Avoid business disasters by backing up your data

What would happen within your business if the server failed, data was lost and staff couldn't work?

With an increasing reliance on technology for all aspects of business operations, a reliable and thoroughly tested business continuance plan should be in place.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you back up your data on a daily basis? If not, what would happen if you had a server failure overnight?
Have you tested that your current back up procedure is reliable and that data can actually be restored if needed? If not, what use will those tapes be in the event of a loss?
How old is your hardware and what strain are you placing it under - how much data do you have, how many applications are installed?
If your needed to replace your server how long would it take to get a replacement and what impact would that have on your business if staff couldn't work?
What would your customers think if you couldn't provide pricing, proposals or tell them stock levels due to your IT being down?

If these questions are making you think, follow our 10 point plan below and call us for a no obligation discussion about how small steps can be put in place to protect your business.

1.Automate as many backup procedures as possible to reduce human error.
2.Back up regularly - and continually if you can.
3.Don't rely on a single back up, take copies and ensure offsite copies.
4.Keep the primary and back-up copies in different physical locations.
5.Employ a combination of online and offline back-up facilities.
6.Ensure that your employee Emails and any local files are also backed up.
7.Create an archive of old tapes, devices and Hard Drives.
8.Ensure good housekeeping to ensure that the data being backed up is relevant
9.Initiate a manual back-up from time to time.
10.Complete regular data restores to ensure validity of data.

Customer satisfaction success for CNS once again

Capital Network Solutions is delighted to announce that once again we have excelled in independent Cisco Customer Satisfaction Surveys.

Providing an excellent service to all our customers on a pre and post sales basis is at the core of our business. Ensuring a high level of professionalism and knowledge whilst remaining at the forefront of emerging technologies is crucial to our success.

On an annual basis, CNS must achieve a minimum customer satisfaction score to maintain our premier partnership with Cisco. Every year we are very proud to receive such support from our valued customers who rate us on all aspects of their interactions with us.

CNS has recently achieved a score of 4.72 / 5 whilst all of our customers have listed us as their trusted advisor and prefered partner.

If you are not satisfied with the support and service that you are receiving from your existing provider, please call us to discuss how you can benefit from working with CNS.

£500K Data Loss Fines could hit from April

IF you are concerned about the security of your data, contact CNS for advicewww.capitalnetworks.co.uk

According to a report published on Silicon.com, companies that lose individuals' sensitive personal data will face a fine of up to £500,000 under powers expected to come into force from April.

The powers will allow the UK's privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office, to fine private and public sector organisations that commit a serious breach of the Data Protection Act.

Justice minister Michael Wills laid a statutory instrument before Parliament on Tuesday, setting the maximum fine at £500,000. The instrument will become law by default on 6 April this year, unless Parliament objects.

Organisations will be fined if the information commissioner feels the data breach resulted from a deliberate act or negligence and is likely to cause damage or distress to an individual.

Examples of scenarios that could incur a fine include an individual becoming a victim of identity fraud after their financial data is lost by a company, or if a person suffers anxiety about sensitive personal information leaking out after their medical data is stolen.

Information commissioner Christopher Graham said in a statement: "As citizens, we are increasingly asked to complete transactions online, with the state, banks and other organisations using huge databases to store our personal details.

"When things go wrong, a security breach can cause real harm and great distress to thousands of people."

Under the ICO's current powers, the strongest sanction the watchdog has against organisations that lose data is to serve them with an enforcement notice requiring them to improve data security or face legal action.

The latest ICO figures show that 711 businesses, government bodies and charities have suffered data security breaches between 2007 and 2009.

Of these organisations more than 200 were private companies and 209 were NHS health trusts and bodies.