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The Flevy Blog covers Business Strategies, Business Theories, & Business Stories.
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Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, IT Strategy (30-slide PowerPoint presentation). The key drivers of Information Technology (IT) or Management Information Systems (MIS) value are an organization's IT mindset and its ability to execute. Today’s best practices show that IT value can be maximized when enterprise IT investments are aligned with business goals and IT execution is [read more]
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Data loss can, and should, be prevented. If you are running a business, you have a responsibility to your customers and employees to care for their information, and you may face legal consequences if you fail to do so. You must therefore review and integrate the best data solutions for your company.
Every company should backup, because you will be able to retrieve information should you lose any data, which is easily done. One moment a file is sitting happily in a folder, and the next minute you have accidentally overwritten the data. You could also experience data corruption, suffer a system failure or could unwittingly change a file type.
Many experts recommend storing copies of data in various places. For example, you could store critical documents onsite for easy access, but you could also keep an offsite file, which should be safely locked away from prying hands. You also have the option to backup files using a cloud based solution, which will allow you to access your essential documents on any device at any time.
Unfortunately, hard drives are not built to stand the test of time and can break down without a moment’s notice. When hardware breaks, you might think your data is lost forever, but it can be retrieved with the help of an experienced professional.
Recently, many people have attempted to retrieve their data by themselves, not realising that simply opening the hard disk assembly (HDA) could make data retrieval almost impossible, even for the most expert of hands. If you have lost essential files, it is vital you consult an experienced company, such as Secure Data Recovery, who will retrieve the information in a data recovery clean room.
You might have deleted a file and thrown it into a recycling bin, but the data still lives on the hardware and always will until you destroy it. So, be careful what you throw away, because the mistake might come back to harm your company.
You wouldn’t allow a criminal to walk through your front door, so why allow them easy access to your most valuable files? You might not realise it, but your computer could be vulnerable to a cyberattack if you have failed to install a high-quality antivirus. While you are typing away on your computer, sending emails or creating social media campaigns, a cyber-attacker could be rifling through your files and corrupting your data. So, ensure every computer on your network is protected with an antivirus system.
Whether you have a failed hard drive, a vulnerable PC or are simply looking for ways to protect your files, you should ensure you install an effective backup solution across the company, whilst retrieving all data from a hardware device before you throw it away. This will ensure your business is continually protected, so you can sleep well at night knowing your business will not fall victim to a cyberattack.
You can download in-depth presentations on MIS and 100s of management topics from the FlevyPro Library. FlevyPro is trusted and utilized by 1000s of management consultants and corporate executives.
For even more best practices available on Flevy, have a look at our top 100 lists:
These best practices are of the same as those leveraged by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Accenture. Improve the growth and efficiency of your organization by utilizing these best practice frameworks, templates, and tools. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with over 20+ years of experience.
