How to Plan for Better Disaster Recovery in IT

Backup and Recovery, Best Practices, Cloud Backup, Disaster Recovery, IT Best Practices, , ,
28
Aug 2018

Due to our reliance on data technology, good disaster recovery processes have never been more vital. However, how do you plan for better disaster recovery?

It may be a challenge, but you don’t need to feel apprehensive when trying to tackle this complex problem. And when it comes to disaster recovery, planning is the most important factor. If your IT systems fail then you need to start your recovery process as soon as possible and ensure it’s as effective as it can be. The sooner you can restore normal operations, the less your productivity is affected.

So, if you want to make sure your disaster recovery procedures are finely tuned, make sure you incorporate the following tips. They could be the difference between no IT infrastructure and one that can keep your organization functioning.

Have a Plan

The first step towards having a better disaster recovery plan is to have a plan. Unfortunately, many organizations find themselves too busy to worry about potential disasters and, instead, concentrate purely on the present. While this may help you with your immediate business objectives, it’s not going to help you in the case of an emergency. Therefore, starting work on a disaster recovery plan needs to be sooner rather than later.

Cost isn’t Everything

It’s understandable that budgets are essential when it comes to good business, but disaster recovery plans for IT infrastructure are a little different. Without a fully functioning IT service, it’s unlikely your organization is going to be able to trade at its full potential, if at all. And this is why you need to be careful when looking at the technology and services required for your data recovery. Naturally, you shouldn’t spend an exorbitant amount of money that could cripple your margins, but you also need a data recovery plan which can recover your IT infrastructure quickly and effectively.

Understand Your Recovery Objectives

Key to a good recovery process is understanding what data is crucial and how soon it’s required in the case of a data outage/loss. Objectives, of course, need to be achievable, so don’t burden yourself with unattainable goals such as ‘every worker to have access to emails within 10 minutes of a data disaster’. The best way to test your objectives and measure how attainable they are is through regular testing. This should prepare you for any future scenarios and guarantee that you know how to manage their impact.

Update Your Recovery Plan

If you’re lucky, your organization will manage to operate for a long time without experiencing any data disasters. However, this can lead to a dangerous sense of inertia creeping into your recovery processes. And, as we all know, technology moves at a rapid pace. Software and hardware can be replaced on a yearly basis and these new developments may not chime harmoniously with your existing recovery plan. Accordingly, your disaster recovery plan needs to be regularly reviewed to ensure that it’s current and matches your existing IT landscape.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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The Best Practices for Buying Small Business Computers

Best Practices, Best Processor, Maximum RAM, Operating System, Small Business Computers, , ,
24
Jul 2018

 

Small businesses need computers just as much as multi-global corporations do, but the way they go about choosing them is a little different.

In a small business, for example, consistency is more likely to be required across the board. In a larger business, however, there is bound to be more diversity required, especially in terms of the technology required for different departments. Therefore, choosing a computer for a small business needs to be approached in the correct manner to ensure you get the technology for your needs.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a quick list of the best practices for buying small business computers:

The Best Processor is Key

If you want your business to remain competitive then you need to make sure that your PCs have the best processors you can afford. After all, the driving force of your PC and what it can do comes straight from the processor. It may be tempting to drop 0.5Ghz from your processor to save costs, but this can cost you more in terms of productivity due to the drop in power.

Settle on One Operating System

For a small business, there’s no need to start working with multiple different operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS and Linux. Windows and Mac OS are fairly similar in terms of function, so investing in multiple licenses for these different systems can soon rack up your expenses. Instead, stick to either one or the other as this also minimizes internal training costs.

Get the Right System for Your Needs

A good business PC can remain in use for at least five years, so you are going to get a lot of use out of it. And that’s why you need to make sure it’s the right one for your needs. In-depth research needs to be carried out on your existing PCs to see what they can and can’t do. Once you understand their limitations and your needs, you can begin to search for models which solve these issues. This keeps your workforce happy and guarantees that you won’t have to buy a new range six months later when they don’t gel.

Don’t Cut Costs

Cheap computers are the last pieces of equipment that your organization wants. What you need are computers that pride themselves on their quality and lack of technical issues. Time is money and a cheap computer will end up costing you a lot of downtime. It may make your bank balance wince, but the productivity boost that a more expensive PC brings is more than worth it.

Fill All Available RAM Slots

When you’re buying a new PC, it’s important that you make sure all its RAM slots are filled to give you the fastest performance possible. Often, some of these slots are left empty to allow for future expansion. However, the best time to expand is at the point of purchase rather than a couple of years down the line. Speak to your dealer and ask them to ensure that you have the maximum amount of RAM affordable.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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