Disaster recovery is all about expecting the unexpected. With hurricane season in full swing, it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect your data and hardware. The nationwide cost of damages for the 2020 hurricane season amounted to $60 to $65 billion, and is expected to increase in 2021. For businesses and nonprofits based in the southeastern U.S., there is a very real chance of storm damage, and securing your technology is essential to avoiding disruptions and outages.
By creating a Business Continuity Plan, your organization can prepare for natural disasters and other outages. A concrete outline that includes the use of cloud storage, VoIP phone systems, and data backups will help your team take actionable steps before, during, and following a natural disaster.
With the help of an IT Service Provider, the following steps should be outlined in your nonprofit’s Business Continuity Plan.
- Perform a complete inventory of all hardware and software
- Identify technical support contact information
- Define roles and responsibilities of all staff members, third-party vendors, and providers
- Identify and evaluate risks of data loss and compliance violations
- Establish clear priorities
- Conduct regular testing and updates of all equipment and software
- Provide employees with backup communication methods
