YOU don’t have to look hard to find tales of technological disaster. The Gauss virus intruded thousands of Middle Eastern PCs, whereby it intercepted Online banking authorizations. Apple iPhones were revealed to be vulnerable to spoofed SMS messages. Western Digital’s hard drive production facility in Thailand was demolished by floods not so long ago.

These incidents – and, to some degree, anything that goes dreadful with your tech world — have one thing in common: With careful planning, the victims could have rendered the problems much easier to recover from.
Sure, enduring a flood that wipes out your production facility is worse than losing some stored small- days pictures, but disaster planning is essential for individuals and for businesses of all shapes and sizes. The only real variable is the difficulty of the necessary planning. For small businesses, it’s essential to plan for disasters, so that you won’t be completely crushed if catastrophe does strike. Here’s how to start.

Backups
You can sharply reduce the bad effects of most technology problems by adopting a single, surprisingly simple precaution: Back up your data.

You’ve undeniably heard this advice before, but even computer users who have suffered crashes, malware infestations, and other data-killing disasters often find it hard to get started, fearing that regularly scheduled backups are too tedious to perform, or too complicated to set up.
None of this is true today. Here are some strategies you can start with.

Local USB backup
This is the simplest way to perform backups, but it’s suitable for people with just one or two PCs. Plug a high-capacity USB hard drive into your computer, and set up a backup programme. Windows 7 and 8 have the feature included.

Online backup
If you have plenty of Internet bandwidth available, backing up Online can be the securest way to protect your data against disasters, such as a house fire, that destroy everything on the premises. Online backup sends your files (usually automatically) to a far-off location, removing any risk of loss from physical theft, fire, or flood at your place of business. On the other hand, some Online cloud-based services have been victimized by security breaches. That risk is probably tolerable for most of us, but if you work with highly sensitive information, such as customer credit-card data, you might be best served by backing up this information locally, and securing it at an offsite location, such as a safety deposit box.

Physical security
Software precautions aside, a ruffian with a crowbar can perpetrate massive damage on your business. That’s why physical security should be a major consideration, whether you’re a one-person shop or a company with a hundred employees. Every business owner knows to lock the doors and install an alarm system if there are valuable assets on the premises. But you should also take specific actions to protect your computer equipment, in addition to securing your building proper.

Cable locks
Cable locks are a simple way to increase any computer’s security at very low cost. Almost all laptops have a special Kensington lock port, and most desktops have a metal loop that extends from the back, and through which you can run a security cable. (Computers that don’t have a lock port can instead use a “universal” lock system that attaches directly to the chassis.) Connect the computer to a desk with the cable, and you’ve added sufficient security to thwart most smash-and-grab operators. Be sure to store the keys to the cable locks in a secure location. You should also use a cable lock whenever you take a laptop out of the office. Cable locks are readily available in Guyana for less than $ 5000. Why not get one?

Lo-Jack systems
Lo-Jack for laptops is software that runs unnoticed in the background, but lets your laptop broadcast its location when you report it as lost. This helps law enforcement locate the computer more easily, and enables you to wipe its hard drive remotely if recovery seems unlikely. Tools like Find My iPhone offer similar features to smartphone and tablet users. Install them before your device goes missing. At times, some of us Guyanese have a tendency to install the gutter when it starts raining. So, please secure your valuable device and information early.  Too late shall be the cry, some would say.

Video surveillance systems
The all-seeing eye of a camera won’t prevent determined thieves from breaking into your office, but remote surveillance systems may help you catch them red-handed. Video surveillance with motion detection will show the scene of a crime in real-time, and record footage to help you pursue the bad guys later. We have a lot of computer stores that would further advise you on which camera best suits you or your business; and, of course, Internet services’ providers in Guyana have the option to enable you to view your premises remotely.

Fires, floods, and acts of the Supreme
We’ve dealt with thieves, but what about interventions of overwhelming magnitude, like the recent super-storm, ‘Sandy’?

You can replace computer equipment, but that costs money. And if your business is out of commission for a month or two while you rebuild from a flood, fire or storm, you won’t be earning anything along the way. That problem can destroy a company that might withstand the physical damage caused by a calamity.
Generally, insurance is the best safeguard against financial ruin. Standard property insurance will cover the loss of hardware, but business interruption insurance is essential, if you want a safety net to preserve your company against lost sales. Whatever is the case, do not hesitate to protect your business from digital disaster.