Winter Storm Hercules: 14 Disaster Recovery Lessons for MSPs

Winter storm Hercules may already be slamming managed services providers (MSPs) in the Northeast United States with data backup and disaster recovery (BDR) challenges.

As with any winter storm, Hercules is bringing heavy snow and winds to the region, leaving MSPs with the responsibility of protecting customers’ data and IT systems from the harm that severe weather conditions can bring.

To assist with winter storm challenges, MSPmentor compiled a list of resources for MSPs dealing with winter storm Hercules. The list below has been divided into three focus areas: power outages, communication and preparation.

Power outages

Winter storms are known for bringing heavy winds and snow — a potential disaster for areas with overhead power lines. With that being said, MSPs may want to assume the worst: Customers will be without power. Tackling power outages in a winter storm has the potential show customers the true value of partnering with an MSP.

Communication

Without power, MSPs may find it fairly difficult to connect with customers, so MSPs should always prepare for this scenario ahead of time. If there is power, MSPs should work with customers through various means of communication: email, social media and phone. Inform your customers of ways to contact you ahead of time.

Preparation

Prepare for the storm before the storm — not during the storm. A storm should never catch you or your team off guard. Always prepare for the worst case scenario. If a storm is anything less than your worst case scenario, you’re in the clear. Be ready to tackle unforseen challenges by getting your hands dirty.

While MSPmentor prepared the list above for MSPs tackling challenges from winter storm Hercules, any of the information in these posts can also be used to handle the impact of winter storms in the future.