How to Prevent Network Downtime

It goes without saying that every business relies heavily on its network connection. In fact, it’s believed that almost 97% of businesses in the world cannot operate without a connection to the web. Without one, not only do you run the risk of disruption to everyday operations, but there can also be financial repercussions if customers and clients are unable to access services or products due to a slowed-down or non-functioning network. 

By implementing simple preventative measures, your business can enjoy reliable internet and network coverage without worrying about costly downtime, and as an added bonus, it will help you to be better protected from cyberattacks too! 

To be fully prepared for whatever might happen in the future, it’s important to know the ins and outs, so let’s look at network downtime; what it is, how to protect against it, the potential impacts of it on a business and how to make sure you’re always on top of any network situations. 

What is Network Downtime?

In today's fast-paced digital world, network downtime has become a concern for many businesses. Simply put, network downtime refers to the period of time when a network or system is unavailable or not functioning properly. 

During this time, companies can experience a range of negative effects, such as lost revenue, damaged reputation, and decreased productivity. Some common causes of network downtime include hardware failure, software glitches, cyber attacks, and natural disasters. 

What Methods Can Minimise Network Downtime?

To say that network downtime can be a business's worst nightmare is an understatement. One small glitch can disrupt entire networks, leading to major losses in productivity, reputation, and revenue. Fortunately, there are several effective methods to minimize network downtime.  

Run Internal and External Analysis

Running internal and external analysis can help identify potential issues before they result in downtime. By analyzing your network infrastructure, you can assess your system's strengths and weaknesses, identify potential threats, and develop contingency plans. 

It may sound daunting, but it's worth it in the long run (pun intended). Take the time to evaluate your network regularly, and you'll be able to prevent future downtime headaches. If you run internal and external analysis regularly, your productivity (and mental state) will thank you.

Generally speaking, at the very minimum, a business should be performing a network analysis at least once a year. 

Ensure you Are Using Quality Equipment

One crucial aspect of preventing downtime is ensuring that quality equipment is used. Quality equipment is not prone to frequent breakdowns and is often covered by warranties or support from the manufacturer. In contrast, using lower-quality equipment may seem cost-effective initially, but can end up causing more trouble in the long run with frequent breakdowns or compatibility issues. So make sure that you invest in good quality hardware and software to ensure reliable performance.

Have a Redundant Network Connection

A redundant network is a backup system that is designed to ensure that traffic is distributed across multiple paths or links, enabling the continuous flow of data even if one link fails. This can help businesses reduce network downtime, improve reliability, and increase data transfer speeds.

Redundancy can be achieved through several methods, such as using multiple service providers, multiple network paths between nodes or devices, and parallel links. In the event that one link fails, the duplicated path or backup link can automatically take over to ensure that the network remains functional. As a result, redundant networks can help improve network reliability, minimize downtime, and maintain a consistent level of performance even when there are technical challenges or failures.

If you’re starting a new business, it’s a good idea to have a redundant network connection before you even open the metaphorical doors. 

Employ a Backup Power Connection

It is highly recommended that all businesses invest in a backup power connection to reduce the possibility of network downtime. Backup power provides an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for the network and servers, ensuring that they remain operational even during unexpected power outages. This can prevent data loss, reduce downtime, and maintain business continuity, even during unforeseen events. For instance, if a sudden power outage occurs, the backup power supply can provide power to the affected equipment until the main power is restored.

To begin the process of implementing a backup power connection, businesses should first assess their power needs and determine the type of UPS that best suits their requirements. They can consider options such as online, line-interactive, or standby UPS, depending on their need for continuous power supply and equipment protection. 

It’s also integral that once a UPS is installed, it should also be tested regularly, maintained properly, and have enough battery capacity to keep a network up and running in case of a power disruption. 

Switch to Cloud-Based Network Management

Cloud-based network management involves hosting network infrastructure and management software in ‘the cloud’ rather than on-premises, providing benefits such as scalability, ease of access, and remote management capabilities. This can help businesses improve network performance, reduce downtime, and enhance security, as providers typically offer proactive network monitoring and management services to prevent and mitigate potential issues.

To begin the process of switching to cloud-based network management, businesses should evaluate their current network infrastructure and determine their requirements for scalability, security, and resilience. 

They can then research cloud-based network management providers and consider factors such as pricing, features, reliability, and support. Additionally, businesses must ensure that their network is well-designed, secure, and optimized for cloud delivery, including the adoption of best practices for cloud migration, such as data backup, encryption, and disaster recovery planning. 

Leverage Enterprise-Level Infrastructure

Enterprise-level infrastructure refers to high-quality and highly resilient hardware and software that is designed to support business-critical applications and operations. This infrastructure includes storage, servers, networking devices, and other components that are engineered for high performance, scalability, and availability.

To leverage enterprise-level infrastructure, businesses should first assess their current network infrastructure and identify areas that need improvement. They can then consider upgrading to enterprise-level hardware and software to support their business-critical applications and processes. In this case, leveraging enterprise-level infrastructure would involve investing in high-performance servers, network switches, storage arrays, and other hardware and software components. 

