Recent IT Lessons learned In The January Brisbane Floods

Here is our shortlist of core things to do for an impending flood or closedown.

1. Make a plan and update it.
2. Make site all staff understand their role in the plan.
3. Ensure core mission critical contact systems can remain running.
4. Update your website and social media so customers know what’s happened
5. Back up critical files to the web.
6. Ensure paper documents that pertain to the business are protected. Scan them and store them on the web.

Since the January floods we have installed a cloud based PABX system that allows staff to use our phones anywhere if we need to. We enjoy lower call costs and we can customise it on the web interface. Recently a deadly wave of Tornadoes struck north Carolina. The data centre where SiteLink is housed was not affected. No loss of service and even if it had gone out, SiteLink Web Edition customers can still access valuable data in offline mode. Customer records and reports available even of the internet or connectivity is lost.

Our business and its core systems have migrated to the cloud. Am I concerned about security? No, am I concerned someone is trolling through all of our secrets? No.

Do I worry when it rains now? No. Am I worried about email? No.

Self Storage sites can make themselves disaster resistant using SiteLink Web edition and cloud based PABX and online backup solutions. The old client software on PC’s with USB backups is out-dated and if of site backups are not diligently done every day, at risk of loss in the event of a sudden event. Computers get zapped, power goes out. Data is lost every day.

We asked Mike Berry, Director of IT at National Storage to comment:

There are several factors to consider:

1. Customer goods – the impact will be determined by the severity of the event. The best we can do is convince customers to take out insurance on their goods in their unit. Of course certain events will not be covered, as evidenced by the actions of insurance companies post the Brisbane floods. There may, however, be events that will trigger a valid claim. The outcome of insurable events will be in the hands of customers ie as to whether they took out insurance.
2. Centre hardware – there may well be circumstances that do not allow centre staff to safeguard their essential equipment, but in some circumstances, it is likely that they will have sufficient time to move essential equipment to “higher ground.” In the event that they do not have sufficient time and the equipment is destroyed, they need to have good relationships with their hardware supplier. For multi-site operators, it is recommended that they have a standard PC environment and the supplier maintains an up-to-date image of the PC. If a new PC is required, the hardware supplier can quickly re-image the new PC and deliver it to site.
3. Essential software – all operators need to purchase a suite of software programs in order to run their business. Make sure you keep them safe and not less than annually, audit them to ensure that you still have. Copies of Windows and Office have a habit of magically vapourising. You will need all of the software to re-establish your systems. Don’t forget software such as PTI or Access Ezy.
4. Centre data – all facilities generate a raft of files from spreadsheets to documents across all aspects of the business. Establish a sound, understandable data structure on one of the PC’s and, for the want of a better description, call it the “server” PC and store all centre files on the PC. Back it up every day with a rotating series of 7 backup CD’s or USB drives (using the KISS principle). Make sure you have at least one of the backups offsite every day. It will be a simple five minute process to reload all of your essential daily files back onto your new PC.
5. Storage software – whether you use StorMan, Winsen or a host of other local database systems, again, back it up every day with a rotating series of 7 backup CD’s or USB drives (using the KISS principle). Make sure you have at least one of the backups offsite every day. It will be a simple process to reload all of your essential daily files back onto your new PC.
6. Give serious consideration to converting your main storage database to a web-based application. There are a host of benefits, but in the context of a disaster, your software provider is ensuring that your database is being backed up daily (or even more often) and getting up and running again is as simple as logging onto another PC. The second benefit is that the web-based database is available to you anywhere – even at home. In a disaster, you need to be able to get access to your customer base immediately.
7. Of course, the holy grail of disasters is to have a disaster recovery plan. For most operators this will be easier said than done. They take a fair amount of thought, effort and diligence to put into place. They may also involve some cost to disaster-proof your business and this is where it generally puts off most people as there is always something else to spend money on.

In conclusion, ask the shopkeepers in Toowoomba how much notice they got to get out. No time for backups….

If you would like to see how a storage software like SiteLink can enhance your business please contact our friendly team, or get a free demo!