Top 7 Reasons for Network Downtime & What to Do About It
What Is Network Downtime?
Network downtime occurs when there are problems with or interruptions to an organization’s computer networks that cause them not to function properly. These disruptions may occur due to hardware failure, software malfunctioning, human error, natural disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc., or other causes. When you have network downtime, you lose access to data stored on computers connected to those networks. You also lose access to applications running on those systems.
Network downtime can be the result of a number of issues. Whatever the cause is, you don’t want to have to deal with downtime for too long. The longer it takes to get everything running as it should be, the more your business could suffer the consequences. Knowing some of the key reasons for network downtime can help you to prevent and treat downtime.
What Is Unplanned and Planned Downtime?
The Importance of Planned Downtime
While both types of downtime involve unexpected events, planned downtime involves scheduled maintenance activities. Scheduled downtime allows companies to plan ahead so that they know what needs to happen before things go awry. By planning ahead, companies avoid unnecessary expenses and customer frustration.
Why Do Companies Plan Their Own Downtime?
Companies schedule downtime for many reasons. Some organizations simply like to keep track of how much time they spend working on various projects. Others choose to take advantage of the downtime to perform routine maintenance tasks.
Unplanned downtime happens when something goes wrong in your system unexpectedly. This usually means that someone has made a mistake while trying to fix a problem.
For example, if you’re using a new piece of equipment and it doesn’t work correctly, then this will likely lead to unplanned downtime. If you use old technology but need to update it because newer versions offer better performance, then this might require unplanned downtime.
Unplanned network downtime is the most costly type
It costs money to replace faulty components, repair damaged parts, and restore lost functionality. In addition, customers often become frustrated by having their services interrupted during these times. They expect uninterrupted service from businesses they do business with regularly. Therefore, unplanned downtime is one of the biggest risks facing any company today.
Unplanned downtime occurs when there are problems with systems or components that cause them to fail unexpectedly. These issues usually happen because of hardware failure, software bugs or human error. The most common causes of unplanned downtime include:
Hardware Failure – Hardware failure includes anything from faulty equipment to power surges. When you have a problem with one piece of equipment, such as a router or switch, other devices connected to that device will also go down.
The Cost of Network Downtime
Contingency Planning for Network Downtime
If you’ve ever been involved in contingency planning for network downtime, you’ll understand why it’s important to prepare yourself now. It’s never easy to predict exactly when a major outage will occur. However, you can reduce the impact of downtime by being prepared. For instance, you can make sure that all critical processes run smoothly even after a disruption.
You can also ensure that you have enough staff available to handle any emergencies that arise. There are many intangible costs associated with network downtime. Some examples include:
Lost productivity: Employees are unable to work entirely due to an interruption in connectivity. You may lose revenue if employees aren’t able to access information about orders, inventory levels, etc.
Customer dissatisfaction: Customers who rely heavily upon online communication channels may be less than pleased if they experience outages.
Lost revenue: The primary cost of network downtime is lost revenues. Customers who experience outages typically don’t return until the issue is resolved. As a result, you miss opportunities to sell additional products or services.
Increased operational costs: Unscheduled downtime increases operating costs. Your IT team must be ready to respond quickly to address any issues that arise. Additionally, you should invest in backup solutions to protect against data loss.
Loss of reputation: A customer who experiences network downtime may not come back again. This could affect future sales.
Damage to brand image: An organization’s name and logo appear on everything it does. Any damage done to its reputation through poor networking practices could negatively impact its overall success.
Top 7 Reasons for Network Downtime & What to Do About It
1. Human Error
It’s important to never underestimate the impact of human error. Even with the correct training, knowledge, and instruction, people make mistakes. It’s difficult to prevent all mistakes, so it’s essential to be aware of the impact that human error can have. However, although you might not be able to prevent all human error, you can put measures in place to tackle it. Technology is often the best way to prevent human error, automating security and other tasks. Training can also be an important way to reduce human error, giving employees the skills and knowledge that they need.
