Data Recovery Planning
Recently I was interviewed by a writer for NBIZ magazine who was working on an article about disaster planning. While this is not an area of expertise for Disc, Inc., it did lead to a conversation about our data recovery services.
Hopefully, you (or your company) have some kind of disaster plan already in place – especially when it comes to your data. I know from experience that it’s much easier to plan ahead than to get caught floundering when faced with a potential crisis. As part of my “IT” duties with a previous employer, I ran the daily backups, took my little cartridge home every night (or most nights…) and checked to make sure the backup ran every morning. When we were faced with the possibility of hurricane Katrina hurtling towards Houston, the VP and I dismantled the server, and loaded it into his car, hoping it would be safer at his house than at the office. What we did not think about was paying careful attention to all of the cords we were unplugging while tearing the server apart or the fact that any work done that day would not be backed up. Luckily for us, Katrina turned (sorry New Orleans) and our data was safe. (It did, however, takes us an embarrassingly long time to reconnect the server. So many wires! Now THAT was funny!)
Sound familiar? You have an automated backup in place. You verify that it runs as scheduled. But how often do you actually check the data on your backup? Have you ever? Or are you assuming that since it ran, all is well?
Don’t wait until disaster strikes to find out! Check your data and make sure you know how to restore it when needed. Losing critical data can cost you time and money. Data file recovery can cost you more time and money. Have a plan in place and run through it.
I know, I know. You’ve heard this before…but are you doing it? All businesses, from solo-preneurs to large corporations are at risk when they’re data is missing. Quit thinking about how awful it would be if your hard drive crashed or your flash drive broke, and put a solid plan in place. Or don’t. Call Disc, Inc. and let us recover your laptop, external hard drive or media storage device when disaster strikes. We won’t judge, but we did forewarn.
Can We Rescue Reading?
This month I’m sad.
Was it last week’s full moon? The latest doomsday predictions about the world ending three weeks before my vacation? Or the slew of bad news from friends in recent days?
Mmmm…no. While those things certainly haven’t helped, this month, I’m sad for our kids.
Here we are, winding down what was already a depressing school year full of teacher layoff announcements and classroom consolidations, only to learn that budget cuts have struck again. School’s almost out, the summer heat is rolling in, and summer past-times are being shuttered. Last week, the city of Houston announced that public libraries, swimming pools and community centers are taking a hit with closures and shorter hours of operation. And we’re not the only ones. In one NYRblog, Charles Simic laments about other library closures around the country and what that means. Detroit may close every public library branch? Half in Denver? Say it isn’t so!
Don’t get me wrong, this is not another political tirade about the state of the economy. Times are tough. Budgets are down. Something’s gotta give. But why does it feel like it’s our youth that will suffer the most? I admit, I haven’t set foot in a public library more than 3 times in the past 5 years and I’m an avid reader. I rarely even ventured into my campus library while in college. (Have you ever tried to navigate those things???) HOWEVER, I still find the library a source of comfort and inspiration, especially when I think back to all those hot summer days as a kid, holed up in the library for hours. Browsing the shelves and ending up with an armful to check out and carry home. That smell of old paper, print and glue in your nose…slightly pungent, yet comforting in its own way. Ahhh… let the memories waft in.
Yes, I know. I’m a relic. Kids these days are wired in and ready to read online or grab their Kindle or iPad on the way out the door. They don’t need books. They have tablets and smart phones. Who needs bookmarks? They have touchscreens!
Except, that is, for the ones who don’t. Believe it or not, there are still children today without technology at their fingertips 24/7. What are they missing out on with the closures and cutbacks of public libraries? Where are their parents taking them to escape the summer heat? Apparently not the local pool, since those are facing the same fate. What’s summer without the smell of musty books competing with the lingering scent of chlorine in your hair?
So, I’m sad. I want our kids to read. Paperbacks, hard covers, eBooks….format doesn’t matter. Access does. Wouldn’t it be great if libraries could start lending out tablets for summer reading programs? Alas, no libraries, no loaners. I don’t know what the answer is, but I’m open to ideas. Maybe together we can figure out how to rescue reading. Suggestions?
The Countdown Continues in Houston
Well, the Final Four is over and all the out-of-towners are fleeing Houston. Poor them – we’re having one of those rare spring days with low humidity and spring temperatures, as opposed to the last two days of festivities that were cloudy and windy. Not to mention the horror of our major thunderstorm yesterday (okay, it ended up sprinkling for like 5 minutes, but it LOOKED bad outside).
