcare and SMBs. A study

by Osterman Research reports that 82% of organizations use personal devices to

access corporate email, databases and other applications.. Sure, this type of program

has its benefits – such as reduced costs for employers who no longer need to buy the

latest devices, there’s no training time required, and productivity could increase as

a result of each user being more comfortable with their personal device. It’s easy

to see why BYOD options are becoming more commonplace, but before you launch

your own program, consider the downfalls as well.

1. Time management

When it comes to staff bringing their own device to work, the lines between

business and personal use sometimes seem to blur. Are users doing business-
related work, or spending time on games, videos, emails, or social media?

2. Increased cost with service providers

Some employees may see a BYOD program as an opportunity to upgrade to

a more expensive data plan, or make international calls without footing the

bill.

3. Data security

Personal devices sometimes skirt the inbound filters that are normally set

on corporate devices and are therefore more susceptible to malware. These

devices can also be more prone to hackers or a virus, putting not only the

device at risk, but company data as well.

4. Legal compliance

BYODs that bypass outbound filters are at a higher risk of violating data

privacy laws and regulatory requirements.

5. Lost/stolen devices

If not immediately reported, the device may not have a full remote wipe

completed before data is breached. To make matters worse, even when

reported promptly, the data published by Osterman Research shows that

roughly 1 in 4 personal smartphones could be remotely wiped.

Stay tuned for Part II on BYODs, where we’ll talk about ways to ensure safe and

effective BYOD programs! If you would like more information about IT support,

business continuity

Why All Businesses Need A Disaster Recovery Plan

why businesses of all sizes need a disaster recovery plan

The unexpected can happen at any time. Unfortunately for businesses, this often means the temporary loss of IT functionality and the permanent loss of important data. Thus, this is one of the many reasons why having a good disaster recovery plan is vital. With these plans in place, businesses can often continue to satisfy the needs of their customers and get their systems up and running again in a swift and hassle-free fashion.

Storing Data In A Secure And Accessible Space

Digital data storage is one of the best disaster recovery services that companies can secure. In areas of severe weather where flooding and natural disasters are imminent, data can be protected from these events. Not only does digital data storage allow companies to cut their costs by eliminating archaic filing systems and the need to maintain these, but it also ensures that important company and customer information is always available, even when office systems go out. Furthermore, with cloud-based document management systems, entire desktops can be moved into virtual space. They can then be accessed from any device with Internet connectivity, including a mobile phone or tablet.

Preventing Customer Loss Resulting in Legal And Financial Hardship

People love working with companies that are always one step ahead of the game. If a business can continue providing customer support and services while its competitors are floundering, this will give it increased goodwill and a lasting competitive edge. More importantly, this will allow businesses to maintain more of their loyal customers by meeting urgent needs when clients need this assistance the most.

Data loss can be just as devastating for a small, home-based business as it can for a major firm. The need for regulatory compliance and adequate client and financial records management can cause huge problems for companies that do not have disaster recovery plans in place. Fortunately, an effective contingency plan can be secured by businesses of all sizes. This can be a stand alone service or come as part of a comprehensive IT support plan. Each business can choose service plans that fit their budgets and can still get optimal protection. Contact us for help in creating a disaster plan for your business.

backup disaster recovery

Information Security and Disaster Recovery : How to Protect Your Business From Mother Nature

For many businesses, large or small, technology has been proven to boost productivity and make processing information easier and easier. And for many businesses, this reliance on tech can make facing a natural disaster a rude awakening.

In Florida, where our main headquarters is located, these natural disasters usually consist of category 3+ hurricanes with a small chance of flooding in a moments notice – giving us the “incentive” to take our information security and disaster recovery seriously. Wherever your from, however, this type of planning can save your business’ time, money, and even its life. Here are some things you should keep in mind:

1) As always, the key focus here is to develop a contingency plan. This plan should not only detail what management personnel should do in the case of an emergency but how and when. For a reference guide in making such a contingency plan, check out the N.I.S.T. and their whitepaper Special Publication 800-34 detailing what a business should do before the cost of downtime outweighs the cost to recover.

