by John Beagle

From my "Things that make you go, huh" files, read the latest entry in Wikipedia - disaster recovery strategies:

"Prior to selecting a Disaster Recovery strategy, the Disaster Recovery planner should refer to their organization's business continuity plan which should indicate the key metrics of Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for various business processes (such as the process to run payroll, generate an order, etc). The metrics specified for the business processes must then be mapped to the underlying IT systems and infrastructure that support those processes."

Most businesses don't have RPO adn RTOs. Heck, most businesses are lucky to be surviving the current economic downturn, much less have time to come up with a Fortune 1000 Corporate Disaster recovery plans.

Here are my suggestions that all SMB should have as a disaster recovery plan. And just to be like the big guys, lets call it our DRP, for Disaster Recovery Plan.

First of all you need a disaster recovery plan title. Make it something like:

My Comapany Inc, Disaster Recovery Plan

Then you need a mission statement:

The goals of our DRP are to provide for business continuance for the worse case situation.

The DRP should include the following:

1. Alternative Location(s) for physical housing of employees, equipment, inventory.
2. Company Data Archive and Re-installation plan
3. Employee Plan - communication, work process and duties during any disaster.
4. Vendor Plan - Communication, alt delivery locations, special instructions.
5. Customer Plan - Both Confidential and Public communication plans.

Alternative locations can be easy or difficult depending upon your specific type of business. Look for alternative locations that would be suitable for your 'temporary location.' Contact landlord to work a deal out if you ever need to rent the space. By planning this in advance, you can get a better price that if you were in a panic due to fire or other disaster.

Company Data Archival is the key to keeping your accounting, production and other management/employee data intact and up to date. The re-installation component should include vendors that can provide the following"

1. Network Services including Backup Restoration
2. Computer service company to assist employees get connected
3. Computer rental agent to provide temporary equipment where needed

Employee plans should include optional email addresses, phone numbers and duties each employee is expected to carry out in the event of a disaster.

Vendor plans should include alternative telephone numbers, email addresses and any special insructions including delivery locations.

Customer plans should be felt minimially by your clients. However, having backup emails and phone numbers is just good business.

by John Beagle
 
Many small- and medium-sized companies (SMBs) are investing in security cameras as a way of monitoring employee activity on their premises.

The investment pays off when employees ripping off goods are caught in the act. With video evidence, an employer has the perfect evidence to back any dismissal and or criminal prosecution.

Employees on the videos often lose in court and are ordered to pay legal costs, fines and repayment of the stolen merchandise.

Often employers initially install cameras to address problems with customer theft or burglary. But very often, employers discover internal problems when they review camera footage.

A convenient store owner said: "After reviewing footage from last night I noticed at the end of the video one of my employees was walking out the door at the end of her shift with a whole lot of bags.

I checked and none of our usual procedures had been followed in terms of taking stock out of the building, and there was no receipt in the system for what she'd taken."

The convenient store owner called the worker in to explain what that he felt she was stealing. She claimed that she had paid for the goods.

The store owner said the employee confessed immediately after seeing, till receipts and video evidence from the entire shift.

The security cameras at the convenience store were provided by Camera Security Now and feature a DVR as the recording and viewing device. The security camera system allows live footage to be viewed off-site.

"I always used to automatically trust my employees, but not now. Now I warn my friends in business "no video surveillance is asking for trouble. It is often the people you trust the most that are robbing you blind. Plus I have found the camera system keeps employees honest as long as you review the video."

Got a bad body part? Stop by the body shop for a replacement.

by Darlene March

The baby boomers are going "bionic," according to a recent ChangeWave survey of 148 doctors involved in the medical devices market. The survey looked at demand trends for joint replacements, cardiac implants and other types of body repair and correction medical products.

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When a limb or organ no longer functions properly, one increasingly popular option is to replace it with a "bionic" device -- i.e., a mechanism that uses electronic or mechanical components to enhance or replace damaged body parts.

One-in-two (50%) doctor respondents to the survey believe Joint Repair/ Replacement devices will experience the largest growth in demand over the next 12 months -- well ahead of Artificial/ Implantable Cardiac devices (24%) and Spine & Back Repair/Replacement devices (20%).

According to the survey, joint replacement manufacturers Stryker (SYK) (27%) and Zimmer (ZMH) (20%) are the companies most likely to benefit most from this growth in demand for bionics, along with cardiac device maker Medtronic (MDT) (27%).

"I'm old enough to remember the 1970s TV show The Six Million Dollar Man," said Tobin Smith, founder of ChangeWave and editor of ChangeWave Investing. "And while we aren't quite there yet in terms of bionic technology, the fact that many aging baby boomers are looking for knee and hip replacements translates into big gains not only for the technology in general, but also for the companies specializing in this sector."

(Detailed charts on Bionic Medical Devices, along with additional ChangeWave findings can be downloaded at changewave.com/bionic).

New Medical Breakthroughs

Which types of devices are most likely to experience new technology breakthroughs over the next 12-24 months?

Joint Repair/Replacement Devices (31%), along with Prosthetic Limbs (30%) head up the list of devices that are most likely to experience technology breakthroughs going forward, according to the survey results.

Dental Implants (25%), Vision Correction Devices (23%) and Back/ Spine Repair & Replacement solutions (21%) also received significant mention.

In a highly positive finding for the growth of bionic devices, 31% of doctors think insurance companies and other payors will be More Willing to reimburse healthcare providers for these devices over the next 12 months. Only 18% think they will be Less Willing.

To sign-up for real-time email alerts from ChangeWave on emerging technology and medical trends and companies, visit changewave.com/hotwire.

About ChangeWave
ChangeWave runs a proprietary network of more than 15,000 highly qualified business, technology, and medical professionals in leading companies of select industries - credentialed experts who spend their everyday lives working on the frontline of technological change. ChangeWave surveys its members on a range of business and investment research topics, collects feedback from them electronically, and converts the information into quantitative and qualitative reports. For more information, visit blog.changewave.com.

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Press Contact: DARLENE MARCH
Company Name: ChangeWave Research
Phone: 714-887-8021
Website: blog.changewave.com