The most important thing you will find on any computer is not the hardware or the accessories; it is the data. And the loss of that data can bring a company crumbling to the ground, so the objective is to have a data loss prevention and recovery plan in effect.

How quickly your company can get up and running after a disaster depends on how much preparation you do beforehand. Some of your data loss prevention will be tied to the type of backup system you have in place.

Here are some basic things you can do to protect your data and be in a position to quickly restore your data if something does go wrong.

• Do regular backups of your vital and important data.
• Make sure you always have a backup available offsite as well as onsite.
• Backup your data in a period of time according to the frequency of the change in data.
• Buy and install a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). This is a device that provides continuous, reliable power to your computer. The device plugs into your power outlet and you then plug your computer, monitor, and other components into it. The UPS uses a battery to make sure that the computer will stay on even if there is a power outage. You might be surprised to find out that 40% of all system failures cause data loss. You can avoid this by installing a UPS that gives sufficient energy for the user to save their work and turn off the computer before the battery dies.
• Hardware RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) offers the highest level of protection from drive failure because the data is stored across a set of disks rather than on just one disk.
• Using Windows XP restore points to save your computer in an "as is" state before any major software changes or hardware changes occur can aid you in recovering your system settings and installed programs; however, it doesn't always recover all your files.
• Have a written contingency plan and practice it regularly. The plan should include where all available backups are located, what original software is on the machine and where it can be found, and where an alternate computer is located and how soon it can become available.
• Store original software in a safe place, so it can be reinstalled in the event that the backup only has the files and not the programs that allow you to edit and use the files.
• Use hardware and software firewalls in tandem with good virus software to protect your system from hackers and malicious software. Some people are destructive because they enjoy it; they don't need to have the intent to steal in order to hurt your company.
• Be wary of ex-employees who are angry; they may have access you are unaware of or that someone simply forgot to turn off.
• Delete unneeded files and programs regularly and then use the defragmenter to put the data in sequential areas on your hard drive. This reduces data write and read errors and allows the hard drive to read and write at a faster pace.
• Ensure computers are operated under the correct environmental conditions to reduce hardware failure. Buying a CPU temperature monitoring software and a thermometer is a good start. But having more fans than you need is a good precaution in case one fails while your computer is on overnight. Also, dusting your computer on a regular basis allows the heat to escape rather than be insulated by the dust bunnies.

Utilizing a satisfactory data loss prevention and recovery program gives you and your co-workers confidence with the knowledge that you're prepared for an electrical storm, flood, earthquake, or even corporate espionage.

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