February 2009 News

Recommended Back-up Procedures

by Jay de Long

Datacon’s first priority is keeping your practice data safe and secure. We pride ourselves on the security of our system’s software and hardware. Because Datacon is not Windows-based, your patient data is far less susceptible to viruses. Therefore, the single greatest threat to your data is hard drive failure. When the inevitable happens, we rely on the most recent back-up to restore your valuable patient data. Your consistent, successful daily backup is the only way to prevent data loss.
So, what are Datacon’s recommended back-up procedures?

Begin each workday by checking the previous night’s back-up.
Once verified, swap back-up medium (external hard drive, DVD, tape).
Schedule nightly back-up routine. This may mean setting for later or starting at end of day.
The system must not be in use during back-up.
Take previous night’s back-up offsite.
Datacon recommends one back-up medium (labeled) for each business day.
At the very least, rotate two back-up media. Never use your most recent backup twice in a row.

Recommended back-up media:
MacPro: 5 external hard drives (Monday – Friday)
MacMini: 5 DVDs
Alpha Micro: 5 streaming tapes

If back-up problems arise or if you have questions and/or concerns about your back-up, please contact Datacon immediately.
Please remember that the above procedures only secure your Datacon data, and therefore additional back-ups will be needed for any image servers, peer servers, and/or individual PC workstations that store valuable data.
Finally, it is recommended that you keep printed copies of your daily control sheets in the event that you experience a hard drive failure and do not have a recent back-up. This will enable you to manually re-enter lost data. And remember the old saying, “Only back-up the data that you don’t want to lose!”

Oral Surgery Study Group

by Flo Janes

Mark your calendars - MARCH 25th, 2009…Datacon is holding the first in a series of seminars to demonstrate how your Oral Surgery office can become a paperless office!
This study group provides an excellent opportunity for our Oral Surgery clients to analyze the tools your Datacon system provides, and make educated decisions in your endeavor to go paperless.
Join us on Wednesday, March 25th!

System Upgrade Financing – FAQ

by Brian Benefield

As Datacon clients update their hardware and expand into the back office, we frequently get questions about the best way to pay for the investment. We work with a number of leasing companies, but our recommendation is Dumac Leasing. Dumac is a division of Exchange Bank, a trusted Santa Rosa institution since 1890. Here are a few tips on how
the process works:
Is there a dollar amount when financing starts to make more sense? Equipment leases start to become an attractive option on upgrades of more than $5,000.
Payments are made over how many months? The choice is yours. Choose between 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. In our experience, 36 months is the most common.
What kinds of rates are available? With Dumac Leasing, rates depend solely on the terms and dollar amount. They are not based on credit.
What fees are associated with an equipment lease? Dumac only charges a document fee, and requires first and last month up front. There are no pre-payment penalties, and a residual payment of just $1.
Who do I talk to about making financial arrangements? If you’re interested in contacting Dumac, feel free to call Michael Barrett at (707) 546-7822.
Whether you choose a local credit union, a national company, or Dumac Leasing, we will work with the lender to make all of the necessary arrangements.

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 2nd, 2009 at 9:00 am and is filed under Newsletter.
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