Yes, the college basketball hustle and bustle is over and the city returns to normal. For now. Closely following on the heels of the Final Four in our fair city is the Offshore Technology Conference. Never heard of it? Me neither. Until I joined Disc, Inc., that is. OTC is big. The annual conference usually starts around the first week of May (this year it’s the 2nd-5th) and takes over Houston’s Reliant Center. With over 60,000 attendees from all over the globe, it is quite a sight to see. Companies involved in offshore drilling, production and exploration come to display their latest and greatest offerings, while learning what their vendors, competitors and clients have to offer. It’s nearly impossible (and exhausting) to try and get through it all in one day, but there are some really impressive exhibits – even to a non-industry person like me.
So, as the countdown to the college basketball championships comes to a close, Houston starts gearing back up for OTC 2011 and our new influx of out-of-town guests. Disc, Inc. will not be exhibiting this year, but we will be here ready to assist with your CD, DVD and USB needs. We remain on high alert that last week of April for all those last minute orders and deliveries directly to the showroom floor. Just give us a call at 713.864.7845 and we’ll decipher your needs over the panic in your voice.
March Madness at Disc, Inc.
Spring is the time for new beginnings and this March change is in the air at Disc, Inc.
Next week, we are moving to our new location across the street. While it’s a short move, anyone who has ever moved an office knows the travails of doing so. Once you start trying to pack your desks, inventory, marketing collateral, furniture, electronics, you start to wonder a) if you REALLY need all of this stuff and b) where on earth you are going to put it in the new place. I, for one, am a pack rat. It’s a bad habit and one I’ve tried to kick over the years, but there’s always that nagging “but I know I’ll need it as soon as I throw it away” feeling. I have nightmares about cleaning out my files and throwing away that ONE catalog that I’ve never needed, but will next month!
Yes, March Madness is in full swing at Disc, Inc. Not the happy (albeit crazy) basketball type, but the moving-while-keeping-it-business-as-usual type. Offices to pack, volunteer engagements to keep, clients with deadlines the day of our intended move. Never to fear, though! While madness may ensue internally, (NO! PLEASE don’t throw away my outdated brochures and catalogs!), we’re still here to meet the needs of all of our clients. After all, we know that many of you are in the throes of your own March Madness, prepping for OTC and the other various spring trade shows and conferences.
So give us a call when it’s time to order those flash drives, CDs or DVDs for the next big event; when you’re ready to convert that book to an e-book for digital distribution; or when you move your own office…only to discover that your hard drive decided to stop working at the new place and you forgot to back up before disconnecting. (We’re happy to help you recover, but please remember to back up!) We may be peeking out from behind boxes for a few days, but production will be up and running.
I’m off to hide my piles from the busy packers…wish me luck!
We invite you to visit us at our new location:
7020 Portwest Drive, Suite 130, Houston, TX 77024
The Demise of Print?
So here we are, slowly working our way through the 2nd decade of the 21st century, where technology is king. We tweet, we Facebook, we link in. Our smart phones seem smarter than we are and our laptops are evolving into tablets. “Don’t Text and Drive” is the new mantra of our youth, replacing our generation’s ”Just Say No”. The 2011 Academy Award nominations include a film about the meteoric rise of a social networking site built on the tenacity of a computer geek. Yes, it’s a new reality for many of us, just as television engendered a new reality for many of our relatives.
We have talked before about the demise of the CD and DVD in light of new forms of electronic distribution, but what about the demise of a much older friend – the book? Now that eBooks are surpassing sales of hard covers on Amazon and six of the top 50 Christmas bestsellers were eBooks, is the printed book going away? After all, eBooks are generally cheaper than their traditional counterparts, and they can be downloaded to join a library of their brethren on anyone’s electronic reader. Which makes them more portable and accessible for travelers and people on the go.
As always, there are those who are reluctant to put down their paperback and opt for an eBook instead (myself included). After all, to book lovers, the written word is sacred. We can get lost in the library or bookstore for hours, browsing the shelves and reading jackets. We like curling up with a good book on a rainy afternoon or soaking in the tub with our favorite title. (There’s ONE place, an e-reader probably shouldn’t go!) And yet…knowing that I can download new titles or old favorites to my iPad for that next long flight to Europe is awfully tempting. Or being productive on that next trip and catching up on the latest business information. Not to mention the ability to read textbooks in electronic form, instead of having to lug those giant things around (not that I’m planning on going back to school any time in the near future, but still…).
