A disaster plan for your computer systems is often not done until just prior to a predicted event (such as a hurricane). If you do not have a comprehensive emergency management plan, here is a simplified list of immediate actions to protect your business data and server(s) in the event of an impending storm:
1. Protect your business data
Run full backups and take the tapes off-site. For those with a USB drive working as a backup supplement, you can take the drive off-site by simply unplugging the USB cable and power cable. Prior to doing these backups, determine if anyone in your office keeps their data only on their local computer and send them an email recommending that they copy it to the server so it can be part of this backup.
2. Protect your equipment
Power may switch off and on several times during a storm while lightning causes power surges. If possible, shut down your server(s) and unplug the UPS from the wall so none of your equipment is exposed. If you need to leave your servers on as long as possible or had to evacuate quickly, most servers can be shut down through remote access. However, note that your remote connection may be impaired during the storm. In some cases, it is also necessary to elevate tower servers off of the floor in anticipation of a water leak. Finally, some companies may want to physically remove the server and take it elsewhere.
3. Recovery considerations
From a business standpoint, some of the first items you will need to address after a disaster is how to collect receivables, provide payroll payments and a methodology to communicate and work with your customers. Here are some example DR plans:
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