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Some companies find business protection an intimidating topics because it requires them to imagine the unimaginable — and then prevent it before it happens. After all, business protection is a combination of systems, practices, and culture that companies have to adopt to prevent and respond to any crisis.

Unlike larger businesses, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have less room in their budget for contingency plans that are seemingly expensive yet without obvious payoffs, barring a disaster of epic proportions.

David Foo, the director of the StorageWorks Division of HP Southeast Asia, shows how to address this issue without making business protection complex, costly, or burdensome:

• Keep your information backed up and ready to recover

Specifically designed-for-SMB backup and recovery  solutions can help you protect your data easily and more cost-effectively. For instance, the latest HP StorageWorks D2D Backup System and All-in-One Storage System are affordable solutions that don’t require storage expertise to install and operate; they feature easy-to-use functions like automated backups, quick recovery, and remote monitoring.

For added security, you can use these disk-based backup systems in combination with tape drives, which allow you to move the backup media offsite and away from the primary IT systems. This allows for disaster recovery in case of theft, fire, flood or other site-wide catastrophes.

SMB should also convert important paper documents into digital images. Once digitized, these files can then be protected like any other business data.

• Defend your data, networks, and systems against viruses, spyware, and intruders

It’s important to keep security protection software up-to-date to combat the spread of damaging computer viruses. SMBs should leverage intrusion detection and prevention solutions as well as network firewalls to defend against hackers and unauthorized users.

A virtual private network (VPN) is a must for any SMB whose employees regularly work from home or on the road. The VPN’s encryption and authentication technology create a secure link between a remote computer and the company’s network.

In addition, many business PCs, notebooks, and workstations from vendors such as HP come with security tools that provide multilayered protection for the physical and intellectual properties. These tools include biometric authentication, Smart Cards, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Embedded security chips, USB tokens and other security technologies.

Also consider developing a wireless security policy, especially since wireless technology is becoming increasingly pervasive in the workplace. Security solution providers can help SMBs to assess their security gaps and to identify the right solutions.

• Keep business-critical systems and applications available

Crashes of key programs, such as web applications and e-mail, can cause serious havoc for any business. That’s why a flexible, reliable, and efficient server infrastructure is needed to support business-critical applications. However, this can require substantial capital investment that may not be practical for a growing business.

SMBs can cluster specifically-designed small business solutions to keep critical applications running with even a small IT staff. For example, the HP BladeSystem solutions, unlike single server solutions, offer a consistent, modular, and integrated approach that results in a better managed and flexible computing infrastructure. Remote management options also allow IT staff to easily monitor systems and diagnose problems for maximum uptime.

• Prepare for a disaster

All of the planning in the world will not prevent disasters such as fires, floods, and power outages. That’s why it’s important to create a disaster preparedness plan that you should constantly test, refine, and update as necessary. For example, if the plan involves operating the business from an offsite location, you should routinely conduct exercises to ensure that employees can access the company data and continue to work seamlessly from that location.