Computer hardware failures are a real drag. They're expensive, they're inconvenient, and worst of all, they're a productivity killer.
That's bad for business. And that's why we're using this blog post to talk about how to avoid, or at the very least, mitigate the damage from hardware failure. With that in mind, here are three quick tips on how to protect your business from computer hardware failure:
1. Pay attention to hardware maintenance
Replacing hardware can be extremely costly for your small business. That’s why it’s important to store PCs and servers in a clean, climate-controlled environment. Make sure there isn’t too much dust inside or outside of your computer’s casing. Dust can reduce performance and eventually cause the hardware to overheat. Make sure there aren’t any unnecessary programs running on the hardware and scan for viruses regularly.
2. Back up your data
Hardware failures happen to even the most vigilant among us. That’s why – if you want to keep your business running smoothly– you must back up mission-critical data early and often. It’s a good idea to back up your data to multiple places. That means backing up to a local server, for speedy recovery, and also to the cloud, so the data is safely stored offsite in case your office falls victim to disaster. A best practice is to schedule backups during off hours when there’s plenty of bandwidth available.
Mark Batchelor, an IT professional who writes software for global accounting firms, knows just how important it is to back up your data. Following multiple hardware failures -- including a careless kick of a plug that all but killed his hard drive – Batchelor decided to use Carbonite to back up his data. “The time and money I save — plus the peace of mind Carbonite provides — is worth far more to me than the actual cost of the product,” Batchelor said. Read Batchelor’s story of hardware failure and redemption.
3. Address hardware issues quickly
If a hardware issue arises, deal with swiftly, no matter how small the error message or glitch may seem. Remember, little problems become big problems. Either deal with it yourself or find somebody else who can take care of it. Also, give your computers a break once in a while. Leaving computers on all the time adds unnecessary wear and tear. As an added bonus, turning it off will reduce your electric bill.
