Protect Your Business With An Up-To-Date Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

Planning for the unknown is hard to do, but it’s the right thing to do to protect your business. We can’t stress it enough how important it is to be prepared ahead of time in case a disaster should strike. And we mean any kind of disaster from cyber attacks to software failure to natural disasters. Having a backup and disaster recovery plan provides team members with a proper recovery process to help keep business operations running as smoothly as possible in case something catastrophic should happen. Without a backup and disaster recovery plan your business could experience loss of valuable data and there could be a huge delay within your day to day operations. A backup and disaster recovery plan is necessary to protect a business, however, a common approach to recovery strategies is just to simply set one up and forget about it. This can become a problem as a backup and disaster recovery plan must be regularly updated to improve an organization’s chance of recovering from a disaster and maintaining business integrity.

Why Keep a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan Up-To-Date?

Adequate preparation for a disaster is the surest way of overcoming it. A lot of businesses do not recover from disaster because of lack of an effective plan. The importance of keeping your backup and recovery plan up-to-date is discussed below:

Manage New Resources

An updated backup and disaster recovery plan ensures that new business assets and resources are covered. Businesses change with time due to innovations or the acquisition of new technology. New hires and customer acquisition may also change a company’s data landscape necessitating a change in how a company’s data is processed.

Comply with New Regulations

Once in a while, new business regulations are enacted which mandates businesses to change the way they store client’s data. These changes may be incompatible with a business’ current backup and recovery plan. An up-to-date plan will protect a business from legal trouble by taking new laws into consideration.

Maintain Business Competitiveness

Businesses evolve. New players may enter a market and introduce superior techniques. There could also be a societal change in attitude towards a particular process or consumers may want more protection for their data based on latest technology and trends. An updated recovery plan will ensure that a business satisfies its customers’ data needs and maintain their loyalty.

Tips On Keeping Your Backup Up-To-Date

  1. Update Risk Assessments (RA) and Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Appraising the BIA and RA of a disaster recovery plan is necessary to keep the plan up to date. BIA and RA help businesses determine the potential impact of an interruption to business assets and let them plan to minimize the consequences.

  1. Create a Simple and Accessible Disaster Recovery Plan

Any disruption to a business may significantly affect its operation and continuity unless there is a prior recovery plan. To be effective, a recovery plan must take into account all the critical assets that can be affected and have simple and clear rules that can be executed even by new team members. In addition, the plan should be made accessible to all stakeholders via various means including physical and web-based media.

Regularly Testing A Plan

It is easy for a business to feel a sense of security because it has a backup and disaster recovery plan in place. However, this is nothing but a false sense of security because the threat of data loss and of a disaster happening can change at any time. One way to ensure that a backup plan is reliable is by carrying out regular testing to determine the effectiveness of the plan. These type of tests will help a business recover in the event of a disaster.

Is Managed IT Services Necessary?

Small businesses have limited human and technology resources to maintain a robust IT department. Spending the time of IT team members who are already spread thin, and having them monitor a backup and disaster recovery plan may prevent in-house IT teams from performing other important functions. Managed IT services can help a business look after its backup and disaster recovery plan. And with the extensive experience and resources at their disposal, they can ensure that backup and recovery plan is kept up-to-date.

 

Quick recovery after a disaster is the most desired outcome for a business. This is why a backup and disaster recovery plan is necessary to ensure the success of a business continuity plan. But having a plan is not enough, it must be kept up-to-date to give a business the necessary protection it needs. For many small business owners, the task of keeping a backup and disaster recovery plan up-to-date is best assigned to a team of dedicated managed service providers. Feel free to contact SDTEK to learn more about our Managed Security Services and to see if our secureTEK plans are a good fit for your company.

