SMBs can’t afford not to have a plan for continuous operations, especially when it comes to the computer systems, applications and data the business depends on to keep going — and growing. Like large enterprises, SMBs have to be aware of the catastrophic impact of unplanned data loss and system downtime. Most of the time, such disruptions to the business are caused by simple user or administrator errors, viruses and malware, and unplanned server and application outages. Although business continuity is somewhat different from disaster recovery, which typically involves more dramatic and longer-term outages resulting from man-made and natural disasters, any data loss or system downtime can have a disastrous effect on your business and workforce. Plus, SMBs can be more vulnerable than larger companies because they have fewer resources to weather outages or disruptions. This paper highlights some of the issues around implementing SMB business continuity practices and provides guidance on developing an effective BC strategy.