Small Business Planning
Small business technology continuity checklist
Business continuity is not only a backup problem. It is the ability to keep important work moving when the internet, a computer, an account, a cloud service, or another piece of technology stops working. This checklist helps identify practical gaps before an outage turns into a larger interruption.
1. Identify the technology the business cannot easily work without
List the systems that would stop or seriously slow the business if they were unavailable for a day. Common examples include internet access, Microsoft 365 or email, shared files, accounting software, line-of-business applications, phones, printers, remote access, and key workstations.
2. Know who controls each critical system
Record the internet provider, software vendor, cloud administrator, domain or email administrator, hardware contact, and internal person who owns each important service. Keep support numbers, account identifiers, and renewal information in a secure location that is still reachable when the affected system is down.
3. Make sure more than one trusted person can recover important accounts
A business should not depend on one employee's personal phone, inbox, or memory for every administrator account. Review admin ownership, recovery methods, MFA devices, emergency contacts, and what happens if the primary administrator is unavailable. Recovery codes and passwords should be stored securely, not in an ordinary shared document.
4. Verify backups instead of assuming they exist
Identify what is being backed up, where the backup is stored, how often it runs, and who would know how to restore data. A sync service and a backup do not always protect against the same failures. Periodically confirm that important files can actually be recovered before an emergency.
5. Decide what happens when the primary internet connection fails
Determine which work can continue offline, which employees could temporarily work elsewhere, and whether a mobile hotspot or other backup connection is practical for critical tasks. Do not assume every device or application will work correctly over a temporary connection without testing it first.
6. Review power protection for the equipment that matters
Network equipment, desktop computers, storage devices, and other critical hardware can be affected by short outages and unstable power. Decide which equipment needs surge protection or an appropriate UPS, and understand that a UPS provides limited runtime rather than indefinite backup power.
7. Document the first recovery steps
Write down who should be contacted, what should be checked first, where backups or vendor information are located, and which systems should be restored before others. Keep the plan short enough that someone can actually use it during a stressful outage.
8. Test one realistic failure at a time
Ask practical questions: Could the business still reach key files if one computer failed? Could another authorized person regain access to Microsoft 365? Could staff work during an internet outage? Could an important file be restored from backup? Small tests reveal gaps without waiting for a real incident.
Do not put the recovery plan inside the system it is meant to recover
If the only copy of provider contacts, recovery instructions, or backup details lives in an account or server that becomes unavailable, the plan may disappear when it is needed most. Keep an appropriately secured secondary copy that authorized people can reach during an outage.
Potent Technology can help Ames-area small businesses review backups, accounts, workstations, networking, vendors, and practical recovery priorities as part of an IT support or technology-planning request. This is planning and troubleshooting support, not a promise of 24/7 monitoring or guaranteed uptime.