It’s January, and as the seasons transition, the ever-present threat of severe storms and inclement weather arises. Just this past weekend, APC experienced quite the ice-dumping in our headquarters location. These times of inclement weather are the perfect opportunity to think through how to prep your technology for inclement weather so that you may stay up and running during a storm.
5 Tips to Prep Your Technology for Inclement Weather:
1. Power Outages. Storms in our area can bring power outages in any season. Charge up your mobile phone, laptop, and other rechargeable batteries in advance. If you have a battery backup (UPS) at home, run a test to ensure the batteries can still support the connected devices.
2. Internet. If the power goes out, your home Internet may go out also. Devices connected to the Internet (wireless, routers, etc.) will need their battery backup to stay connected. These outages may impact VoIP home phone service. Using a mobile device as a hotspot can be a good alternative. Consider that mobile carrier charges may apply for hotspot usage.
3. Check your VPN. For those who use VPN access, find some downtown when there isn’t a storm occurring to confirm you’re able to connect.
4. Webmail. If your company device loses power, remember that many companies allow access to email through any device using a URL or application. Try logging in using your email and password as you would on your company computer.
5. Phishing/Scams. As we’ve seen with COVID-19, bad actors never let a good crisis go to waste. So be extra careful with emails and texts that may target an event-related need but are from fraudulent sources who are phishing.
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Kristen Burgess is the Marketing Specialist at Alliance of Professionals & Consultants, Inc. She has five years’ experience in curating content for digital platforms, social media contributions, and supporting marketing campaigns and strategies. Before joining the APC wolfpack, she worked in digital marketing for software as a service, giving her keen insight into the types of professionals APC hires today. In addition, she likes to stay up-to-date on the most relevant trends within the technology industry through thought-provoking podcasts and newsletters while paying attention to industry leaders’ trends. In her spare time, she serves on the Management Team and helps craft communications for the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties.
