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

why you should focus on support when choosing a backup and disaster recovery service provider

computer-supportNowadays 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.

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

why cloud services are a good long term investment for backup and disaster recovery
Clouds

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.

Choosing the Right Backup and Disaster Recovery Service

choosing the right backup and disaster recovery service for your business needs

Backup and disaster recovery planning is essential for ensuring that businesses can still operate after significant disruptions like blackouts, storms or other problems.

Without proper preparation, millions of dollars can be lost and loads of headaches while attempting recovery. Business continuity plans are often drawn up as a precaution, which work as a road map to businesses for responding to different types of issues.

Identifying important assets like corporate data, manufacturing facilities and technology infrastructure is a vital first step. Next is figuring out how these important assets will be protected in the event of downtime.

Importance of Backing up Data Offsite

Businesses should have their data backed up offsite and have access to it anytime for recovery. The perfect way to do this is to have online backup where the business can back their data up each night and store it away from their business location.

Using Online Recovery Services

Online cloud platforms are perfect for providing backup and disaster recovery. There is only a small share of resources needed by the cloud-based disaster recovery service under normal operating conditions to synchronize state from the business location to the cloud. In most cases, the entire amount of resources needed for running the application only needs to be paid for in the event of an actual disaster.

Using automated online services for disaster recovery means that extra resources can be brought online quickly when there is actual detection of a disaster. This reduces recovery time dramatically after a disaster which is fundamental to business continuity.

How to Choose Backup and Recovery Services

When looking for back up and disaster recovery services, its best to look for one that offers solutions that will copy your server environment to the data center, the Cloud or move your phone systems and servers to the Cloud without losing continuity or functionality.

There is no telling when disaster can strike, and being prepared is key. Your business needs will govern which cloud back up and disaster recovery service you go with. If your company has critical applications that need to be available immediately following downtime, a cloud-based disaster recovery service is what is needed.

For more information on the right backup and recovery options for your business, please contact us.

Also, check out our cabling services!

Backup and Disaster Recovery: Security of Your Business

backup and disaster recovery essential to the security of your business

Every business knows the importance of backup and disaster recovery. But what do they really do to prepare for the event of a possible disaster or shutdown of their business?

Will files be safe from theft and damage in such a situation? How will you protect your customers from compromising their vital information? Here are a few ways you can keep information safe in the event of a disaster:

Have an Emergency Disaster Plan

 This is the most obvious thing that needs to be done and to have in place, to prepare for a possible disaster. But amazingly, it is a detail many SMB businesses leave out. While they may have a general idea as to what they will do in the event of a disaster, they have no specific plan for recovery and backup that will be sufficient to retrieve vital information in the event of a shutdown or disaster.

Consider Cloud Storage for Secure Backups

 One of the best things you can do is to store critical data on a server that can not be infiltrated by hackers or damaged in the physical world. By employing the use of cloud storage devices and drives, your data will be safe, even if the physical building in which your business resides is damaged or destroyed.

Designate Specific People for Certain Recovery Jobs

 By planning ahead for possible problems, and designating specific staff members for specific tasks, you can rest assured that people will know what to do in the event a crisis occurs. Just as people have a plan in place for their homes in the event of a fire or earthquake, there should be a similar plan in place for businesses in the event of such a disaster.

Consider Down Time and Plan Accordingly

 While you do not know how much down time will occur in the event of a shutdown of your business, it is important to consider the amount of manpower and money that will be lost or wasted due to the down time of your business during this critical time. Have a financial reserve in place to accommodate this, in case this occurs.

Get Advice from Experts

 The best way to make sure that you have what you need in place is to solicit the help of security experts who deal with backup and disaster recovery on a regular basis. They can help you put a disaster recovery plan in place, so that you will know your data and your business will be secure, in the event of a disaster.

In the end, what you should do is to assess. Assess the potential for a disaster in your area.

  • Do you live in a hurricane area?
  • Do earthquakes occur often in your location?
  • Are there risks in your specific corner of the world that put your business at risk?

There is risk enough in the world no matter where you are. But it is important to assess your particular risk and then decide what steps you should take to keep your business safe.

For more information on how we can help you achieve this, contact us.

Backup and Disaster Recovery for the Very Small Business is Just as Important as Big Businesses

backup and disaster recovery for the very small business is just as important as big businesses

Backup and disaster recovery systems were once only available to larger companies that had deeper pockets to pay for it.

In more recent years, however, these services have been made more available to the small business while maintaining reasonable prices and the same security features. But what about the very small business, as in a home office?

Here at 4 Corner IT, we understand the potentials of things going wrong in your home office, no matter that your database is smaller and simpler. We offer superior backup and disaster recovery services in these cases that can assure your information is secure and easily available again when you need it.

Regardless, you might wonder what could potentially go wrong in your home office when you already have an in-house backup system and no company-sized big data.

The Failures of In-House Security

While some commercially available backup systems might be mostly reliable, there’s always a chance they might fail. Even well-known backup tools have had stories of having meltdowns and losing data when it was needed, despite saving data in real time. Home offices that invest in these aren’t aware of how powerful cloud-based systems have become in assuring data is always there when it’s necessary.

As well, the cloud has become affordable for the small business. That’s because what you pay is based on how much data you have. You can pay that price and still expect to have your data backed up in real time as you create it. This way, when a disaster occurs, it’s retrievable in short order so you don’t wait weeks to gain it back. You can’t say that about other backup companies who used to use tape to save business data.

4 Corner IT offers the cloud and its ability to keep your data both safe and quickly accessible when disaster happens. And what kind of disaster could happen to a small, home office? Those who work from home may not stop and ponder the realities.

The Emerging Threat of Natural Disasters on Small Businesses

There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t hear about a natural disaster occurring somewhere in the United States or abroad. These increasing threats also threaten businesses more than ever. Unfortunately, far too many of those businesses don’t look into well-planned backup and disaster recovery systems.

Those who have their office at home might assume they’re better off having everything consolidated. They don’t stop and realize that when a disaster strikes their home, the home office is also affected.

You can be sure we’ll have everything backed up for you in the event this happens. Our backup systems also include sending your phone systems to the cloud so everything you had that made your office function can be restored to you during the worst of times.

Contact us so we can tell you more about what we offer in backup and disaster recovery. At 4 Corner IT, we have the small business in mind so you can maintain peace of mind within a disaster-plagued world.