Preparing Your Business Technology for Fall and Winter in Maine
Practical steps to prepare your business technology for Maine fall and winter including battery backup testing, remote access planning, equipment protection, and seasonal shutdown procedures.
Power protection and battery backup
- Test all UPS battery backups. Most UPS batteries last 2-3 years. Replace any that fail a self-test.
- Verify that critical equipment is plugged into surge protectors or UPS units, not directly into wall outlets.
- Know how to safely shut down servers and equipment if an extended outage is expected.
- Consider a generator for locations where even brief outages are unacceptable.
Remote access and winter weather planning
- Test VPN and remote desktop connections. Make sure key staff can work from home if weather prevents travel.
- Verify that email, files, and critical applications are accessible remotely.
- Forward office phones to cell phones or set up a winter weather voicemail greeting.
- Document the process for remote work so staff know what to do when a storm is forecast.
Seasonal shutdown for seasonal businesses
- Document shutdown procedures for all technology equipment.
- Back up all data before shutting systems down for the season.
- Power down non-essential equipment. Leave critical equipment like firewalls running for remote access.
- Protect outdoor equipment from snow, ice, and freezing temperatures where possible.
Cybersecurity reminders for the holiday season
- Holiday phishing scams increase significantly. Remind staff to be extra cautious with emails.
- Verify any payment change requests by phone, not just email.
- If staff use personal devices for work during holidays or weather events, make sure they connect through VPN.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do UPS batteries last in a cold environment?
Cold temperatures reduce battery runtime. A UPS in an unheated area may provide significantly less runtime than its rating. If equipment must be in an unheated space, check battery health more frequently during winter months.
What is the most important thing to do before winter?
Verify backups and test remote access. If winter weather prevents staff from reaching the office, they need to know they can work remotely and that data is protected regardless of what happens to the physical location.
Need help?
Maine CyberTech helps Maine businesses prepare technology for fall and winter with backup verification, remote access testing, and seasonal planning. Contact us for a winter readiness assessment.
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