Hurricane Season is upon us, and that’s not all. You need only listen to or read the news to hear about weather-related events causing destruction and mishaps year-round, in so many locations across the globe. If disaster strikes, are you prepared? Could you flip a magic switch and have your operations continue to perform from an alternative site?

It is imperative to keep operations going. To do this, you should have a business continuity plan in place to support the business in the event of a major (or minor) catastrophe. Think about where your critical data lives. If you had a flood in your primary data center or lost your desktops, laptops, or other means of gaining access to your data, how would you gain access to it?

Data Backup and Alternatives

At the very least, it is necessary to have a plan to switch to a backup data center site or alternative devices to access your data. Unfortunately a backup data center could be very costly, not to mention not very environmentally friendly if it is just sitting there for a “just in case” emergency. It is much more effective to share efficiently-run resources as a backup to support an emergency situation versus building redundancy. This type of redundancy causes a greater use of energy in a facility that is just awaiting use in case of a catastrophe.

I was at a conference earlier this year, where the keynote speaker shared her experience of losing her data (in this case her manuscripts). Her computer ended up being submerged under water due to the horrific flooding from Hurricane Katrina a few years ago. Unfortunately at that time, she didn’t have any backup in place. With the loss of her computer, all her files and manuscript drafts were lost.

Cloud for Continuity

There are lessons we can learn from these types of experiences. We are so dependent upon the data we need to perform our jobs that losing it even for a short duration can set operations back. Our need for data continues to grow, and so does the need for a plan to access it through alterative means should our primary method fail due to a disaster. Have you considered a business continuity plan with a more cost-effective and an environmentally-conscious backup method, such as cloud services?

Today, with a cloud services business continuity plan in place, having alternative access to your data is as easy as the flip of a switch. The files are there no matter where you may be. You can access them from your desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or any other futuristic device that may be developed.

It’s always best to have a business continuity plan in place for your business and for you personally. Getting access to your critical data through a plan is better than having to scramble in the event of a disaster. It would also be great that while you are putting that plan in place, you incorporate methods to enhance sustainability. It can be both cost-effective as well as environmentally friendly.

What would you do if you lost all of your data or files? Do you have a plan in place? If so, please feel free to share it so that we can learn from each other.