Yes, technology is king and the introduction of a growing number of electronic tablets this year will render us even more dependent upon it. eBooks will likely become the norm as they continue to filter into the market. Publishers and book printers will join the rest of us in refocusing their energies and learning how to adapt to the changing times. Book lovers will succumb to the lure of the Kindle, Nook and Readers of the day, and hard copy sales will continue to erode. Yet, I choose to believe that my beloved books will still be available when I want them. After all, climbing into bed with my favorite tablet just doesn’t have quite the same comforting effect as opening my book where I left off, turning back the pages and sinking into the pillows.
Ahh…if only I were there now… Happy reading everyone! (No matter how you view it!)
2011 State of the Disc Economy
Much has been said about the demise of physical media. (See “Businesses Embrace CDs and DVDs” from August, 2010 for more.) With the wrap up of this year’s CES and last fall’s ESCA EDGE Europe, the discussion continues unabated.
New products and technologies continue to evolve. CES seemed to have an influx of portable devices challenging the iPad, Kindle and others. Then there is the explosion of 3D as the latest in home entertainment. How many of us over the age of 30 ever thought we’d see 3D in our homes? Sure, the occasional movie theater experience was fun (who else remembers Jaws 3D???), but until the emergence of recent blockbuster 3D films, I certainly never dreamed it would be available for in-home entertainment. How far out it is from true market saturation remains to be seen, but it may be getting closer. Sony even announced its new 3D camcorder for consumers. Now you can record your child’s soccer game and play it back in 3D (asssuming you have the appropriate HDTV and 3D glasses that is).
Yes, the industry keeps changing and new technologies evolve and are adapted faster than ever. Digital delivery is opening new doors (or is that portals?) with iTunes and NetFlix leading the consumer charge. With industry giants gathering together to introduce the new Ultraviolet platform, digital downloads may even be more user friendly, with the ability to view programs on multiple devices.
While CD and DVD sales are inevitably declining in the wake of these new technologies, there is still a call for packaged discs. As Digital2Disc reported in their last issue of 2010, 98.4% of singles were sold digitally in the U.K. in the past six years, but 85% of album sales were physical. Likewise, DVD intelligence reports that retail DVD sales remained the most popular way to watch video in 2010, capturing 73% of the market.
Call it laziness, resistance to change or whatever else you prefer…but I, for one, still love the excitement of buying a new CD. Ripping off the polywrap and opening the case. Perusing the liner notes before popping the disc into my car’s CD player. I look forward to hearing new songs by my favorite artists not released as singles. Some of my all time favorite tunes were discovered that way. I own an iPod, an iPhone and an iPad, yet I have never downloaded a song. Someday I will, but what will I miss out on when making the switch? Time off is precious to me, so when I do go to download, I will search for what I want without taking the time to browse through other available titles; thus, negating my chances of finding that next un-released favorite. I much prefer to be a passive listener in my car, allowing the music to come to me.
So for those of us who have not fully embraced the digital domination, Disc, Inc. will continue to offer duplicated and replicated discs for your enjoyment. Fully packaged CDs and DVDs complete with inserts, tray cards, paper covers, sleeves, whatever your heart desires.
Oh…and by the way….I still like going to the video store, too. When I can find one, that is.
Disc, Inc.’s Countdown to Christmas
The holidays are coming! The holidays are coming! Only ten days left until Christmas! Is your shopping done? (No pressure…we’ve barely started ourselves…) Holiday parties in swing? Office goodies piling in? Tis the season to be over-eating…fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la…
Here at Disc, Inc., we are in full holiday frenzy. The last minute CD and DVD orders are pouring in, the holiday treats are filling our mouths, and we’re counting down the days. Each year, we try to inject a little holiday fun into our monthly email to clients by setting it to the tune of a well-known song. Alas, this year, we were outdone by some of our friends and clients, so we thought we’d share their work with all of you. Here are links to a few of our favorites:
www.tvmanonline.com
www.adcetera.com
www.sabastudios.com
Read, watch and enjoy! We hope they put a smile on your face and help get you in the holiday spirit.
This will likely be our last post for 2010, but we’ll be back in 2011 with the latest rants from the staff at Disc, Inc. While we can’t say exactly what the new year will bring, you know we’ll be here with news, tips and updates on duplication and replication, recovery and restoration, printing and packaging and all random thoughts in between… For now, we leave you with a few of the verses we kicked around this year.
