Is Your Business Ready for the 2008 Hurricane Season? DataChambers Offers Six Tips for Getting Prepared

May 7, 2008; 04:54 AM

Winston-Salem, NC (PRWEB) May 7, 2008 -- According to forecasters, the U.S. coastline has a better that average probability of seeing at least one major hurricane make landfall this year - with 13 named storms, seven hurricanes and three "intense" hurricanes predicted between June 1 and November 30. That raises the stakes for businesses in hurricane-prone regions.

"During tough economic times when dollars are tight, it's easy to put storm preparations on the back burner," said Nicholas Kottyan, CEO of DataChambers, a North Carolina-headquartered technology firm. "But the risks are real and can be potentially devastating if you're not prepared."

A survey by the FDIC after hurricanes Katrina in New Orleans and Rita in Texas illustrates the issue dramatically. More than 200 branch banks and financial institutions were damaged during the storms, and more than a year later, only 35% were back in permanent quarters. Eighty-five remained closed and 45 were in temporary space.

While comprehensive recovery plans can be developed based on a firm's financial risk and the amount of downtime it can withstand, Kottyan says there are six simple steps all companies should consider to make certain they aren't the latest casualty.

1. Make a list of key contacts and keep it offsite.

Sometimes it's the simplest and most obvious of steps that get overlooked. Do you have home and cell phone numbers for your employees? How about your most important customers and vendors? List the individuals you might need to contact and determine how you would reach them if your phone and computer systems are disrupted. Store the information somewhere offsite that's readily accessible. Remember you aren't going to be able to get to a safe deposit box at the bank if you need the information on the weekend or after hours.

2. Back up your critical information and store it someplace safe.

If you routinely back up your critical electronic information to a server or hard drive on your own premises, you may be bargaining for trouble. Will your files be safe if your data center is flooded or a tree collapses the roof? At a minimum, remove your backup drive and store it offsite. For maximum safety and flexibility, consider using an online service provider for backups. You'll have access to your most critical information from most anywhere should your systems be damaged.

3. Have a battery backup for your PBX and computer server.

A battery backup for your phone system and your critical servers can be vital if your building is habitable but the power is out. It can help you to continue operations for awhile as you determine next steps and give you time to shut down equipment properly to prevent data loss and damage from surges when power is restored.

4. Evaluate whether you need a "shadow" system.

If your business is largely computer-based, you may want to set up a shadow system that can take over if something happens to your primary server. You might choose to replicate your computer hardware at a branch office or have a service provider set up shadow systems and manage them for you. Regardless of the approach, having a backup infrastructure can greatly reduce or eliminate potential downtime.

5. Evaluate whether you need an alternate worksite.

How broad and deep will the pain be if your clients can't reach your business for days on end? If they depend on continual access, make certain you have plans in place for at least a core group of employees to be available to take calls. You may be able to move your team to a branch office if one is available, set up your voice and data networks for remote access so employees can work from home, or establish an alternate worksite with "hot desks" that are ready to go when your primary office is inaccessible. Consider using an Internet protocol (IP) telephony service that allows you to forward client calls to your alternate site in the event phones are down in your area.

6. Set up an emergency information line.

One of the most critical aspects of disaster preparedness is determining how you will stay in touch with your team to let them know what you expect them to do. Consider setting up a dedicated number at a remote branch office that employees can call for instructions - and have it printed on wallet cards they can carry with them.

"When it comes to disaster planning, it's tempting to think 'it can't happen to my business,'" Kottyan said. "But if customer contact is vital to your bottom line, you may be risking your future by failing to establish an effective recovery plan. Taking just a few simple steps can help a company protect valuable information, plan for uninterrupted customer service and minimize the impact of a storm or other business-impacting events."

About DataChambers

DataChambers meets the demand of small and medium businesses for stable, secure, long-range information management and business continuity in the event of catastrophe. The company specializes in electronic data storage, network and monitoring solutions, managed information technology solutions, co-location services, secure tape vaulting, and off-site records storage and management. With redundancy and durability built into every critical component, clients can always rely on DataChambers' high-availability services. For more information, visit www.datachambers.com.