How Preparation Helped Iowa's CIO Prevent a Prolonged Data Disaster: Weekly Roundup

Malware, ransomware, and electrical fires are just a few of the problems that can compromise a company's data — or make it disappear altogether. Any CIO could tell you that the adage, "Hope for the best, plan for the worst," can make all the difference when faced with a true data disaster. Here are a few data recovery and disaster planning tips and tricks from around the web this week: 

When an electrical fire broke out in the state of Iowa’s primary data center last month, CIO Robert Von Wolffradt and his team didn’t miss a beat. They were able to get the system back up and running in fewer than 16 hours. How did they do it? Methodically. Von Wolffradt and his team assembled the technology response team, began their planned command-and-control response, restored power to the data center and then began the the process of systematically restoring priority systems. The team's preparation and training were key to keeping cool under pressure. 

Read more at GovTech

Companies look to managed service providers (MSPs) not only to purchase backup technologies, but also for guidance about how to protect data and create a disaster recovery plan. According to MSPMentor, technology, customer relationships and out-smarting the so-called Cryptolocker virus — a particularly virulent strain that holds its victim's data ransom by encrypting all of the data — are top concerns this spring for MSPs. 

Read more at MSPMentor 

When it comes to BYOD, enterprises too often shift the responsibility of data security to the end user argues technology journalist Frank J. Ohlhorst in TechRepublic. "How can any company expect to take control of a user's personal property, especially if they use personal devices to access corporate resources?" he asks. 

Is there a solution that works for both end users and businesses without sacrificing security or forcing employees to use a certain device? Ohlhorst offers one solution that can work for everyone and it comes down to mobile device management. 

Read more at TechRepublic

Data loss in the enterprise is no joke: 43 percent of companies that experience a major disaster don't recover. The good news is that CIOs can prepare their disaster recovery teams. Here is CIOInsight's checklist to help CIOs get started:

• Start by recruiting mission-critical employees from every department.
• Next, deputize recovery representatives at every remote business location to work with the corporate team. 
• Create a list of important operational contacts that can keep the business running if (or when) disaster strikes. 

Read more at CIOInsight 

Data protection for virtual environments grows more complex as businesses expand and scale their infrastructure with multiple hypervisors. Rob McShinsky, systems engineer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, offers advice on how to instill sound disaster recovery practices in the health care industry. “Reaching a clear definition of what downtime means to your company -- and how much is acceptable -- will be the critical component management needs to address when defining realistic expectations of technical personnel in the event of a disaster,” McShinsky tells SearchServerVirtualization.

Read more at SearchServerVirtualization