DataPreserve Restores Data after Maricopa County Bar Association Fire

Last month a fire ravaged the offices of the Maricopa County Bar Association (MCBA) in downtown Phoenix. Yet within a month the organization is almost fully operational in nearby offices. One reason for the smooth transition? They use an online data backup and storage service.

The twelve person staff of the MCBA is no stranger to fires. In 2006 an electrical fire destroyed much of their office space. Wiser from that experience, they incorporated several aspects of business continuity into their operational plans. They were better prepared for the recent devastation that included destruction of the building, servers, communications lines and more.

“We understand very well the importance of backing up our critical data online.” explains Executive Director Allen Kimbrough. “After the last fire it cost us close to $75,000 to get our data back. After this fire, the first question I got from board members and others was, “Did you lose any data?” Fortunately, our critical files were backed up online so the loss was minimal. If we had kept only local backups on CDs, tapes or a server in our office, we would have lost everything.”

The MCBA services its members, the legal profession, the judicial system, and the public. Since its founding in 1914, it has been the largest voluntary bar association in Arizona. Yet even an organization of its size doesn’t have an on-staff information technology professional.

In addition to her duties as the Lawyer Referral Service Director, Linda Pena is called upon to oversee the computer technology. “I know the value of backups, and of getting them off-site. My responsibilities don't permit me to correctly support the technology that is so important to our operations. So we outsource technology support to Scottsdale Technology Solutions. They in turn connect us with DataPreserve, an online backup company based in Scottsdale.”

A recent article in the National Law Journal titled,“Data Security -- A Must Have,” strongly endorsed online data backup for all sizes of law a firms. Through online backup and storage provided by DataPreserve, the MCBA has been able to resume operations in a relatively short period of time.