(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Telecommunications provider AT&T (www.att.com) announced on Friday it has revealed the results of a recent study which show that local businesses are preparing for unforeseen business disruptions by taking proactive measures to protect their operations.
The study, entitled “2009 AT&T Business Continuity Study”, surveyed 101 IT executives at companies with at least $25 million in revenue in the Baltimore/Washington, DC metropolitan areas.
Business continuity planning leads the list as the top priority for IT executives, with 79 percent indicating they currently have a plan in place.
One-third of executives say it has become a top priority in recent years because of cyber security concerns, natural disasters and terrorist threats.
Other key findings of the study include an increasing focus on mobility with 60 percent of companies now including wireless network capabilities as part of their continuity plans.
Businesses are concerned with the potential vulnerability of mobile networks, social networking and hacking, with 75 percent of executives listing it as a major concern.
Meanwhile, 80 percent of executives feel an added pressure with the use of social networking and its potential impact on security.
Hacking continues to be listed as the biggest security risk to companies, compared to other threats.
About one-third of the surveyed companies said they have experienced a natural or man-made disaster that affected IT operations.
As part of a business continuity plan, 65 percent of executives say their companies now implement specific protective actions when the federal or state government issues an alert for an impending disaster.
The survey found that 66 percent of companies are continuing to invest in new technologies in 2009, many of which support these efforts.
The study shows that businesses also have special arrangements for communicating with employees, with 85 percent of businesses saying that they have special arrangements for communicating with key executives, 87 percent using email or text messaging to reach employees outside of work, and 76 percent having systems in place for employees to work from home or remote locations.
“With the ongoing reliance on technology and always-evolving list of potential network threats, many local businesses not only recognize the importance of continuity planning but are taking action to ensure that their operations are never interrupted, even in the event of a major security breach or unexpected disaster,” says Anthony Leggio, regional vice president of global enterprise solutions at AT&T. “Businesses must remain vigilant about continuity planning and also have their plans tested and updated to help ensure they are fully prepared to restore key processes and operations at times when it is needed most.”
The study is presumably a way to promote the company’s network disaster recovery exercises.
Conducted several times a year, the events are designed to test, refine and strengthen AT&T’s business continuity and disaster recovery services in order to minimize network downtime.
The next exercise will be held July 14 to 16 at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., which will be AT&T’s largest exercise to date.
The exercise will include an extensive deployment of network recovery equipment, and include the participation of more than 35 self-contained equipment-trailers and wireless, satellite and hazmat vehicles.
AT&T offers a wide range of business continuity services, including disaster planning, risk management, recovery preparedness and communications readiness.
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