2) Whatever Disaster Recovery Plan you come up with, remember: always assess the dangers that may occur in your geographical area. This involves stepping back and determining the protection your company needs from an external and internal viewpoint. Always weigh the benefits of having a strong insurance policy and determine where pricey tech should be located. For example, a business within a heavily flooded area would think twice before placing their server room in their office’s basement just as a business with frequent blackouts would invest in consistent backup logs and generators.

3) In some cases, even the best of planners cannot foresee a disaster that could cripple or maim business operations. In these instances, however, you can still take precautionary measures to secure and recover your equipment until events have passed. In the case of a large-scale disaster, plan a business strategy that will determine if and when you can get back up and running – this involves letting your clients know if their services will or will not continue. Also, plan an alternate site location for your tech to be stored and secured – both from the elements and looters who can often take advantage of disabled and vulnerable businesses.

4) Above all else, make sure your employees have adequate preparation in the case of a disaster. Many businesses often overlook their workforce in times of plenty, but when all else fails, your employees can be the ones to bring your business back to its feet. Employ safety guidelines and develop a handbook especially in routine seasons when storms and temperature changes increase. All the effort you put into protecting your employees and your resources is what makes your business stronger and disaster recovery much more efficient.

For 4 Corner IT support pertaining to disaster recovery, check out our disaster recovery services page or contact us to talk to one of our business and technical administrators.

business continuity computer support

Focus on Support When Choosing a Backup and Disaster Recovery Service Provider

Nowadays there are several cloud computing companies that can offer you a disaster recovery service provider.

With so many different providers to choose from, oftentimes businesses are not sure which one to pick. Some factors, such as location and price, are intuitive and self-explanatory, while other factors, such as slight differences in plans and technology, require more research.

Is a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan worth It?

One factor that businesses cannot overlook by any means is support. Typically, when a business opts for managed IT services, they are admitting that they don’t have a professional knowledge of them. Therefore, they should select a service provider that is willing to walk them through everything and assist them through any troubleshooting.

A recent LinkedIn article discusses the factors that businesses should consider when selected a disaster recovery service provider. The article explains that the best service providers offer support at anytime and are willing to assist their clients through times of trouble:

“The best DRaaS providers deliver service around-the-clock. They bring experience and expertise to the table and allow you to choose from a full suite of support options like designing and testing the DR plan, notifying you of any problems and restoring your environment after a disaster.”

When searching for disaster recovery service providers, it’s important to note the level of support they promise. If it’s important to your business, then be sure to only select a service provider that is willing to go above and beyond in terms of assisting your business.

At 4 Corner IT, we are proud of our excellent technology and our resources, but we believe that we differentiate ourselves in terms of the support we provide for our clients. We’re willing to adapt to your company’s workflow so that our assistance is efficient and effective. We focus on your business as much as we focus on our technology, and are dedicated to helping your business grow and prosper.

If you would like more information about disaster recovery, contact us.

backup computer support disaster recovery managed services support

Why Cloud Services are a Good Long Term Investment for Backup and Disaster Recovery

Typically new technological advancements and innovations are more expensive than the older technology. In terms of backup and disaster recovery, however, the opposite is true.

There are numerous cloud backup plans that are designed to accommodate any business, no matter what their price range is or what kind of technological resources they have.

In addition, the old data backup method of using hardware is expensive because it’s not scalable like cloud backup. If a company uses hardware to back up its data, the only way to upgrade and have access to more data is to purchase more hardware. Hardware is expensive and it doesn’t get any cheaper as businesses buy more and more of it.

A recent Channel Web article discusses the differences between old and new data backup methods. According to the article, virtualised systems are cheaper because they are scalable and do not require physical space.

“Virtualised systems are also often cheaper, partly because companies do not have to invest in their own physical space and hardware to store data. They can simply rent cheaper space in someone else’s cloud.”

When backing up data with hardware, there are no special trade in deals that brings the cost of your investment down over time. Purchasing hardware remains expensive and there are no breaks along the way.

Cloud services, on the other hand, are scalable. This means that when a firm wants to back up more data, a company representative just needs to get in touch with the cloud service provider and discuss changing their plan.

This process is simple so that even with short notice, businesses can back up their data relatively soon. Cloud service providers also price their plans accordingly so that businesses can continue to afford their services. This important distinction between cloud backup and old data back up method saves businesses money over a long period of time.

If you would like more information about backup and disaster recovery, contact us.