Backing up data and keeping copies of important documents has been in practice for centuries. The digital age has made the practice easier but not necessarily safer. Disks can become corrupted and fail, they can be lost or stolen and disasters, such as, a fire or massive power outage can cause the loss of all data a once. The traditional, old fashion back-up techniques like RAID ((redundant array of inexpensive, or independent, disks) and removable storage data are quick and cheap, but they have draw backs. RAID, for example, does not preserve the data in the event of a disaster like a fire or a flood and removable disks are only as good as the last time the data was backed-up and taken off site for storage.

cloud backup services can eliminate these draw backs by being automated and the storage is safely away from the business location where it is safe and easily retrievable. The back-ups are done automatically on a daily basis usually every couple of hours, and operate behind the scenes. The biggest drawback to online back-up is the time it takes for the initial back-up if there is a lot of data. With a large amount of data a full back-up can take days to complete, but once done only the current cday’s data should need backed up on an ongoing basis. If you have 50 gigabits of data that needs backed up initially it may take 10 days or longer. Broad band internet connections are designed for download speed not upload. If you are able to upload 5 gigabits a day it would take 10 days for the back-up. However, it may take even longer because the changes to files would also need to be backed up over those ten days.

Companies that are going to use online back-up need to select a service that suites their needs. This will require some research into the options available and knowing what to look for in an online storage service. First gain an understanding of the storage needs. Is there a lot of data, are there compliance requirements, such as, HIPPA and SOX, how many servers or computers will be backed up, how many people need access to the data, will there be multi-levels of access? Once there is a good understanding of the company’s needs a service that can handle those needs at a reasonable cost can be found.

Having a back-up plan that conforms to best practices is important. The back-up plan is an ongoing process that requires active management. First, prepare the overall data back-up plan to include the data to be backed-up, where it is backed up, and how often. Second, organize and prepare the data to be backed-up. Third, do the initial back up. Fourth, run some tests restoring some files. If the tests fail the process is not working and the problem must be found and fixed or time and money spent on back-up is wasted and worse the data will not be available if and when a restore is needed. Periodically run checks on the backed up data to identify any problems and avoid unpleasant surprises when data needs to be restored.

]]> http://www.souk-dc.com/2012/05/29/back-up-business-data-online/feed/ 0 http://www.souk-dc.com/2011/12/20/emergence-of-new-tech-startups/ http://www.souk-dc.com/2011/12/20/emergence-of-new-tech-startups/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:53:22 +0000 Souk http://www.souk-dc.com/?p=17

Many new technology companies are starting up in New York according to a new New York Times article. After reviewing public records in New York City, they showed that over 400 new companies have raised money from venture capitalists as well as having taken up residence near the offices of venture capitalists according to reporter, Gail Bellafante.

Most of these start-ups are in Midtown South. Affordable rent and well regarded restaurants and bars seem to be one of the big draws to this area. Many hope to use the new technology advances to support the reshaping of this citiy’s retail, finance, health-care and entertainment industries.

New York is working to position itself as the 21st century global business supremacy which has been a pre-occupation of the Bloomberg administration. This vision is central to expanding technology education by dramatically increasing the amount of science and engineering education that currently has been offered through the city. They have offered land plus $100 million in capital to seed the establishment of major science and engineering programs, with Stanford and Cornell on the list of alliances. They have proposals from 17 different education sources.

There seems to be a genuine attempt to mastermind New York into a sort of up-scaled Silicon Valley, in this attempt to bring more emergent new technology start-ups into this major industrial center. The question is can it be done? Union Square is now home to a number of high technology enclaves. Most near Dumbo, Brooklyn. Although many areas have tried and failed to replicate the technology emergence that has happened in the Silicon Valley area, professor of urban planning, dean of the School Of Information at UC Berkeley, Annalee Saxenian, reminds us that many of the major world-re-known technical universities and engineering schools do not stimulate or even generate any sort of on-going applications for commercial and economic growth. We should also note that these institutions require major influxes of funding to keep running. With so many new companies, there are many owners who will be new. They may not be financially savvy. Something that new business owners should watch out for is to make sure they get advice about taxes and such. If a start-up is strapped on cash, they can get free tax help from various sources on the internet. As with all things free, make sure you do your research to make sure the company is reputable and trusted. Business owners, especially fresh ones, have many things to worry about.

