Far more U.S. companies have plans to avert sprained ankles than policies to protect themselves from massive data loss, a recent survey disclosed. Indeed, with disks now capable of storing huge amounts of data, PCs often are entrusted with material that small businesses can't exist without, yet only 18% of small businesses have backup policies. (See "Stop, Back Up!, February 1993, [Article link].) Of the individual computer operators found to back files up religiously, this chart shows what inspired them to do so.
* * *Importance of data 48%
Previous experience of data loss 28
Company policy or legal obligation 15
Did not trust computers 5
Automatic backup system available 3
Other 1
* * *Source: Survey conducted by Intelliquest Research, Austin, commissioned by 3M, St. Paul, Minn., June 1992.