Although the concept of the cloud in terms of multiple users sharing computer resources has been around since the 1960s, the modern version of the cloud didn’t start to take shape until the late 1990s. Then came Salesforce, Amazon, Google and others with now ubiquitous cloud offerings that can be accessed from any device.

Data backup is one of the most critical IT functions, but historically it has been difficult to get right. Studies regularly find that about one-third of all companies never back up their business data, while roughly the same number say they conduct intermittent backups but never test their backups to ensure they’re working properly.

The “always on” nature of business — with an increasingly mobile workforce, the Internet of Things and the ability to engage customers around the clock — demands 100 percent uptime. If IT systems aren’t performing optimally, productivity and customer service suffer.

As we head into the 2018 hurricane season, it’s time once again to evaluate your organization’s preparedness. Business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) planning involves more than just technology — your primary objectives are to ensure the safety of your people and your facilities.