Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning – Are You Protecting Your Business?

More than 70% of businesses experience a data loss each year due to technical or human error. This results in an average revenue loss of $4,700, not taking into account losses due to missed business opportunities or natural disasters. Faulkner Information Services found that 50% of companies that lose their data due to disasters go out of business within 24 months, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor indicates that 93% are out of business within five years.

If a business is able to recover after a data loss, there can be further reaching consequences. For example you may lose the trust of your customers, who then begin considering your competitors. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning are essential to protecting the life of your business.

What’s the Difference Between “Disaster Recovery” and “Business Continuity” Planning?

While most think of Disaster Recovery Planning in regards to natural disasters, Business Continuity Planning also addresses other issues which result in a data loss. Essential records are not only stored in your systems; if an executive in your business were suddenly unavailable, would you have access to their key contacts, business appointments, and projects in-progress? Business Continuity Planning includes ensuring these types of data are recorded and accessible.

Implementing Your Plan

Implementing a Business Continuity Plan can seem a daunting task, requiring you to evaluate every function of your business, how to back-up your information and efficiently recover it. For small businesses it can be cost prohibitive to execute the plan themselves, being less likely to have a full time IT staff. For these businesses it is often less expensive to implement a plan utilizing a Managed Service Provider, who have the resources available and the expertise to evaluate your systems and strategize the most efficient recovery.

3D Corporation offers risk assessments, security solutions and multiple data backup options which can be customized to meet your business needs and begin the process of creating a Business Continuity Plan. Please visit our website at http://www.3dcorp.us/, email us at info@3dcorp.us, or call us at (360) 671-4906 for more information.

References: HP Business Disaster Recovery, Information Security Systems, CSO Security and Risk, Faulkner Information Services

What Are “Best Practices?”

A best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means. They also represent common practices that are seen in properly managed networks of similar size and industry. Best practices increase security, productivity and efficiency, helping your business accomplish more with your existing resources.

Here Are Some Best Practice Tips:

Knowledge

• Knowing is half the battle! Every employee should read their company’s usage policies so that they know what to expect and what is expected from them. Have an acceptable use policy in place, and update it regularly.
• Examples of Acceptable Use Policies (AUP):
• Prohibit the installation of software for which the company or employee does not have appropriate licenses.
• Lock all laptops and computers when leaving them unattended to prevent unauthorized access.
• Utilize anti-virus software, and execute caution when opening e-mails and attachments from unknown senders.
• Limit use of private or non-business related activities, such as instant messaging and chat rooms.

Network Security

• Use complex passwords for confidential data and programs. Passwords should expire regularly to decrease the likelihood that they will be leaked or cracked.
• Network equipment and spare equipment should be locked and in a climate controlled area.
• Always encrypt your wireless network. WPA and WPA2 are protocols that most wireless devices are compatible with.
• Use a business grade firewall to provide security between your network and the internet such as Sophos  or WatchGuard, both of which are capable of Unified Threat Management (UTM) which combines Anti-Virus, Anti-SPAM and content filtering.
• Remote users should connect to your network using IP-Secure or SSL VPN connections.

3D Corporation offers Sophos and WatchGuard security products, and can help you select the right product for your business need. Please visit our website at http://www.3dcorp.us/, email us at info@3dcorp.us, or call us at (360) 671-4906 for more information.

References: Sophos Security Products, WatchGuard Firewalls

3D Enhances Client Services and Network Administration

3D Corporation is pleased to announce the addition of Samantha Schultz to its team as Office Administrator and Sales Support Specialist and the promotion of Scott Conrad VanderWoude to Network Administrator.

Schultz is responsible for providing high level support to our Client Services Team, Business Analysts and 3D clients, as well as assisting with other administrative functions.

Schultz brings to 3D her skills in customer service, office administration, marketing and business support through her range of experience supporting both local and national companies.

VanderWoude joined 3D in June 2008 as a Help Desk Administrator and will be taking on new responsibilities as Network Administrator. Recently VanderWoude developed a new service for 3D Managed IT clients to automatically check for e-mail server issues. He will be assisting clients in resolving network issues, mentoring and training Help Desk Administrators, serving as a resource for advanced problem resolution, and scheduling technical resources.

3D is happy to have Samantha and Scott as members of our team and is always looking for talented individuals like them to join. To find out more about how to become part of the 3D team, visit the Careers page of our website at http://www.3dcorp.us/careers.html.
 
 

3D Corp Implements New Feature: Automated MS Exchange Banner Checking

This week 3D has implemented a new feature for our 3DProActive™ clients utilizing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. This new feature is automated and alerts our technical team immediately if the SMTP banner on MS Exchange does not match the DNS name for your servers.

How Does This Impact My Company?

When your SMTP banner does not match the DNS name for your server you can be blacklisted as SPAM. Mail you send may not be delivered to the receiving party or be sent to their junk mail folder, and you may not receive e-mails. With automated banner checking, we are alerted of the issue immediately and are able to resolve it in a much shorter period of time, potentially within hours depending on your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Most often this issue occurs when you change your ISP.

What Happens to E-Mail I Didn’t Receive?

If you have a SPAM filter such as Sophos Security Suite, e-mails sent to you will be stored and delivered once the issue is resolved.

3D Corporation offers Sophos Security software and can help you determine which solution is best for your business, and automated Banner Checking is available through 3DProActive™ Managed IT Services. Please visit our website at http://www.3dcorp.us/, email us at info@3dcorp.us, or call us at (360) 671-4906 for more information.

References:  Sophos Security Products , 3DProActive™