20 per cent of firms courting data disaster
Jim Jamieson
Province
Small to medium-sized businesses in Vancouver still don’t get the backup concept, according to a survey conducted by Condor IT Solutions Inc.
The survey found that less than half of all companies surveyed have a disaster recovery plan in case of computer crash, theft or natural disaster.
The survey also found that 56 per cent rely on outdated backup and recovery systems, and a shocking one in five companies has no data backup system whatsoever.
Condor interviewed 184 small to medium-sized companies, including law, accounting and architectural firms, retailers and restaurants.
“Most people don’t realize that data lost from a computer crash isn’t covered by business-interruption insurance, but it can be as devastating to a business as a fire or flood,” said Norm Friend, president of Condor IT Solutions.
Forty-six per cent of local companies reported that one full day without access to their data could put them out of business, while 74 per cent of professional services — such as lawyers and accountants — reported that their business’s future would be “threatened” by a full day without data access.
Despite this, only 31 per cent keep a copy of their software off site.
Friend’s company developed DataVault, a data backup and recovery system aimed at making the backup process simpler and more affordable. The system compresses, transfers and stores a customer’s files in external hard drives that are attached to a pair of DataVaults — about the size of a shoe box.
One is stored in the office, while a second is put in a remote location. Both are connected to the Internet.
“If they’ve got a local DataVault in their office, their information backs up to that one and then at night it backs up to one at their home,” said Friend.
“It goes over the Internet and is encrypted. If their system goes down or their office burns down, they can go to the remote location and you’re back in business.”
Friend said the service, which is monitored for activity but not content, costs $500 for setup and installation and $150 a month.
© The Vancouver Province 2006
