How to Be Ready for Anything Do you have a plan for disaster recovery preparedness?

Not to be Chicken Little or anything, but just because the sky isn't falling now doesn't mean it won't sooner or later. So it's reassuring to learn that 82 percent of small and medium-sized businesses worldwide express confidence in their disaster recovery preparedness, according to a recent survey conducted by security, storage and systems management solutions giant Symantec. Moreover, 84 percent contend their computer and technology systems are secure in the event of outages or disruptions.

But maybe small businesses are a little too confident for their own good: Two-thirds tell Symantec they believe their customers would wait patiently until systems are restored, with only 34 percent believing consumers instead would evaluate alternatives, including the competition.

Here's the kicker: Symantec indicates that only 53 percent of the businesses surveyed report having solid disaster recovery plans in place, even though 76 percent are headquartered in regions susceptible to natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes.