We should all be ready for disaster

When it comes to natural disasters, it has been quite a year, hasn’t it? In the first 10 months of 2011, President Obama declared 89 major disasters. People and businesses everywhere have struggled to rebound from many of these catastrophes, leaving those of us who weren’t personally impacted by these events wondering if we’d be able to make it through the worst ourselves.

Unfortunately, we’re all at risk of facing disaster, whether natural or even virtual, given that technology now plays such a dominant role in our lives. Cybercrime and other technical failures can cause great harm, and recovering from instances of virtual disaster often requires significant amounts of time and money.

The good news is that taking steps to prepare your household and/or business for disaster can help you withstand catastrophes. Here are some pointers related to your technology assets that will come in handy as you plan for the unexpected:

• Consider cloud-based software for storage and more– Since cloud-based software enables you to store information in secure, offsite locations, it’s particularly beneficial during disaster. You can access the software anywhere you have an Internet connection and enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your data is safe even if disaster has disturbed your immediate surroundings.
• Online backup options – If you’re not ready to store all of your data in the cloud, you can ensure its safety in other ways. For example, affordable online backup solutions will make copies of all important data stored on your hard drive, safeguarding it and making it easily accessible in the event of disaster. Also, if you store critical data on your mobile device, make sure that data also is also protected by your online backup solution.
• Keep your technology updated – The simple act of responding promptly to technology updates can prevent a host of virtual disasters from ever occurring in the first place. Updates usually provide security patches and new protective features, so install them promptly whenever you receive update notices; or, adjust your PC’s settings to install updates automatically.

For additional advice on preparing for disaster, head over to www.microsoftbusinesshub.com. From there you can download a free e-guide and quiz from Microsoft on the essentials of disaster preparedness.