Step one
Identify the needs of your organisation and your users.
- Business planning. You will need to fully understand your backup requirements across the company and then draft a recovery plan.
- Are there any requirements that a particular group or department may need? Don’t take anything for granted.
- Your potential supplier should help you analyse your storage requirements depending on usage and the type information stored.
Step two
Identify your needs for a new backup and recovery system.
- What equipment will I require – what type of hardware and how much storage?
- What software will be required?
- How much will it cost? Including to maintain and support?
- Consider future options – you may be looking to open another office or expand your current operation. As a result you will need to ensure that whatever you purchase now will be able to meet your future requirements.
Step three
Identify the right supplier.
- Use Conjungo.
- Look through magazine and online reviews.
- Talk to others who have recently installed a backup system in the same area as you.
- Use forums, networks and personal contacts to obtain recommendations.
Ask questions such as:
- Who has the experience of working with a company of the same size and profile as yours?
- Are any of those suppliers local to where you are located?
- How many similar installations have they made?
- Ask for references – ensure that the company is capable and reliable.
- Talk to a couple of their customers in order to see what benefits have been gained and what pains those customers went through when installing the system.
- Obtain a credit check to ensure that your potential suppliers are financially stable.
Step four
Request a detailed proposal from three or four of your preferred suppliers.
- Set a deadline for when you need the proposal back.
- Give out details in advance as necessary to ensure that the suppliers you have selected can give you the best proposal.
- Go and meet them in person – get a good feel for whether you will be able to work with them.
Step five
Select a supplier.
- Who best demonstrates that they understand your business and your requirements?
- Is the solution flexible and scaleable and therefore able to meet future demand? You don’t want to find out later that by investing a little more money now you could have saved money in the long term.
- How will your potential supplier support and maintain your system afterwards?
- How much will support and maintenance cost?
- Have you spoken to a couple of your preferred suppliers’ customers?
- Agree on financial terms – you may be required to pay a deposit but do not pay the whole amount in advance of delivery.
Step six
Implementation, testing and go live
- Install the new system. Only when you are entirely satisfied should you pay any balance outstanding on the invoice. This way, if there are any problems, your supplier will sort them out as a matter of urgency.
- Don’t forget to account for user training!