Smartphones have become so advanced that there's virtually no business task they can't handle. Now everyone uses mobile devices to access work documents and, naturally, hackers got the memo. There are thousands of threats targeted towards mobile devices, so you’d be well served backing up the files in your mobile device, now.

With advancements in cloud computing, disaster recovery (DR) has become more efficient and affordable than ever. But many business owners still cling to DR myths that can safely be ignored. If you’re uncertain as to how DR has changed and are ready for an update, here are some myths that you ought to ignore.

One effective Disaster Recovery (DR) solution for small businesses that most people are unaware of is Virtualization. The former is a strategy used to recover your business after a disaster has struck, while the latter is a way for businesses to save money by running all their office PCs on a “virtual” server.

Like all things, business continuity plans are not perfect. They have pitfalls that can result in your business’s failure if not taken into account immediately. Don’t blame it all on the IT guy; often, the way a system is designed can also have loopholes.

With virtualization, you can make software see several distinct computers even if there is only one, or make several computers register as one supercomputer. That may sound simple, but it’s far from it. Of course the benefits are well worth it; here are just a few.

The massive success of ransomware like WannaCry and Petya have spurred other cybercriminals to develop their own ransomware and sell it on the black market. This means we can expect more ransomware attacks in the future. To prepare your business, you need virtualized disaster recovery solutions.

Until recently, business owners had to choose between cloud-based virtualization and on-premises virtualization. Although implementing either option from scratch was affordable, moving an existing on-premises setup into the cloud was expensive. Thankfully, two of the biggest virtualization vendors are working together to make this problem a thing of the past.

Preparing your business for every type of disaster is critical. Even if you weren’t affected by this year’s historic hurricane season, earthquakes, fires and power outages are ever-present threats to any business’s future. Virtualization might just be your ticket to surviving the next disaster.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have already caused billions of dollars in damages, but hurricane season is far from over. Experts are predicting that there will be five more major tropical storms through October, and if they present risks to your business, it’s time to establish a watertight disaster recovery (DR) plan.

Truly understanding the ins and outs of virtualization is not for the faint hearted. It’s a complicated field that is constantly evolving, but one thing remains mostly the same: its benefits. Read on for an uncomplicated recap of just a few of virtualization’s greatest advantages.