Running a business requires the ability to stay in control, especially when others couldn’t. However, there are some situations--like major weather events--that simply will not be controlled. In cases like these, you need to make sure your business is prepared to withstand the worst. A business continuity plan can help you do so.

The future of any organization is only as good as its business continuity plan. This is a well thought out plan that instructs a company of what to do in the face of a disaster, so they can return to normal operations as quickly as possible. One key part of every business continuity plan that should never be overlooked: the backing up and recovery of your data.

Thankfully, natural disasters like floods and tornadoes are rare. However, there are plenty of other threats that are much more prominent, and they can strike at any time. This makes it dangerous to be complacent about your company’s business continuity plan, especially since you have no way of predicting these events ahead of time. This forces you to have the mindset of “If not now, when?”

“It won’t happen to me.” This is a common excuse amongst business owners who refuse to equip their network with a comprehensive data backup and recovery solution. They may feel like they’re careful enough to avoid a major data loss-causing disaster. Yet, the inconvenient fact remains that a disaster can happen to any business, no matter how prepared they may be.

Data backup is foundational to every business continuity plan. Despite this, many businesses don’t realize that data backup and disaster recovery are two very different solutions. This oversight could leave a company high and dry in the face of a disaster causing data loss.

Whether we like it or not, memes have had a profound effect on how the world’s population views current events and popular culture. In part, this is thanks to the prevalence of the Internet, which has fostered these absurd images and provided them an outlet to flourish. Due to how viral they are, it would be foolish to dismiss them as inconsequential; in fact, when leveraged properly, memes can make a statement about your business and its specific brand.

Computer hardware doesn’t last forever. Sooner or later, you’ll need to replace your equipment, or risk operations slowing to a crawl due to outdated equipment still in use. Do you have a timetable for replacing your equipment? Do you have a procedure in place to properly dispose of your old hardware? Every organization needs to think through the end-of-life and the afterlife of their computer hardware.