Written By: Frank Saulsbery
THE LATEST THOUGHTS FROM THE FOUNDER
A running column from Frank Saulsbery. Not a sales pitch, just the way he’d explain it if you pulled up a stool next to him. Meet Frank →
A SNEAK PEEK…
“There is a big difference between having a backup and knowing it works.”
If you've owned a business for any length of time, you've probably had one of those days. The weather forecast mentioned severe storms, but you figured everything would be fine. Then the power goes out, employees can't access systems, phones stop working. Someone asks whether the files are backed up. Another person wonders how they'll work if the office is closed tomorrow. Suddenly, what started as a weather problem becomes a business problem.
It's frustrating because most business owners already have enough on their plate. The last thing you want to worry about is whether a thunderstorm, tornado, flood, or lightning strike is going to bring operations to a standstill.
The reality is that storm season simply reminds us of something that's true all year long, disasters happen. Sometimes they're large-scale events like tornadoes or flooding. Other times they're surprisingly small, a single lightning strike can damage computers, network equipment, security systems, phones, and even non-technology items like lighting, appliances, or other electrical equipment throughout a building.
The good news is that preparing for these situations is usually much less complicated than people imagine. The most important question isn't whether a storm will happen. It's what happens to your business when it does. Can your employees work if the office is inaccessible? What happens if there's no power for a day or two? How quickly can critical systems be restored? Where are your backups, and have they actually been tested recently? Who is responsible for making decisions during an emergency?
These aren't technical questions, they're business continuity questions. They're about making sure you can continue serving customers, supporting employees, and keeping operations moving when something unexpected occurs.
One of the best conversations you can have with your managed IT provider each year is a simple preparedness discussion, ask them to walk through common scenarios. What if the building is inaccessible? What if internet service is down? What if equipment is damaged by a power surge? What if an employee needs to work remotely for an extended period?
A good provider should be able to give reasonable answers, explain expectations clearly, and help identify any gaps before they become problems. It's also a good time to perform a little extra testing. Many businesses have backups, but surprisingly few know with confidence that those backups can be restored quickly when needed. There is a big difference between having a backup and knowing it works.
I often compare it to keeping a spare tire in your vehicle. It's comforting to know it's there. It's even more comforting when you've confirmed it actually holds air. That same thinking applies to disaster planning in general.
Another common mistake I see is having a plan that exists only in someone's memory. During an emergency, people are stressed, details get forgotten, key employees may be unavailable. Nobody wants to waste valuable time searching through emails trying to remember what was discussed six months ago. A written plan solves that problem.
It doesn't have to be a hundred-page document. In fact, simpler is often better. The important thing is that the plan is documented, accessible, and understood by the people who may need it. Everyone should know where to find it and what their role is if something goes wrong.
It's also important to be balanced about preparedness. Not every business needs an elaborate disaster recovery strategy with layers of complexity. A small company may need a very different plan than a larger organization. The goal isn't perfection, the goal is having a reasonable, practical plan that fits your business and reduces unnecessary risk. After all, preparedness is really about reducing surprises.
No one can prevent every storm. No one can guarantee that equipment will never fail. But spending an hour discussing potential scenarios today can prevent days of downtime, frustration, and lost productivity later.
As storm season approaches, it may be worth asking yourself a simple question:
If your building became unavailable tomorrow morning, would your team know exactly what to do? If you're not completely sure, this is a great time to sit down with your leadership team and your IT provider, walk through a few common disaster scenarios, and make sure your plan is written down. A little preparation today can save a lot of pain and heartache when bad weather decides to pay a visit.
That’s how I see it, anyway, and I’d enjoy hearing how you see it. None of this is a sales pitch. It’s just the kind of thing I’d talk through with you if we were sitting across the table. If it raised a question, or you think I have it wrong, I want to hear about it.
My door is always open. Whether you want to talk this through or just say hello, you can reach me anytime.
Network Solutions Unlimited is a generational managed IT services provider based in Decatur, Illinois, serving businesses and nonprofits with genuine support and decades of trusted relationships. Led by Baily Saulsbery and founded by her father Frank, we're not just your IT provider; we're your neighbors who happen to be really good at technology. Contact us today to experience IT support that actually cares.
