Guides / Hurricane prep
The hurricane IT checklist.
What to do with your computers, data, internet and phones before hurricane season, when a storm is named and after it passes. Written for Gulf Coast small businesses.
Phase 01 · By June 1
Before the season
- Confirm backups run automatically and a copy is kept off-site, away from your building
- Do a test restore. A backup you haven't restored from is a guess
- Check UPS batteries on servers, network gear and key computers. Most last 3 to 5 years
- Make sure every employee can work remotely: laptop, VPN or cloud access, and MFA on their phone
- Save your IT, internet provider, phone provider and insurance contact numbers somewhere that isn't your office computer
- Move important shared files to the cloud (like SharePoint) if they still only live on a server
- Take photos of your equipment and serial numbers for insurance
- Consider internet failover if your business can't run without internet
Phase 02 · 72 to 24 hours out
When a storm is named
- Confirm the most recent backup completed and the off-site copy is current
- Send laptops home with the people who use them
- Forward the main phone line to a cell phone, or confirm your VoIP app works on staff phones
- Move equipment off the floor and away from windows where you can
- Plan the shutdown: who turns off what, and in what order
- Shut down servers and computers cleanly before power is lost, then unplug them from the wall
Phase 03 · Before you power up
After it passes
- Don't power anything on if there's any chance it got wet. Water plus power is how data gets destroyed
- Power up in order: internet modem, firewall, switches, then servers, then computers
- Confirm internet and phones are working, then check that the server and key software come up
- Verify backups are running again
- Watch for storm-related scams: fake FEMA, insurance and contractor emails ramp up after every storm
- Call us if anything won't come back. Don't keep power-cycling a server that won't boot
FAQ
Storm questions
Should we unplug computers before a hurricane?
Yes. Shut them down properly, then unplug them from the wall or UPS. Surge protectors don't stop everything, and power often comes back with spikes.
Is cloud backup enough for a hurricane?
Off-site cloud copies are the most important part, because they survive if your building doesn't. Pair them with a local backup for faster everyday restores.
How do we keep working if the office is closed?
Make sure everyone can reach email and files from a laptop at home, the phones can ring through to cell phones, and MFA works on their personal phone.
Want a second set of eyes before the season?
We'll review your backups, battery backups and remote access and tell you what would and wouldn't survive a direct hit.