Possible Ways for Hospitals to Strengthen Data Recovery Plans in Natural Disasters

Hospitals gather a lot of data on daily basis which makes it is essential to adopt adequate measures to recover the data if there is any kind of data loss. The chances of data loss are higher during natural disasters as it is difficult to predict when a mishap may occur; hence, there’s a need to be proactive to safeguard data. According to a survey by Acronis Global Disaster Recovery Index in 2012, 55 percent of the technology practitioners from health care industry are not confident about their ability to recover the data after a disaster.

Data of all the patients, records, doctors, procedures etc. is crucial information for the hospitals, thus it is necessary to take adequate measures to safeguard the data.

Validate Third-party Data Recovery Service

 
It is advisable to cover all the data recovery strategies with a third-party service provider in a contract but it is also important to confirm the practicality of the plans and services. The data recovery plan needs to be tested regularly to ensure that it works as expected at the time of an emergency.

Offsite Backup of Data

 
Hospitals need to backup the data at a different geographical location, especially from the perspective to safeguard the information during an emergency situation. It is important to choose a different location because if you store that data at a nearby location there might be chances that the data storage location is impacted if any type of natural disaster hits the place.

Validate the Backup Power

 
Every hospital has a power backup for an emergency situation but not many validate it on a regular basis. Constant validation of power redundancy is important because hospitals need to be sure that no work is hampered or information is lost if there is a power cut. Hospitals require battery backup for short term requirements and multiple generators for long-term needs. The generators need to be checked at frequent intervals if the generators are too old.

It is, however, advisable to seek help of an IT professional for data recovery and backup related issues. When you tie up with a data recovery service provider, ensure that the company is willing to provide assistance during an emergency situation. Consider the industrial experience, price, proximity and customer feedback of an IT service provider before hiring a service professional.

All Need to Know About Repair Disk Permissions on Mac

Repairing permissions is one of the most frequently recommended course of action to troubleshoot and maintain Mac OSX. There are two types of tools to repair different types of disk permissions, one of which is hidden. The Apple Mac repair permissions are generally called "disk permissions" but are actually file and directory permissions. The Mac doesn't automatically repair permissions unless it is installing or upgrading the Mac OS X on its own. Let's take a closer look at the repair disk permissions.

What are repair permissions?

Every file and folder that you store on the hard drive of Mac has a set of permissions- settings to determine particular items that may be accessed by a user. Permissions also determine the items or specific parts in the OS that may be accessed or modified and the files that are accessible to different applications. The system files, for instance, on the Mac needs to be marked as executable; otherwise the system won't have the permission to run the files.

The database of permissions is stored in the "Bill of Materials" (BOM) files. When a user repairs permissions, the system searches the .bom files and checks for the actual files on the system. If the permission for a file or folder on the system doesn't match with the permission specified by .bom files, the OS will change the permissions accordingly. It is important to understand that the changes won't apply to all the files in the system.

When to Repair Permissions?

There is no need to repair permissions if the Mac is running fine. If you notice trouble in functioning of the system, repairing the permissions is a good way to handle the problem at the first place. There is a possibility that programs might change the file and folder permissions and the new permissions may lead to more problems. A program, for instance, might prevent an application from running by making its program file non-executable. Users are recommended to repair permissions in such scenarios.

How to Go About the Repair Process?

The user needs to go to the Disk Utility application to repair the Mac's permissions.

•         Press Command + Space < Spotlight search < type Disk Utility < press Enter key
•         Select the system's partition - which generally is Macintosh HD
•         Click on "Verify Disk Permissions" if you need to check the permissions for problems
•         Click on the "Repair Disk Permissions" button to check the problems and repair them automatically

It is normal for some permissions to automatically change even when you are using the system normally and this change is less likely to cause a problem. Repairing disk permissions is not a regular maintenance task but there's no harm in checking the permissions to ensure the safe operation of Mac. If the problem with the Mac pertains even after checking repair disk permissions, it is always better to turn to a professional Mac repair expert to avoid any data loss from the machine.

How to Cool Down an Overheating iMac?

iMac is known for its superior performance and eye-catchy design. It has been engineered to the very last detail with a brilliant on screen, Intel core processor, high speed graphic and in-built apps to give a powerful desktop experience. Many organizations prefer to install iMac for their employees because of its brilliant features. However, this doesn’t imply that you will never have any kind of problem with the device. There may be instances when iMac may go wrong and the problem may turn out to be unnerving especially when you are not sure how to overcome the issue.

Overheating is one of the problems that iMac users generally face. The system might not feel hot but if the iMac shuts down after making a blast of unusually loud fan activity, you need to get the machine checked. It is always better to consult a Mac desktop support in Southlake or an IT consultant near your area if you are not good with technology. If small PC repairs don't trouble you, here are a few steps that can help in stopping the iMac overheating.

Step 1

Download and install fan control software that will let you set a minimum speed for the iMac fan. There are some free software available on the Internet, however, it is advisable to read their reviews before you shortlist a software to avoid any other  problems. The software will only ensure that the speed of the fan doesn't go beyond the fixed limit but it won't stop the whirring sound if the system gets too hot. It is advised to set the minimum fan speed to 2800 rpm for the CPU.

Step 2

It is important to find out the reason that led to overheating of the iMac. Although, there are minimum chances of a virus attack but there is no harm in running a security program. Install a free Mac security program to scan the iMac. If the result is negative, you can uninstall the software.

Step 3

There's a possibility of an issue with the hardware of the system if the iMac hasn't encountered a virus attack. The fans of the device might be working harder to cover up a component that has crashed or isn't working properly. The problem may be tracked by running the Apple Hardware Test. The instructions to perform the test are available on Apple forums and at many other places on the Internet if you are doing it for the first time.

Hardware issues may be complicated as you might be required to repair or replace the troubled component. Seek advice of an IT repair company so that your PC is in safe hands and the problem is resolved quickly.