What does the word thunderstorm mean to you? For some, it means the anticipation of thunder shaking the ground. Others enjoy the brisk, clean feeling that comes after a storm passes.
For your IT department, it could be a nightmare.
Most businesses rely on technology that works round-the-clock. An interruption in service can lead to lost revenue. Depending on your IT department’s level of disaster preparedness, it can lead to something even worse — the loss of important data, or damage to your tech hardware.
While we can’t control the weather — yet — there are simple steps you can take to stop it from taking a toll on your IT department.
1) Back up to the Cloud
You hear the phrase “the cloud” all the time in tech articles. There’s a reason for that. Cloud-based storage allows you to save your important data and files securely in places other than your computer. You can then access them from you’re any of your devices. Cloud-based storage facilities often have redundancies that will maintain your data, even in the event of an outage.
But why does this matter? Consider the following: lightning strikes your IT department, frying every laptop’s hard-drive. If your data has been backed up to the cloud, it will still be intact when you get the lights turned back on. But if your data was only on your physical hard-drive, it could be lost forever.
2) Install Surge Protectors
So obvious that it can be forgotten about — you should follow best practices for installing surge protectors. Surge protectors are reasonably-priced devices that protect your tech from a surge in voltage. If weather causes a surge in your area, your devices can blow fuses, burn out its power supply, or have its circuitry fried beyond repair.
However, if you have a surge protector installed, the surge protector absorbs all of the additional voltage instead — protecting your valuable tech from the ravages of electricity.
3) Have a Plan
How important is internet to your business’s functioning? How about electricity? Depending on how you answer, you may want to invest in power generators. Power generators aren’t meant to be a long-term solution, but if a bad storm rolls through, you may be happy that you have one. While power generators obviously can’t restore your internet if your ISP is having issues, they can keep parts of your business moving in the event of a brief blackout.
Generators require maintenance, fuel, and electrical know-how, so be sure to talk to a trusted professional before deciding what generators are the best fit for your business.
Let’s talk tech. Vodigy helps small and medium-sized businesses harness the power of technology to meet their needs. Contact us today!