Still, Silicon Valley, Route 128 in Boston and Austin, Texas have emerged as helpful centers after combining Military Cold-War funding under government research, some venture capital as well as a combination of quality university contributions. Clearly New York lacks the government funding advantages, although it does attract hundreds of millions through major medical centers from the National Institutes of Health. Leading economists are saying the city has a plan and a model anyone would follow.

However, not every business should diversify. Companies should be stable and profitable with their core product before attempting to diversify, lest they stretch themselves too thin. Sometimes diversification opportunities are easy to spot. For example, an auto parts store might start offering diagnostics and repairs. Orchards and farms often host community events during the off-season to maintain a steady income. If a business has periods of dramatic profit reduction, or can find a natural extension of an existing product, it has a promising area for diversification. Perhaps most importantly, a good business owner will also know when to drop failed diversification efforts, in order to make room for new ones.

There are two main methods to diversify a business, and both are equally important. The first is to diversify the products or services being offered. If stores had continued to only sell beepers during the cell phone revolution, they’d all be out of business! Now that everyone has moved from a basic cell phone to smartphones, apps are something that everyone is looking for. App developers such as AppsterHQ are on the cutting edge of this relatively new trend. Business owners must keep abreast of current trends and always keep an eye out for new opportunities. Any new market could potentially become a top earner. The second method is to diversify supply. Relying on a single factory or company to provide products is dangerous. Should the source suddenly shut down, a business reliant on it will be left out in the cold. Once a business stops producing, even the most loyal customers will move on to a better-prepared competitor.

In the long run, the most successful companies are highly-diversified. There is not a single corporation in the Fortune 500 that relies on one product or one supplier. Although expansion should be undertaken moderately and with prudence, it is nonetheless essential for the continued survival of a business. Any business can broaden its scope; the question is whether or not its owner has the vision to maximize its potential.

Many people have heard about the benefits of becoming green because of the green initiatives that are continuously being promoted in the media and around the world. Schools and businesses are also getting in on it. By using the support of the federal and state programs many business owners are able to become green. Some business owners do not all that is available to them but with the right resources they will be able to apply for grants and other things to help their company. There are various benefits for businesses to become green. So not only will the business be taking action by doing something to help the world, they will also be helping their business by doing something different than their competition.

When choosing a business to support many people will choose to get something from an eco-friendly business over any other one. Some research has even been done on this. If someone is thinking about becoming a green company they should tell their customers. This can get them even more involved and more excited about the chances. Another great thing about becoming green is that the business will get various tax benefits

Going green can definitely help with utilities cost; which can get very expensive when running a business. One way of going green is by switching to internet fax. Some federal programs are: the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, business energy reduction tax credit and a new energy-efficient tax credit for green-savvy builders.

So anyone can see why having a green business is a great idea and why many business owners are taking this route. There are so many benefits that being eco-friendly can no longer be overlooked and it should be a priority for business owners. It allows them to have tax cuts and in many cases it draws more customers to the business. Becoming green simply makes sense.

The first reason networking is important is because you can gain customers this way. As a businessman, you need to find ways to expand your customer base to improve your overall sales. To do this, you must get out into the world and attend as many networking events as possible. During these networking events, you can pass out business cards and meet prospective clients in person. Networking can bring new customers to your business and increase your profits.

Another reason networking is important is because it gives people in different areas of the business world an opportunity to make connections that can come in handy down the road. At some point in your career, you will probably need to call on a fellow associate for help. Having an entire network of other business professionals means that you always have someone you can call for assistance on a business deal, a work project, or a big proposal. You never have to solve a problem alone because you will have trusted professionals who can help you.

Networking in business is important because you can always learn from others in your field. Networking allows businesspeople to come together in one setting to talk to one another, share ideas, and learn from each other. You can grow as a professional by listening to others in the business world. When you get to a one on one situation, you want to take this opportunity to stand out and make an impression. You could introduce yourself with a joke, or maybe give customized magnets instead of a business card. If you are creative, you will be able to think on your feet. You must have an open mind and a willingness to learn from others, so you can meet your own goals.

You also want to spend some time networking because some people only do business with people they know. You want to get your name out there as much as possible and spend time talking with others. If you can make a personal connection with others as you network, they are more likely to remember you the next time they need your services. Getting to know the right people can pay off big time when they choose your company because they remembered you.

As a businessperson, you cannot ignore the importance of networking in business. The contacts you make are absolutely essential.

Among the top companies around the world are some that are specific to one industry, while others are gigantic enterprises with a presence in several industries. Some have grown substantially by either merging with or buying out rivals. Some companies have remained in their market sector since they began many years ago.

