11 May 2011

The enormous value people placed on the contents of a computer system was highlighted by victims of the Christchurch earthquake and the Geeks on Wheels chief executive Matthew Carr-Gomm is recommending his clients subscribe to a new online, offsite automated data backup service.

The new service called Back IT Up Mate uses industrial strength technology to encrypt and save data on computers in two secure locations in Auckland and Wellington.

The New Zealand owned and operated company will donate 20 percent of all subscriptions over the next three months to the Christchurch earthquake recovery fund through the Silverstream Lions Club in Wellington.

“There was and still is enormous frustration following the Christchurch devastation with people locked out of their business premises in the CBD or prevented from re-entering red stickered homes to rescue precious items before they are demolished,” said Mr Carr-Gomm, whose Geeks on Wheels business operates in the Canterbury region and in the North Island.

“The earthquake highlighted that tapes and hard drive backup systems that were kept on site were lost along with the contents of computer’s hard drive, which for many businesses and home owners is the most valuable filing system that they own.”

The access-from-anywhere feature of the Back IT Up Mate system enables a subscriber to dial in using a secure encryption key to open up personal or work files within hours of a major disaster, such as a fire, flood, computer meltdown or a burglary.

The Back IT Up Mate service at a cost of around $9 a month for a typical home user is ridiculously affordable compared to the Christchurch claims for business continuance insurance that would run into many millions of dollars.

Mr Carr-Gomm said online, offsite backup should be part of an insurance plan for anybody with a home computer or a network operated by a server. The Geeks on Wheels technicians are recommending their clients subscribe to Back IT Up Mate when they make their regular visits.

Silverstream Lions Club members and long-time Wellington IT executives David Irving (formerly chief executive of Synergy) and Rex Bullard (a director of LANTECH) said they looked at the technical aspects of the Back IT Up Mate system and are very satisfied with recommending it to the general public, families and their friends.

“With more than 1.2 million computers in New Zealand there is a real need for this type of service,” Mr Irving said. “After an initial three months for the Christchurch earthquake, the Back IT Up Mate donations will be directed to key charities throughout New Zealand.”

ENDS

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