As the East Coast recovers from a historical storm, there are a handful of lessons and reminders for those watching from the sidelines. One of those has to do with technology. That's because, even though you probably can't predict storm systems and natural disasters, you can be prepared for the unexpected when it comes to protecting important data and hardware.

There are business owners and executives in places like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and even Canada who wish they had taken these issues more seriously when they had the chance. While none of those areas is known for earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes, or other major "disasters," that didn't stop the inevitable from happening.

Your business could be in a similar position. It doesn't take a hurricane to wipe out your technology even a simple power surge, office fire, or act of vandalism will do the trick. The last thing you want is to be caught unexpected, and without a way to get your business back up and running again quickly.

With that in mind, today is the perfect time to talk to an IT company about backup and disaster recovery planning if you don't already have a system in place. And if you do have a regular method of backing up your most important files, then it's time to reassess its effectiveness.

Here are a few questions to help you get started:

Are you backing up everything you need in the event of a real emergency?
Most businesses keep a few extra copies of important client files, but don't have all the disks, hardware, and supporting systems they would need to return to operations if they lost all of their computers suddenly. A comprehensive backup plan should cover everything that's necessary for your company to make money again.

Are your backups stored in a secure, remote facility?
Some businesses keep an extra tape drive or other on-site backup system for emergencies. That's a decent first step, but many true IT emergencies result from damage to an office or facility itself. For that reason, sending your encrypted backups to a cloud facility makes great business sense.

Can you get fast access to the files and equipment you need?
If it would take you days, or weeks, to actually access and restore your backed-up files, then they aren't really much use to you at the times when you need them most. A good disaster backup and recovery plan includes all the hardware and elements you need, and a written plan for restoring your company back to normal operations.

Of course, there is a lot more that goes into effective backup and disaster recovery planning, but these are just a few of the issues that companies are struggling with. If you have any questions about whether or not your company is protected going forward, contact your local IT company for more information.