Backup Power

You may have noticed that power outages are common and often unpredictable in the Santa Cruz area. This can be a main concerning to anyone that owns a computer, as power outages can often cause loss of important data. Power surges that accompany these outages can damage delicate computer equipment. In fact, a computer can be damaged by a power surge even if it is not turned on at the time.

A business that relies on computers can find itself in a compromising position if the power suddenly goes out. I recall being in a video store recently when the power went out. The checkout employees had to wait for the power to come back on and then for the computers to reboot before they could resume waiting on patrons. In the meantime, the lines to check out had grown quite long. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid predicaments such as this and to protect your computer and the data it holds (which may very well be the heartline of your business) from power outages.

1. Consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). These relatively inexpensive items are like "battery packs" for your computer that can keep your computer running for about 10 minutes after the power goes out. This prevents interruption of whatever is running on your computer and prevents the loss of unsaved data. There are even "smart" UPS's available that can systematically shut down your computer when the power goes out (these are especially useful for network servers where data is modified frequently). Lastly, UPS's will protect your computer from power surges better than a common surge protector. Some UPS companies will cover any damage that does occur while using their UPS (i.e. up to $25,000).

2. Backup your data often. This is good protection against ANY misfortune, such as power outages but also hardware failure or computer virus infection. If you only change a few files, you can usually back them tip on floppy discs. However, if you want to save the configuration of your programs or you modify large amounts of data, you may want to archive your data on a tape. You can purchase a tape backup drive and program it to backup your data on regular intervals (such as late at night when no one is using the system). If you do not need frequent backups, cannot justify purchasing a tape backup drive, or simply want an extra copy of your data kept safely elsewhere (such as in case of fire), archiving services are available. An archiving service will come to you, backup your data, and give you a tape copy of it (they can store another copy for you if you prefer). In case of a catastrophe, you can use your tape to restore the data, or the archiving service can restore it for you.

In summary, there are many ways to protect your valuable computer and data against unpredictable circumstances, with just a small amount of foresight. The benefits will far outweigh the expense.

User-Friendly Computing provides a full range of archiving services, and can advise you on and deliver an uninterruptible power supply appropriate for your business needs. On sire repair and upgrades are also available. Please call (831) 423-9653.