When it comes to data storage, security is the name of the game. Companies spend a ton of money every year making sure the data entrusted to them remains safe from being stolen or compromised.

While it’s a no-brainer to ensure data is safe from the black hats out to steal your valuable data, it’s just as important to make sure it’s protected against the devastating consequences that natural disasters pose to you and your clients.

Cloud file storage service rockstar, Dropbox, had this same thought when they realized their central data center in San Jose, CA, was uncomfortably close to the San Andreas Fault (and as we learned back in 2015 from The Rock’s movie of the same name, that’s not good).

In the words of Dropbox’s ace team, “In a world where natural disasters are more and more prevalent, it’s important that we consider the potential impact of such events on our data centers.” But how can you make sure you’re prepared for the only-somewhat-predictable? 

Simple—unplug the whole system.

And that’s exactly what Dropbox did! After a less than successful attempt at another center in Dallas, engineers were able to run a triumphant test in San Jose with no impact on global availability. “Yeah, we know, this probably sounds a bit anticlimactic. But that’s exactly the point! Our detail-oriented approach to preparing for this event is why the big day went so smoothly,” the company explained.

Check out more details about how they did it right here.

Don’t let Mother Nature catch you off guard. Schedule a call with one of our Inteleca engineers to discuss your data storage and disaster preparedness solutions.