Hardware Protection

Here is a list of equipment most often used today to protect hardware:

• Uninterruptable power suppliers (UPS)
• Surge protectors
• Security monitoring devices

If you do not already have these items in place, you should consider installing them. The initial investment could be justified many times over in the event of a disaster.

You should consider minimising the risks of theft of your computer by taking sensible precautions:

• Be aware of the problem of opportunistic theft, although this is unlikely to be your file server, computers or particularly laptops in consulting rooms left unattended for a few minutes are vulnerable.
• Make sure you know who all visitors are. Patients should be booked in and other visitors supervised.
• Your reception area should as far as possible not have visible computer terminals. Screen computers with filing cabinets or screens in order to hide them..
• Security mark your machines, to help in recovery.
• Lock up the surgery premises properly and install burglar alarms, security grilles and lockable shutters.
• Physically bolt your computers to the desk and chain the monitor. Computer suppliers have a range of products.
• Consider purchasing an audible alarm which is triggered by a motion detector. For networks, Netlock (from Hillier-page) can be installed.
• Chassis locks can prevent computer cases being opened easily, so preventing chip thefts. Keys should be held by the practice manager.

• Never move a computer when it might be writing to disk. The safest approach is to avoid moving it at all while switched on.
• Ban the use of drinks near the computer or keyboard.
• Don’t trail cables, which could accidentally pull out a plug.
• Don't try and mend equipment yourself, get expert help.
• Don't place computers next to radiators, water pipes and other sources of heat or dampness.