Business disasters come in many forms. They don’t tend to warn victims before striking. Floods, fires, online scams, and even physical robbery can devastate your business.
Preemptive small business IT recovery could be your saving grace. That’s if you actually implemented protocols before a catastrophe.
If your system has fallen victim to an unfortunate event, we have a plan to get you up and running. Read on to learn 7 actions to take when disaster strikes.
7 IT Recovery Steps To Take When Disaster Strikes
As you recover data and get your programs up and running, keep the future in mind. Consider the situation you’re in now and what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
We’ve come up with 7 actions to take when disaster strikes, whether you were prepared or not.
1. Get With The Times And Transition To The Cloud
In-house data storage is so 1990s. Comparatively, cloud IT managed services have a laundry list of benefits. In today’s technological world, if you’re not on the cloud, you may as well be using dial-up internet.
So who navigated the widespread work from home transition of 2020 the best?
The answer is easily any company that was already using cloud storage. Employees were able to pack up their laptops and pick up where they left off the day before. The reason being, cloud storage is accessible from anywhere.
Data can be safer when stored in the cloud rather than on an in-house server. Flooding and fires won’t affect your data. Thieves don’t have the option to break in and walk out with your servers like in the movies.
Make sure your most valuable information is stored in the cloud before the next disaster strikes.
2. Recover Files And Settings By Restoring Backups
Hopefully, your pre-disaster protocols included backing up data. In a perfect world, your IT expert can come in and restore your backups before you finish your first cup of coffee.
So what about the imperfect reality?
If you find yourself in a situation where your files have not been properly backed up, keep moving forward. Contact your professional Houston IT expert to recoup what is possible.
Also, discuss how to avoid this problem in the future. Have your Houston IT expert set you up with a cloud backup. Never be without your most critical data again.
3. Update Firewall And Antivirus Software
Computer viruses are rampant and show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Pretty much everyone has firewall and antivirus software, but not everyone is using them correctly.
To make sure your computer’s defense systems are up to par, have your Houston IT recovery professional schedule regular updates.
The firewall is the computer’s first line of defense. But it relies on your computer’s operating system being updated regularly.
Updating your antivirus software is also key to fighting off the new viruses that appear every day. Without updates, your software has no way of knowing the latest virus that it should be expelling from your system.
4. Re-Install Software And Programs To Get Back Up And Running
When we unknowingly rely on them, it can be hard to keep track of all of the extensively used programs. Especially if a disaster has forced you to purchase all new devices, you will need to re-install the infrastructure to your online world.
Hopefully, you saved your receipts and activation keys. Having this data is the easiest route to installing software and programs on new devices. Otherwise, you might end up paying for the services again.
Additionally, while you’re re-installing, check for the latest versions. You want to install the most up-to-date version possible. Recovering from a disaster doesn’t mean starting over with outdated programs. Move forward and into the future.
5. Look For Weak Links In Your Risk Register
If you’ve been recording known and suspected risks, now is a great time to visit the register. Look for patterns to help pinpoint the weak spots where disaster may have seeped in.
If you’re in the club of being new to risk registers, then start tracking your risks now. Include dates, data, and even short anecdotes. The point is to give you or your IT expert the tools to watch for patterns and learn from past mistakes.
Observing these patterns enables you to see weaknesses in your system that you may have missed otherwise. Doing so gives you a chance to identify what caused your current problems. Pinpointing any weak links is also helpful in preventing it from happening again.
Does a risk register seem like it will eat into too much of your work time? Or do you not feel confident identifying risks? As your trusted Houston IT recovery experts, we can help you by implementing protocols and keeping your systems safe. Contact Brooks IT Services today to get your business running safely.
6. Triple Check Your Systems Are Secure
Your IT security depends on several different factors. The first thing you can do to strengthen your system is to routinely change your passwords. And please leave out any personal information, including dates and pet names.
Strong and unique passwords are the easiest defense against online scammers with cruel intentions. As a rule of thumb, passwords should be at least 8 characters long and include capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. You should also change your passwords often and don’t use the same one for more than one login.
Often overlooked, wireless router passwords should also be changed often. Although easy to miss for most people, hackers are fully aware of this common weak spot in many people’s systems.
Consult your Houston IT expert to review security protocols to make sure you and your system are protected.
7. Keep The Spies Away And Make Sure Anti-Spyware Is Running Properly
Anti-spyware is a useful tool in combating the nuisances of cybersecurity. But did you know it needs to update regularly?
If not set on a regular update schedule, your anti-spyware software may just be a program taking up space on your computer. With hackers developing new ploys and spyware daily, you need to keep your defenses up.
Anti-spyware software learns of the latest infamy through updates. If you’re not updating, your software doesn’t have the information to do its job to the fullest.
Need help deciding which anti-spyware software is the best for your business? Brooks IT Services expert IT professionals know the software options. Book a discovery call to make sure no one is lingering in your computer’s system.
Treat Your Business To Comprehensive Network Security
If you are dedicated to your business’s success, then make sure to have an IT recovery plan. Although having this plan makes coming back from calamity easier, it’s not necessarily that simple to implement.
That’s why we work with clients to strategically enact a comprehensive enterprise IT recovery plan. Keep your business and financials safe. Contact Brooks IT Services to confidently move forward.