Common IT Security Compliance Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

June 17, 2025
Meeting IT security compliance standards is crucial for businesses that handle sensitive data, particularly in industries such as healthcare, finance, defense, and e-commerce. Regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, CMMC, PCI-DSS, and GDPR exist to help ensure businesses protect customer information and maintain robust cybersecurity practices. Unfortunately, many organizations fall short of these requirements, often due to common, avoidable mistakes. These gaps can result in costly fines, data breaches, and reputational damage, which can significantly impact the business's bottom line and customer trust. 1. Failing to Conduct Regular Risk Assessments The Pitfall: Many businesses overlook the importance of conducting routine risk assessments. Without these, it’s challenging to identify vulnerabilities or evaluate whether your current cybersecurity controls meet compliance standards. How to Avoid It: Implement a regular risk assessment schedule. Work with a qualified IT provider to evaluate your systems, identify weaknesses, and document remediation plans. These assessments should be performed at least annually, or whenever significant changes to the system occur. 2. Inadequate Employee Training The Pitfall: Your employees are your first line of defense—and often your most significant vulnerability. A common compliance issue arises when businesses fail to train staff on cybersecurity best practices or on handling sensitive data appropriately. How to Avoid It: Invest in ongoing cybersecurity awareness training. Ensure employees understand how to recognize phishing emails, create strong passwords, and report any suspicious activity. Training should be updated regularly to reflect current threats and compliance requirements. 3. Improper Data Handling and Storage The Pitfall: Storing sensitive data in unsecured locations, failing to encrypt information, or retaining data longer than necessary are significant compliance risks. These practices are often flagged during audits. How to Avoid It: Adopt data classification policies that define how different types of data should be handled; encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit. Establish clear data retention policies and ensure that obsolete data is disposed of securely. 4. Lack of Incident Response Planning The Pitfall: When a security incident occurs, time is of the essence. Many businesses lack a documented incident response plan, or their existing plan hasn’t been thoroughly tested. This can lead to delayed responses, increased damage, and regulatory penalties. How to Avoid It: Develop a formal incident response plan that includes roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and steps for containment and recovery. Run simulated breach scenarios with your IT team to ensure everyone knows how to respond effectively. 5. Using Outdated Software or Systems The Pitfall: Running outdated operating systems, software, or firmware is a common issue that can lead to compliance failures. Unsupported technologies are more vulnerable to exploitation. How to Avoid It: Keep all systems and applications up to date with the latest patches. Use automated tools to track software versions and receive alerts about end-of-life technologies. Schedule regular maintenance windows to apply updates and upgrades. 6. Insufficient Access Controls The Pitfall: Allowing too many employees access to sensitive data—or failing to revoke access when it’s no longer needed—can lead to data breaches and non-compliance. How to Avoid It: Implement role-based access controls and follow the principle of least privilege. This principle means that each user should have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job. Regularly audit user accounts and permissions to ensure access is current and appropriate. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an additional layer of protection. 7. Neglecting Third-Party Vendor Risks The Pitfall: Businesses often overlook the fact that their compliance responsibilities extend to third-party vendors. If a vendor mishandles your data, you could still be held accountable. How to Avoid It: Vet third-party vendors carefully. Ensure they meet the same compliance standards as your business and include security requirements in your contracts. Conduct periodic audits or request compliance certifications from your vendors. 8. Failing to Document Policies and Procedures The Pitfall: Even if your security practices are strong, failing to document your compliance policies can result in audit failures. Regulators want to see evidence that you have formal processes in place. How to Avoid It: Create and maintain clear documentation for all compliance-related policies, including data protection, access control, incident response, and employee training. Make these documents easily accessible for audits and regularly review them to ensure updates are current. Conclusion Compliance with IT security standards is not a one-time project—it requires ongoing attention, regular updates, and a proactive approach to maintain effectiveness. By understanding and addressing these common pitfalls, your business can stay ahead of regulatory requirements, strengthen its security posture, and reduce the risk of costly incidents. This ongoing attention is crucial to maintaining your business's security and audit readiness. If you’re unsure whether your business is meeting current IT compliance standards, professional support can help. Contact SDTEK today to schedule a compliance assessment and learn how our IT services can keep your business secure and audit-ready. With our support, you can navigate the complex landscape of IT security compliance with confidence.

Why Cybersecurity and Business IT Support Are Crucial for Fort Wayne Businesses

April 9, 2025
In today’s digital-first world, cybersecurity isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you run a small startup or a growing enterprise in Fort Wayne , protecting your business’s data, systems, and clients is essential for long-term success. From ransomware attacks to phishing scams, cyber threats are evolving every day, and the best way to stay ahead of them is by partnering with a reliable IT services provider that understands the unique needs of local businesses. Here’s why investing in professional business IT support is one of the smartest decisions Fort Wayne businesses can make—and how working with SDTEK helps protect your operations, your data, and your reputation.