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It cannot be stressed more forcibly than this - ...
Before you consider anything if you do not currently have a reliable backup system you must install one. Microsoft Windows has built-in backup software which you can choose to employ, but where are you going to place the backed-up data?
Your backed-up data ought to be on hardware which is both independent and removable (so that once backed-up, can be placed outside your current premises). We originally backed up our office data onto Travan tapes and then moved onto removable hard drives - all our office data goes on these so all we would need to do is reinstall our software in the event of a failure. (The new online version of TOPS is has its own secure backup system in place, and is stored on servers in another part of the country). You might back-up onto CDRs if you only have a small amount of data - but apart from the hardware you must have the routine.
My system is set to back-up every night at midnight, incremental during the week and a full one at the weekend. I have set Outlook to remind me to change the drive in anticipation. So you do not need to rely on your poor old overworked memory!
There is also the option to back-up your entire drive using disk imaging software. However, bear in mind that there is a caveat here. A disk image can normally only be restored properly to a disk which is identical to the one which failed and to a computer with an identical hardware configuration. This is because a disk image will contain absolutely everything on it - such as the motherboard drivers, and drivers for all the system components, etc. Some disk imaging software enables some leeway here, but broadly speaking disk imaging is only viable as a means of backup when you have, say, a set of identical computers in your office such that you can restore the image on one of your other machines when one of them fails. You can of course restore the image to the disk on the self-same machine, but this of course depends on whether that machine is still useable.
Par for the course I suppose - our office has had a number of power failures so we now have an UPS (uninterrupted power supply - like a giant battery which provides an even supply of current) taking into consideration the electricity supply and the not uncommon power cuts in the Highlands! We have mirror drives (two hard drives, one 'mirroring' the other) on our server and finally as mentionned above we back up onto a removable hard drive (you need 3 - one in use, one in the garage, and one to go in next). It is also important that you ensure that you replace your UPS battery periodically in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
You need to sort this out before you start to put all your valuable data into ANY system, including TOPS (if you are using the installed version rather than the online version). It takes time to put that data in and you have to pay for that and you cannot afford to lose any part of it! The online version of TOPS, as mentioned above, has its own secure back-up system in place, and is located in another part of the country.
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Viruses and Other Security Risks
Apart from the vital piece of advice above it is of course equally important to have good virus protection and a firewall - not only that, automate its updating - once again no good unless you keep it up to date, and in the case of anti-virus software, that means practically every day!.
If you only have one computer this does not have to be a costly business, but grows a bit more complicated if you have several computers and are networking. Your IT chap will, I am sure, give you good advice. Many internet security packages contain integrated anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware software, plus protection against phishing, and we suggest you use one of these packages.
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NEW BROOM SOFTWARE LTD
Sea View, Dundonnell, Ross-shire, IV23 2QZ
Tel: 01854 333833 Fax: 0871 264 2067
Registered in Scotland. Company Number: SC245658
Registered VAT Number: 814 0949 33
Contact / Enquiry Form
TOPS SOFTWARE LTD is the registered trading name for an order processing software programme provided by New Broom Software Ltd. Registered in Scotland. Company Number: SC 271869. Registered VAT Number: 845 5391 06
Simone Nelson is a member of the following trade and professional associations:
Federation of Small Businesses - 1228089, Inverness Chamber of Commerce - 1406, Ullapool Tourism & Business Association, Highland Business Women's Club, SCDI, Fusion
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