Here in the Midwest, we can’t count on any aspect of weather—only that there will be weather. And eventually, there will be bad weather. For many of us in Michigan, last winter’s polar vortex still causes a shiver.
When a storm is barreling towards your location, have you ever worried about your company’s computers, servers or IT infrastructure? Probably not, and many don’t. However, inclement weather can affect your company’s technology, and therefore your company’s bottom line.
From widespread power outages to floods, your technology is at risk. And while there isn’t much you can do to stop your server room from flooding or a power line going down, there is a lot you can do now to save you and your employees a future headache.
Short-Term Disaster Recovery
There are simple things you can implement now to keep your technology from breaking down during bad weather.
A UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply/Source), or a battery backup should be connected to your most important technology.
“But I have a surge protector. I don’t need anything else, right?” Wrong.
A UPS is like a surge protector as it protects from spikes in powers, but also protects in dips. Power isn’t always steady—it comes in waves, with our electronics operating within a certain range. When the power dips below that range, a UPS protects the electronic device by providing backup power to cover the short loss.
Some battery backups can actually communicate with computers or servers, allowing them to safely finish their processes and then shut down. A UPS is not a long-term power replacement option—that’s a generator.
Do your employees keep mini heaters under their desks come winter? It’s great to keep warm, but those heaters are not helping the computer right next to it, which is trying to keep cool. Encourage your employees to not do this, or try turning the computer so that the computer’s warmth can act as a heater.
Long-Term Disaster Recovery
If bad weather turns extreme and impacts your physical working space where your email server and phone equipment are located, your company can suffer drastically. However, if these necessary components of business are offsite, most of your employees can keep working through bad weather.
If you’re a sizeable organization, moving technology to an offsite location is an option. Data centers around the world offer a more secured location for your data, because it’s their main job to protect and store data. They have the resources to have security, redundant backup power sources and environmental controls to keep the servers functioning at their best. If you are a small- to medium-sized business, cloud computing is a cost-efficient solution. Moreover, your servers will be safe from any bad weather. The data centers that house cloud computing are much better protected than many offices hope to be.
Traditional phone systems are also at risk when bad weather rolls into town. By converting your phone system to a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) system, you’ll be weatherproofing one of the most important communication portals and saving money.
Check with your in-house IT team about these switches to prepare your business for the bad weather ahead. Or, if you’re looking for help to manage your company’s technology, contact Detroit IT. Our expertise, help desk support and managed service will provide the solutions you need.
Tags: Bad Weather Technology, Disaster Recovery Posted by
