A “Disaster” Covers More Than You’d Think

What one organization considers a disaster might be much different than what another business might see as disastrous. Perhaps one sees the loss of a few hours and a few files as something that can be recovered, while another sees every lost moment and each iota of data as a catastrophe. Whichever camp you find yourself in, you need to be able to do two things: first, gauge how serious a given data loss disaster is, and secondly, establish what must be done to get back in action following said disaster.
Cost of Data Loss
The total cost of your disaster scenario is the only real way to know just how much work needs to be done to get back into a favorable position following a loss. Of course, the type of disaster that you suffer from is going to play a major part in how much it will cost your business. A hardware failure is arguably the least costly data loss scenario, but it can still be a devastating event. You’ll have to replace a workstation or server unit, but the kicker is the data that’s stored on the device, as well as how much time you’re paying your workers for when they can’t do their jobs due to a situation like this.
Other kinds of disasters have much greater impact on the way that your organization recovers from a loss scenario. Imagine how much damage could be caused by a flood or a fire. Not only would your data infrastructure be affected, but so too would your organization’s physical computing infrastructure. It’s hard to work when you don’t have a place to be productive. Would you be able to relocate? How much would it cost to repair your workplace, or rent out a new one? It’s likely that all of these costs could compound and create a major problem for an unprepared budget.
Once data security is involved, you have the potential for a lot more trouble, especially regarding the price tag of resolving these issues. The information stolen could drastically affect how much your business stands to lose from a disaster. Some of the more costly information that could be stolen include credit card numbers, personally identifiable information, and secure personal records like a person’s health information. This data loss could even mean having to deal with regulatory fines related to HIPAA compliance laws or otherwise. Being known as a company that leaks sensitive information can also harm your reputation, which makes working with your business a significant risk for any potential clients.
Downtime can also be a major factor in determining how bad a disaster can be. In essence, downtime is any time that your business isn’t working as you intend it to, and it can have multiple layers of depth. It’s one thing for an employee not being able to access important information, but another entirely if your entire workforce can’t work properly due to the Internet or electricity being down. Basically, anytime when your business isn’t making money or being productive, it’s in a state of downtime. You need to do everything in your power to make sure this doesn’t happen.
One of the best ways to ensure that your business suffers minimal downtime is by implementing an enterprise-level data backup solution. Machado Consulting can help you with business continuity to make sure that your organization isn’t derailed by a disaster scenario. To learn more, reach out to us at (508) 453-4700.