What if My Computer System Crashes?
If My Computer System Crashes, is there a Copy of My Database?
From Wikipedia: “In information technology, a backup, or the process of backing up, refers to the copying and archiving of computer data so it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is to back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup.” However it’s defined, a backup means peace of mind for any business owner.
Your shop management database contains every piece of information recorded daily about customers, vehicles, estimates, posted invoices, recommendations, revisions, service history — and the list goes on. That database is a critical asset to your business that cannot be restored if proper safeguards are not put in place. You must have a disaster recovery plan that includes routine backups. What would you do if suddenly there wasn’t any customer information in your system? What if there was no repair history to reference? What if someone owed you money and you no longer had any record of that?
The complications associated with losing data are something we would rather not think about (and many of us don’t), but they’re a very real possibility and nearly inevitable. Yes, your computer will fail; it’s not a question of if, but when. And when your computer will fail is the $64,000 question that nobody can answer with any certainty.
Ask yourself this: “If my computer system crashed, was stolen, destroyed in a fire, or otherwise rendered useless, is there a copy of my database that is no more than one day old?” If you pause for even a moment trying to answer this, you must revisit your disaster recovery plan.
Consult with your computer hardware provider, consult with Mitchell 1 Tech Support, consult with someone in a position to help you — and do it now! Your database is far too valuable to risk losing it by waiting. One option is to install and use Mitchell 1’s free Data Protection and Recovery (DPR), which can:
- Significantly reduce the disaster recovery costs for your business
- Provide immediate return-on-investment, after a single disaster recovery test
- Increase your confidence in your disaster recovery solution by allowing your data to be stored in a secure, off-site location that is updated daily
- Help you protect one of your most important assets, your business data.
Get your backup plan (and peace of mind) in place today. Oh, and remember the part about when will the computer fail? Don’t ever rely on only a single method or device to back up your data. When it comes to backups, redundancy is a always good thing.
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