Generally the December and January DPCF columns focus on the need for having a good plan in place for the upcoming year.  We deviated a little in 2011 with a column titled “Eating Your Own Dog Food” to illustrate how TMC (News - Alert) managed to cope with Hurricane Irene. October and November of 2012 brought more devastation but, again, TMC remained in full operation. The reason was simple. TMC had a robust and up-to-date BC/DR plan in place. This is a major reason for listening to our advice. We adhered to it, and it worked.

Now is the time of year for you to analyze your organization’s plan and determine just what needs to be updated or changed. The quickest method is to start with a checklist of your present BC/DR plans. Then determine what components need to be updated or upgraded and if new components should be added to bring your organization into full compliance with the latest technologies available. The checklist is the easy part, but evaluating the latest technologies may require the advice of a reseller or consultant specializing in this area. 

Selecting the right partner is critical in BC/DR planning and educating yourself first is always a good idea. Fortunately, ITEXPO (News - Alert), M2M Evolution, Cloud4SMB Expo, plus other co-located events run from Jan. 28-31, in Miami. This is a fantastic opportunity to personally look at the latest tools available. Certainly, the Internet provides everyone with a lot of easily accessible information, but only in Miami can you meet face-to-face with high-level experts and engage in two-way dialogues at their booths or seminar sessions.  Also, you can move between the events to cross-pollinate your knowledge with other experts.

For BC/DR planners this is a must event. The industry is changing so rapidly that it is hard to keep pace, so you cannot miss this opportunity. TMC is the recognized industry leader in bringing new trends to light. The first issue of M2M Evolution was published in early 2013 yet this technology is already recognized as a critical BC/DR component. 

Like the old adage “you only have one chance to make a good first impression,”  you only have one chance to survive your first disaster. Don’t blow it. 

Max Schroeder is vice president emeritus of FaxCore Inc. (www.faxcore.com ). Rich Tehrani (News - Alert) is the CEO and group editor-in-chief at TMC, and conference chairman of ITEXPO.