25 June 2002 Solid Data Corporation finalist in Australia Post Small Business Awards (press release).

Canberra based business back-up company Solid Data Corporation has undertaken a corporate sponsorship activity of a practical kind. Solid is providing IT services to the Canberra Blind Society as part of a corporate sponsorship package for the Society. The practical support and technical assistance is designed to ensure that the Society has “business continuity” in the event of a disaster or even misadventure.

Seeing the need for critical information to be stored off-site, Solid has set-up an automated information back-up system for the Society. In the event of total loss of the society’s computers or data, all information and critical records can be quickly retrieved. This means down time of minutes for the Society, enabling it to get on with business.

“In the past, we have had to rely on the generosity of members to get computer work done” said executive director Judy. “That has meant that we only seemed to get the bare minimum done in someone else’s timeframe. And we did not have a back-up or disaster recovery strategy in place. If we lost our computer it probably would have destroyed the society. What the Solid Data Corporation sponsorship means is that we have ongoing computer support and an incredible back-up system. This is an invaluable and practical sponsorship package for the Society.”

“We chose this form of sponsorship of the Society as a practical way to help a small but worthy group” said Solid Data Corporation CEO Kevin Jeffery. “Sending a cheque is helpful but impersonal. We saw an opportunity to help the Society in an ongoing way. It is part of the corporate culture in Australia, find small holes and fill them with practical assistance. In a small way, it is like Dick Smith’s sponsorship of the SouthCare helicopter… corporate Australia supporting not-for-profit and community focused organisations.”

Solid Data Corporation is based in Narrabundah and offers an on-line data back-up and recovery service. Technical director Peter Johnston said “there have been major advances in the way data can be compressed and sent down a telephone line. What this means for business is that for the first time off-site data storage via the web is really viable. Solid Data Corporation is the only Australian business currently using this technology. We have negotiated to have clients’ data stored in the most secure location for data in the Australian Capital Region. For our clients this means peace of mind and confidence that should they have a September 11 in their lives, that their data is recoverable in minutes.”

The Solid Data Storage product is suited to micro, small and medium sized businesses, in the first instance. “These are the people who have not really thought a lot about off-site back-up”, said Mr Jeffery. “Our product is an excellent entry point into back-up and disaster recovery planning. We have products to support the larger corporate and government sector, as well. After all, we use them ourselves.”

“In the end the purpose behind data back-up is to make sure that in the event of a catastrophe, business can resume with minimal delay. Off-site back-up storage provides the best scenario for recovery and business continuity.”

Judy can be contact at the Canberra Blind Society on 6247 4580

Kevin Jeffery can be contacted at Solid Data Corporation on 6295 5994 or kevin@soliddata.com.au