Deck the halls with rows of CDs…
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la.
Tis the season to be creative…
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la.
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la.
Rely on us for your DVD fix
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la.
But hurry now, avoid delays
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la.
It’s almost time for the holidays
Fa, la, la, la, la…la, la, la, la!
What to give clients this year?
It’s that time of year again…time to decide just what kind of gift to send your clients. Food is always an option, but do you send something small for the one person you deal with in an organization, or do you send something large that the whole company can enjoy? If it arrives at the front desk and instantly gets placed in the break room, will the person you actually sent it to even know? Or will it just get lumped in with the rest of the baskets, cookies and fruitcake? (Off the subject…if anyone actually receive a fruitcake this year, PLEASE let us know, just for humor’s sake!) If you do send a special treat directly to your contact, how do you know they will like it? We have one client that only eats organic food that has not been packaged in plastic in any way, shape or form. I spent HOURS looking for the perfect holiday treat to send one year!
If you don’t want to send food, there’s always promotional items and trinkets, but how much of an impression do those really make? Do they wind up in a desk drawer unused or in the community coffee room up for grabs for whomever wants them? Of course, if you have the budget, personalized gifts always make a nice touch, but most companies we know are still running pretty lean and mean these days.
So what does Disc, Inc. propose this year? USB/flash drives custom printed with your logo and contact information. Personalize them with a holiday greeting or note of appreciation loaded on the drives or leave them blank. Either way, it’s a gift that your client can reuse, whether for business or personal reasons, and it keeps your name in the palm of their hands.
USB drives come in a variety of styles and colors to fit your brand. The best part about sending them out as gifts is that you can order extras to keep on hand for the coming year. Perfect for loading presentations, brochures, marketing collateral or training materials for easy distribution.
Give your clients a gift they can actually USE this year…and order extra for yourself. (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.) After all, the more you order, the better the price. You can load your holiday greeting just on the drives you send out, so that your clients have a nice little surprise when they plug in their gift.
Take the stress out of corporate gift giving this year! It doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Send a portable storage device. Packaging options are available to complete the presentation or get creative and attach them to the inside of your holiday cards.
Happy shopping! Here’s hoping it’s the last frugal holiday season for us all!
Disc, Inc. Gets a Facelift!
October is anniversary month at Disc, Inc. and this year we have lots to celebrate! After months of planning (and a little arguing), we not only launched our brand new website, we also added two new services! We invite you to browse the new site at www.discinc.com and let us know what you think.
Highlights include:
- Easy access to our downloadable templates and online quote request
- Expanded packaging options, including our most popular eco-friendly options
- Discmentos! Custom video slideshow packages to highlight your big events
- New services including offsite backups and USB duplicators
28 years and counting! Thanks to all of our clients, vendors, friends and colleagues for getting us closer to the big 3-0! (Now that we’ve had a facelift, will we have to start coloring our hair?)
Don’t forget to check out our new site! We’d love to hear your comments. Our appreciation goes out to Loud Creative for their framework design and guidance and Disc’s own Kelly Schroeder for the graphics.
Health and Welfare Plan Administrators
I don’t know about you, but with all the changes and uproar over insurance and benefits over the last few years, I am happy that I don’t work in a corporate HR department as a benefits plan administrator or anything else remotely related. Can you imagine? As the rest of us listened with one ear and pretended to stay apprised of the new laws and regulations, they had to read up, listen and pay attention. And for what? To help the rest of us who don’t want to deal with the intricacies of insurance updates, summary plan details, 401k changes and retirement benefits. (Yes, retirement benefits, I hear those actually still exist somewhere…)
So as the 4th quarter of 2010 draws near, if you are lucky enough to work in an office that offers an array of health and welfare benefits, take a moment to thank your plan administrator. Whether or not you fully appreciate the benefits you have, he/she has a tough job. Not only do they have to learn all the tiny details in order to turn around and explain them to us, they have to amass and distribute the information company-wide! While this may seem relatively easy in a 7 person office, can you imagine what a headache it must be for a 7,000 person office with locations spread around the country? Keeping in mind that their department has the same budget restrictions as yours, that is! They have to think critically and creatively.
At Disc, Inc., our hats are off to the corporate heroes in the benefits world and we stand ready to assist you in any way possible. Duplication, packaging, distribution…we can help keep the costs low and the headaches at bay. Just give us a call or shoot us an email. Then go take a break.
