GENESIS SYSTEM .COM
HURRICANE PREP GUIDE & CHECKLIST
Please follow the guidelines below to keep your data and network safe during Hurricane Season.
Objective:
Our objective is to ensure our clients are appropriately prepared in case of a hurricane strike. Damage to computer equipment can be caused by rain, wind, or debris with a major cause of damage being power spikes and surges, extended power outages or repeated power outages in rapid succession. Taking the appropriate precautions can reduce or eliminate damage to computer hardware and software.
Our Role and Policies in Hurricane Preparation:
As your technology provider, we can help you prepare for a hurricane by offering you phone and remote assistance for questions pertaining to your unique situations. After the storm we can offer network rebuilding services and data recovery in case of data loss. Please note that even though we offer services to help our customers it is strongly recommended to be aware that there is usually a high demand of us at preparation time and we want to try to reach as many customers as possible. Secondly, It is our policy not to perform any work past the first 6 hours after a Hurricane Warning is issued in order to protect our field personnel and allow them enough time to undertake their personal preparations. Therefore, it is important that you advise us early of your intent to use our services for any part of your preparation. Our technical support lines will remain operational as long as possible under the conditions. Once the storm passes and the ‘all-clear’ is given, support to our clients will resume as soon as possible after the storm.
TIMELINE
Hurricane Watch (36 - 24 hours prior to landfall)
During the Hurricane Watch period, preparations should begin on non-core equipment and infrastructure including all PCs, printers and monitors. All loose software manuals and CDs should be stored away from windows, preferably stored in a sealed, weatherproof container or safe. It is recommended a final backup of data be run before servers are shut down. Backups can take many hours to run and therefore, preparations for final backups should start at this point. If you are a Contract Customer, please inform us of your final work schedule and when your office will close and we will perform your final backups for you. If you are not a contract client, please let us know when you will be closing and if you would like us to schedule a final backup of your data.
Hurricane Warning (24 hours prior to landfall)
When the hurricane warning is issued, indicating that a hurricane strike is imminent, preparations to core equipment including servers, routers, switches, phone systems and firewalls should take place immediately. The final or latest backup should be stored in a safe, sent for offsite storage or taken offsite by an employee. The rest of your equipment should be protected using the steps below.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE STORM
Step by Step Preparation for Disconnecting Computer and Electronic Equipment:
The following guidelines should be followed in order to protect computer equipment before a storm arrives:
Generally speaking, all Equipment close to windows should be moved to a safer location, usually an interior closet or an inside corner of a room. If some equipment cannot be moved, try to enclose it as much as you can with tape and plastic bags such as garbage bags or a tarp.
Specifically, all computer equipment including PCs, servers, monitors, printers, routers, switches, phones and phone systems should be shut down and unplugged. Surge Protectors and Battery Packs should be unplugged and turned off. All equipment should be bagged and sealed to protect from water damage in case a window breaks or the roof leaks.
Please follow the order below:
- Save your work and turn off Desktop and Laptop Computers.
- Run a Backup. If you don’t know how, please call us! If you are a contract client we will do it for you.
- Turn off any Printers.
- Turn off your secondary Servers if any.
- Turn off your Main Server.
- Turn off your Network Switch.
- Turn off your Firewall or Router.
- Unplug Telephone Handsets.
- Turn off your Internet Provider’s Equipment (Cable, DSL, Satellite, or T1 Modem).
- Unplug and Turn Off all Surge Protectors and Battery Packs for all devices.
- If you have an on-site backup device, unplug the device from the server and take it with you.
- Move any computer equipment away from windows and doors and place plastic garbage bags over them.
- Turn off your IP phone
- Turn off your PBX System
WHAT TO DO AFTER THE STORM
Reconnecting Your Equipment:
Even after the storm passes, damage to equipment can still occur. This damage is usually caused by post storm power surges or outages while the power company begins to restore power to the affected areas. It is best to receive the “all clear” from FPL before reconnecting expensive equipment.
Physical recovery can begin once the damage to property has been assessed. This will include removal of bags on computer equipment and moving of equipment back to their original locations. During this phase, any equipment that may have been exposed to water or damaged will have to be more closely inspected to determine whether it needs to be replaced. Leave those items powered off and please call us to inspect these items.
Equipment should remain powered off and unplugged from the electrical outlet until the electrical power in the area has stabilized. Failure to follow these procedures can cause extensive damage to equipment from power surges and repeated or rapid succession power outages.
Once the all clear is received from the power company. The core systems and infrastructure should be restored first. These include routers, firewalls, switches, servers and telephone systems. The order is as follows; please wait until an item finishes loading completely before moving to the next item:
Please follow the order below:
- Plug in and turn on all Surge Protectors and Battery Packs for all devices.
- Turn on your Internet Provider’s Equipment (Cable, DSL, Satellite, or T1 Modem).
- Turn on your Network Switch.
- Turn on your Firewall or Router.
- Turn on your Telephone System.
- Turn on your Main Server first, then other Servers if any, only after main server fully boots to the login screen.
- Plug in Telephone Handsets.
- Plug in and turn on Desktop and Laptop Computers.
- Plug in and turn on Backup Devices.
- Plug in and turn on Printers.
- Activate any other peripherals.
Any question call (305) 905 9245
