In the midst of storm season in Southwest Florida, it is vital to protect your business as well as you would your own home. With the possibility of oncoming Hurricane Dorian, make sure that you take the necessary precautions to ensure the protection of your business and its critical information in the event of severe flooding, lightning, high speed winds, and other damaging elements. Taking the following steps could make a world of a difference in the case of a hurricane evacuation notice.

In-House Preparation

Designate the role of each employee for the storm preparation process. Make sure to have a way to communicate with everyone before, after, and during the storm. Make sure all important physical documents and records are stored in sealed waterproof containers, as well as in an accessible off site location. 

Technology Protection

Turn off and unplug all devices; however if you have servers managed by Connect SWFL, do not unplug before contacting us first. To prevent any possible water damage, wrap and cover all computers and related accessories with plastic bags, and move anything from the floor to at least 2-3 feet above ground level.

Offsite Backup

Data loss can be detrimental to a company, which is why offsite backup is such a critical step. Offsite backup must complement your local backup solutions. Identify mission critical data that needs to be backed up off-site, and if possible offsite backup should be in secure facility in a different state. Offsite Backups should be encrypted for security and should also be verified regularly.

Battery Backup

Always make sure computers and servers are plugged into an adequate battery backup. Printers should never be plugged into the battery side. Periodically test your battery back-ups to make sure they have enough power for those unexpected electrical storm surges. Replace backup unit batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Note: Battery backups usually have a surge only and a battery and surge.

Make sure to check updated weather reports as Hurricane Dorian approaches and stay safe!

For more information about preparing your business and devices for a major storm contact Connect SWFL at (239) 288-0029.