Setting up from Scratch - where would you start?

Could you set-up your business somewhere else if you had to?

OK you have your backups safe and sound somewhere off site.  That's a good start.  But what about the PC's?  You don't store any 'real' data on there do you - everyone knows that - don't they?

 

Of course no one stores data on their PC anymore - but what about the applications, how do you re-install all of them?

With possibly dozens of PC's unavailable for any number of reasons after a mishap how do you get all of those PC's running again so that you can use the data that you have so diligently saved off site?

If you think this could be an issue for your business then you need to consider a standardised desktop utilising an installable image for appropriate groups of PC's so that you can recover in a hurry on existing or replacment equipment.  You may need to setup a call centre or a whole department somewhere else so if you can install the image of the software that you use with your settings already pre-defined then all you need to do is buy new hardware ( and because you have rules around this you know what you are going to need before you need it) and you are up and running again.  All of your settings for all of those 50+ applications installed on all of those PC's out there in the office - give it some thought, imagine the nightmare of trying to get all those settings duplicated when the original equipment is no longer available.

The same image of course would be used for setting up new equipment in a business as usual situation as well - not just for disasters.  PC's break all the time - and you have people coming and going all the time as well.  With a standard image you can get those new people up and running before they start not weeks afterwards.

When you think of a standard desktop think of your current version of Windows including your security and network settings along with all of the office applications, the client based parts to your ERP and everything inbetween.  CRM's, CMS, GIS all of these have extremely complicated settings and configuration profiles.  By  capturing these applications and all of their settings in to one easily deployable image you are capturing not only your PC's setup but also your business processes as well. 

Quick Quiz:
How long would it take you to recover your business software on to a new PC?