SMBs Prepare for Disasters

By Samuel Greengard

Organizations of allsizes are struggling to keep up with a growing need for sophisticated disasterrecovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) systems. However, small and midsizebusinesses (SMBs) face additional challenges?particularly relating to systemcosts and possessing the IT expertise to manage disaster preparedness.

However, Symantec’s2012 SMB Disaster Preparedness Survey, based on responses from more than 2,000SMB IT decision-makers, indicates that these firms are doing a relatively goodjob of moving forward with DR and BC plans. Increasingly, "These companiesare adopting strategic technologies," notes Monica Girolami, director ofthe SMB Product Marketing Group at Symantec.

Symantec found thatvirtualization, clouds and mobility tools are rapidly entering the mainstreamand becoming key DR and BC tools for SMBs. Overall, 35 percent of the firm’ssurveyed reported using mobile devices to access business information; 34percent are implementing or already engaged in server virtualization; 43percent are implementing or have already moved into a private cloud; and 40percent are implementing or have already turned to a public cloud. Respondentsalso indicated that disaster preparedness played a significant role in selectingsystems.

"Companies areclearly moving beyond the investigative phase and into the adoptionphase," Girolami notes. What’s more, rapid adoption of clouds is reshapingDR and BC.

"Both privateand public clouds are rapidly moving down market,? she adds. ?SMBs are eyeingthe technology for server consolidation and high availability. They recognizethat they’re able to achieve many of the gains that were previously restrictedto larger enterprise."

SMBs adopting thesetechnologies are reporting immediate and ongoing benefits. Nearly threequarters (71 percent) reported that the impact of server virtualization waspositive; 43 percent found a private cloud beneficial; 41 percent felt a publiccloud aided in DR and BC; and 36 percent reported that mobility led to gains."The high percentage of respondents using server virtualizationdemonstrates that SMBs are becoming more comfortable and conversant with thetechnology," Girolami explains.

Lower costsassociated with these technologies, combined with marked improvements in thequality and simplicity of systems, have ignited demand among SMBs, Girolamisays. Increasingly, "We’re seeing SMBs using virtualization and cloudsolutions offered through a managed service provider," she adds. As aresult, "There is a diminished need for SMBs to devote IT resources todisaster preparedness.?

The reportrecommends that all SMBs begin planning for disaster preparedness immediatelyand implement strategic technologies that provide maximum results?often throughgreater automation and more streamlined performance. For example, "Thereis an opportunity to move away from tapes that are slow and must be physicallycarried offsite to virtual images that can be stored anywhere and accessed fromanywhere."

It also is criticalto protect information completely, and review and test disaster preparednesssystems to ensure that they work as billed. Girolami recommends reviewing aplan quarterly or whenever infrastructure and systems change. With downtimecosting SMBs an average of around $12,500 per day, "Business leaders arerecognizing that disaster preparedness is an important part of an overallbusiness strategy," she says.