How to Unplug and Still Play

With the entire pacific Northwest region now facing power problems, long-standing preparedness guidelines for earthquake-prone Southern California are becoming excellent IT advice.

Standby power supplies, backup offsite systems (we mean way offsite—say, in Kansas), and fallback technology (radio and telephone/fax as well as IT-based communication portals) should all be part of an IT administrators arsenal. If companies were prepared for the 72-hour "on your own" period that could follow a major earthquake, a 2-hour rolling blackout would be merely a useful test.

Expensive? Compared with what? Compared with lost revenue in the short term and lost goodwill that may never be regained, IT continuity planning and resources are a bargain. It cant be said enough: IT isnt about cutting costs; its about keeping pace with the ever-higher levels of economically viable service that customers have quickly learned to expect.

When the situation gets challenging, make it an opportunity to differentiate with superior service—not an occasion for excuses.