By leveraging enterprise-level infrastructure, businesses can ensure that their network is highly available, resilient, and scalable, reducing the risk of network downtime and maintaining business continuity. 

Create a Robust Process For When Your Network Goes Down

It’s highly recommended that all businesses create a robust process for when their network goes down, to minimize the impact of any downtime on their operations. This process should be well-structured and documented, outlining the steps to be taken in the event of a network outage.

To create a process, businesses should first evaluate their network architecture and identify potential failure points. They can then outline a procedure for how to diagnose and troubleshoot network issues, such as unplugging and restarting equipment, checking connections, and running network diagnostics tools.

It’s also very important to have a backup plan in place. This may include a backup power source, redundant network links or equipment, and data backup and recovery processes. In an ideal world, this backup plan would never have to be put into action but it’s much better to have one than not. 

What Are the Costs of Downtime?

Businesses need to understand the potential costs of network downtime, as it can be both financially and non-financially impactful. Financial costs include direct expenses like lost sales, decreased productivity, and overtime payments for employees working to restore the network. In addition, there may be indirect expenses such as damage to the company's reputation and customer dissatisfaction, which can affect future sales and revenue.

Non-financial costs include issues like slowed decision-making, decreased morale among employees, and a decrease in customer trust levels. These can lead to decreased loyalty to the company brand, reduced employee engagement, and increased employee turnover rates. 

Organizations may also face regulatory or compliance fines if they fail to provide adequate security for their customer data or other sensitive information during network downtime.

Steps to Preventing Network Failure

Network downtime is almost an inevitability in the current world. It’s not going to be a common occurrence if measures are put in place to mitigate it. One thing that should be at the top of every IT ‘to do list’ is to create a list of steps that prevent total network failure. 

Always Backup Your Servers

Backing up servers is critical for businesses to prevent total network failure. Servers represent the backbone of most business networks, and a server failure can cause significant disruptions and downtime for the entire organization. In worst case scenario, a server failure could be absolutely catastrophic. 

This is why regular backups of servers are crucial to ensuring business continuity, as they provide quick data recovery and the ability to restore network operations as quickly as possible. If the time in between backups is as small as possible, there’s less chance for major sections of data to be completely lost. 

Monitor the Network 24/7, 365 Days a Year

Monitoring a network continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is essential for businesses to prevent total network failure. Network monitoring helps detect potential network issues or security threats quickly and allows businesses to take immediate action to prevent network downtime. 

It also helps identify performance bottlenecks or issues and provides valuable insights into potential trends and opportunities for network improvement. By implementing a strong network monitoring solution, businesses can ensure uptime, prevent data loss or theft, and minimize disruptions to their operations. 

Monitoring the network can also help businesses to meet regulatory compliance standards and demonstrate a commitment to cybersecurity best practices. Continuous network monitoring is an essential component of any proactive approach to network maintenance and cybersecurity and can, ultimately, prevent complete network failure.

Retain Backup Power

Planning for and investing in backup power is a key element of preventing network downtime and ensuring business continuity. In the event of a power outage, businesses can experience significant downtime, resulting in lost productivity and revenue, as well as damage to their reputation. 

Having backup power solutions, such as generators or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), can provide a safety net, allowing businesses to continue operations and prevent total network failure even when power issues arise. 

It’s important that these solutions are regularly maintained and tested to guarantee their effectiveness in moments of need. Prioritizing backup power solutions is an important step in comprehensive network security and disaster preparedness.

Colocation of Servers

Server colocation refers to housing your company's servers in a secure data center that's designed to handle the complexities of hosting and protecting IT equipment. Colocation offers businesses numerous benefits, but one of the most valuable is the enhanced security and redundancy that comes with having a backup infrastructure in place. 

By housing servers in a data center that is geographically separate from your own location, your organization benefits from redundant power, cooling systems, and internet connections. Data centers also typically have teams of experts who can monitor and address potential issues before they lead to network downtime or failure. For businesses that rely heavily on their IT infrastructure, colocation is a vital step in ensuring reliability and guarding against costly disruptions.

How to Prevent the Risk of Downtime With a Vulnerability Management System

A vulnerability management system helps identify weaknesses within your network and ensures that they are promptly addressed before they can be exploited. By implementing such a system, your business can mitigate the risk of network downtime due to cyberattacks or other malicious activities. 

While the process can sometimes require expert knowledge, it's essential to maintaining the integrity of your IT infrastructure. In some cases,  outsourcing to a company that specializes in cybersecurity solutions, can be an excellent way to ensure that your organization has access to the expertise it needs to implement an effective vulnerability management program. 

Establishing such a system is critical to prevent network downtime, ensure smooth business operations, and protect sensitive data from potential cyber threats.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, if your business relies on even a small amount of network activity, it’s integral to be aware of how to alleviate the pressures, stresses and financial costs caused by network downtime. By implementing strategies to consistently monitor and address potential network issues and threats, you will put your business in the best possible position to operate as normal when the lights mysteriously go out.