News and Insights – August 2016

What to Include in an SME IT Continuity Plan

Power cuts. Earthquakes. Theft. Malware. In Argentina, SMBs in 2016 face a range of operational risks, and the impact on IT systems can be devastating. Yet many small businesses still operate without a tested continuity plan. This month, we explore the key elements your continuity strategy must include—and what happens if you go without one.

Why Continuity Planning Is Critical

When IT systems fail, your business loses more than data—it loses time, customers, and reputation. Whether caused by a cyberattack or natural disaster, downtime today is more expensive than ever. Customers expect 24/7 availability, staff work remotely, and your key tools (email, accounting, inventory) are all digital. A well-structured continuity plan can mean the difference between a 2-hour disruption and a 2-week recovery nightmare.

Five Must-Haves in Your Continuity Plan

• Asset Inventory: Know what systems, devices, and applications are essential for business operations.
• Backup Strategy: Include both data and system backups, with offsite/cloud copies and a defined restoration process.
• Communication Protocols: Define how you will inform staff, clients, and suppliers during an incident.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Identify who does what when IT systems are impacted.
• Testing Schedule: Regularly test your backup and recovery procedures, not just once per year.

Common Gaps in SME Continuity Plans

Many businesses focus on data backups alone. But what about hardware failures, DNS issues, ISP outages, or a ransomware lockdown? Common oversights include not testing the recovery process, assuming cloud platforms are backed up (they’re not always), and lacking a plan for restoring apps and configurations—not just files.

Free Resource

Here is an IT Continuity Starter Checklist to help review your readiness today.