General Electric is a huge diversified company with several product lines. Still a top supplier of lighting products and electrical appliances, the company is also a top builder of engines for jet aircraft. Water purification and financial services are other GE divisions.

Bank of America is the largest bank in the United States, and is a big player in the home mortgage market. Bank of America was a pioneer in introducing online banking, and now has locations all over the United States and beyond.

ExxonMobil is the largest oil company based in the United States. A global giant based in Irving, Texas, Exxon has production facilities on the Texas gulf coast and worldwide. ExxonMobil is affiliated with Imperial Oil Company of Canada.

British Petroleum was founded in 1909 and is based in London. It is a leading oil and gas exploration and production giant. It provides Air BP aviation fuel and makes Castrol motor oil for cars. There are Arco and BP gas stations all over the world.

AT&T is the largest telecommunications enterprise in the world, a leader in high-speed internet, wireless TV, and cell phone technology. AT&T offers cell phone and internet connection plans for consumers and has stores everywhere.

WalMart is the largest retailer in the world, still based in the small town of Bentonville, Arkansas where it was born. Today WalMart stores cover the United States and beyond to China and many other nations. The company employs over a million people.

Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified international financial services company based in Omaha, Nebraska. Warren Buffett is chairman and CEO. The company owns GEICO insurance and the Fruit of the Loom apparel company, among other diversified enterprises.

In the current world of marketing, it really takes someone who understands how social and digital media have intertwined into the process, and how things have significantly changed since previous decades. Marketing is much more expansive an area than once thought and it is almost a requirement now to know a thing or two about good SEO practices, especially before considering launching a marketing campaign.

So much of modern marketing is done through the use of social media and alternative means to the established norm, that it would take spending a considerable amount of time educating yourself on the best way to approach online marketing strategies to find your business or organizations particular needs. When trying to optimize your site for cell phone conversions, there are already some prebuilt mobile site themes you could use to get started. A word of caution though – make sure you tweak the template and customize your site. You don’t want to have the same website theme as someone else. Some things to definitely avoid at all costs would be keyword cramming, link farming, and link spamming via bot or generated forum accounts. These practices are used by some of the more shady webmasters and can get you banned and blacklisted from the major search engines if you are caught, as these tactics are often thought of as being black market and underhanded.

The tried and true way to build traffic over time, is to use relevant search terms as your meta tags and to use unique content. The most important aspect of modern SEO that is so often overlooked for the more fancy aspects, is the content. Content is what drives the internet, and it is definitely what drives overall internet traffic. Users do not become repeat visitors to your site because you had a cool display, they come because your site has unique data that only your site can offer. There is something special about your site that causes consumers to visit on a repeat basis, and traffic is practically useless without the desire to visit again.

To make sure that you are going in the right direction, it would be good to install a  tracking tool that can keep track of customer interaction. Once you know what your customer like or doesn’t like, you can then tweak your marketing strategies to match them.

By using techniques that build repeat traffic, and that gradually increase your sites visibility, this new and cutting edge marketing strategy can become something that you put to good use to launch your business beyond what you thought possible.

Coordinated business interventions are designed and implemented to meet a need. The purpose for the business itself will be outlined in the written vision, mission and purpose of your plan. For example Walt Disney had a vision and mission however he also had a passion which became his purpose for his particular vision and mission. The plan or vision put in words becomes the businesses mission statement. The mission statement becomes the purpose for long and short term goals and considers major goals to accompany the four functional operations of business planning, organizing, leading, controlling. The four functional operations of business becomes your logic model in supporting decision making for both internal and external entities.

A good business plan produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people it will directly affect while maintaining to protect the fundamental rights of the those affected by it. Therefore a good plan will distribute benefits among the people and groups through its outlined course of action which will deliver a fair executable, equitable action and outcome for all involved stakeholders, employee’s, community and customers. They also want to provide great service too. They can do this by using helpdesk systems to better help their customers,  Things to consider along these lines will be which legal forms are best for your business, will your business be a structured partnership, creating a limited liability company or a sole proprietorship, employee handbooks and employee benefits, will your business have a structured reward program and will you need to insure your business. Considering all these factors your plan should also consider such things as how to market with or without advertising. Internal functions should consider employee rights and responsibilities and for this purpose a good plan will have a basic mention of a manager’s legal handbook. Human resource services should be considered as well along with novice understanding of business laws and ethics.