President’s Message: Imagine arriving at the office one morning and discovering that the hard drive on your main server has crashed and most of your company data is now inaccessible. What’s your first question? Is our data backed up? Wrong answer. If that’s your first question, it means you don’t know for sure and you are surely courting disaster.

I learned this lesson the hard way a very long time ago. Luckily for me, I learned from it.

In 1993, just as computers were starting to become more and more of a necessity in business offices, I was a young human resources clerk working with Marine Corps personnel records. I was responsible for ensuring a Marine’s personnel record matched what was in their online electronic file and ensure their pay and allowances were correct. To help me do this, I created an elaborate matrix of computer forms and sheets on my spanking new desktop computer.

As computers went, this thing was slick. It was really state of the art for the time. So why, I ask you, would I want to back up my work? After all, a new computer wouldn’t crash … would it?

Well, to make a long story short, it crashed hard. There was no way to retrieve the data and in a moment’s time, I was back to ground zero — I had to recreate all of my work for nearly 300 records.

In a recent article I read, the author cited a U.S. survey that indicated more than 30 percent of PC users had lost all of their files due to events beyond their control and 60 percent of companies that lost their data shut down within six months of the loss event. The rub to these stats? Most folks thought their data was being backed up.

Since my little incident, I have been an avid believer in backing up all of my data, both on my personal computer as well as work laptop and server. And it is a good thing, because 19 years after my first data loss incident, it happened again last Friday. This time, I was ready.

When we bought our new server at the chamber, we sat down with an IT professional and told him exactly what we needed. I didn’t want “too much” or “too little,” but I did want a piece of equipment we could grow into.

Once our server type was determined, he recommended we have mirrored hard drives that automatically updated each other in the event something went wrong — either mechanical or operator error. With two drives, if one stopped working, we’d theoretically still have the other. As a backup to the backup, he recommended a nightly off-site update in the event something catastrophic destroyed the server entirely.

The cost: pennies on the dollar. The result: We have 20- plus years of chamber data intact and ready to use.

So if you are wondering if your data is backed up, you’re probably at risk. A better question would be, “How long before we can replace that drive and start restoring our backup?”

Not sure what to do to protect your data? Go to the chamber website and click the business directory and select “computers.” I guarantee you’ll find a list of IT professionals that can help you out.

Until next week, take care and enjoy the weather. Make sure you shop local and, for goodness sake, back up your data.

Upcoming events: Learn how to create innovative packages and specials that draw new customers to your business at Mid Day Chambers on April 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The presenter is Margaret Hoffman from the Maine Office of Tourism. The program is free and takes place at the Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road.

The 3C Business Expo is April 25, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St., Freeport. Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber, Greater Freeport and Yarmouth chambers of commerce have teamed up to create this networking event. It includes three free seminars and 39 businesses displays providing business-to-business connections. Immediately following the expo is Chamber After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by the Hilton Garden Inn. Please register for both events at www.midcoastmaine.com.

Members in the news: SMMC welcomes B & B Locksmiths, based in Topsham, to its membership.

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