2. Understaffed IT Departments
Not all businesses can afford to staff a full IT department. Even if you have the budget, you might not have the necessary space or could even struggle to make the right hires. When you don’t have enough IT staff, there are many things that can go wrong. You might not have the people required to deal with any security problems that arise, let alone take steps to improve your business’s IT security. This issue can often be solved by outsourcing your IT. A managed services provider can offer you the benefits of a whole IT department, plugging the gaps where your own team needs help.
3. Old Equipment or Applications
Outdated hardware or software can also be a significant cause of network downtime. Naturally, older equipment and applications are more likely to fail and may not be up-to-date. Older applications might no longer benefit from updates from the developer, which leaves them vulnerable to security issues. When something isn’t working as it should or has crashed and won’t come straight back to life, it can prevent your business from doing a huge number of tasks. While you’re waiting for an application to relaunch, for equipment to be repaired, or to repair a security issue, you need to suffer the problem of network downtime.
4. Server O/S Bugs
Bugs in server operating systems can cause major issues with network downtime. Servers need to be maintained to prevent a variety of issues and avoid downtime. Bugs in the operating system of a server can be exploited and they can lead to a range of problems that leave your servers down for too long. If you want to ensure your servers remain operational, you need the right people to maintain them. For many smaller businesses, the best solution to this is not to have their own servers on-site but to use a shared server or manager server.
5. Incorrect Configurations
Downtime is often a result of incorrect configurations. In fact, it is a major cause of network downtime and needs to be tackled in order to improve IT security. Configuration management is an important part of managing security and preventing downtime for any business. To manage network configurations, businesses need to make sure to take inventory of their network systems, develop and deploy standard configurations for devices, and protect configurations against changes.
6. Hardware Failures
Hardware failure can prevent one person from doing their work, but it can also create wider network downtime. When hardware fails, it could take a network offline for a long time before the problem can be fixed. It might be necessary to bring someone in to repair the hardware, or it might need to be rebooted or serviced in some way to get it functional. Hardware failures can be prevented by maintaining hardware and preventing issues that could cause them.
7. Software Failures
The software can also fail and cause network downtime. Software problems are often caused by a lack of maintenance, resulting in updates not being performed. This can lead to bugs or vulnerabilities that cause problems. Software needs to be maintained and monitored, as well as reviewed to ensure it still provides the right level of security. Software failures can be caused by cyber-attacks such as ransomware, so security needs to be robust to prevent these problems from occurring.
A managed service provider can help to prevent network downtime by tightening security. Managing all of your business’s IT needs ensures security issues are controlled and everything is maintained to prevent downtime.
Why Work With a Managed Service Provider?
Outsourcing Network Operations Center Services When your business relies on Internet-based communications, you need reliable connections between your office and remote workers. If you’re looking for expert help managing your networks, consider outsourcing this function to a professional managed services provider. An MSP provides comprehensive support for multiple types of networks including wireless LANs, VPNs, VoIP, IP telephony, video surveillance, security cameras, firewalls, routers, switches, servers, storage area networks, virtual private clouds, and more.
Benefits of Outsourcing IT Operations to ExterNetworks
ExterNetworks offers several benefits over traditional methods of providing these services. These include:
Cost savings: By using our expertise, we save you money because we know how to keep things running efficiently without breaking the bank. We provide 24/7 monitoring so there won’t be any surprises during off-hours. Our technicians monitor each service regularly to identify potential problems before they become serious. They perform routine maintenance tasks like software updates, virus scans, backups, and system upgrades.
Benefits of ExterNetworks 247 Network Operations Center Monitoring We offer round-the-clock monitoring of all critical systems. In addition, we will notify you when something goes wrong by sending email alerts. The following are some other reasons why you might want to use us as your outsourced IT operations center :
24×7 Support – No matter what time of day or night, our experts are always here to assist you. Whether you call us at 8am or 2pm, we’ll answer your questions promptly.
Increased Network Uptime with ExterNetworks – You can rest assured knowing that your network is secure and up and running around the clock.
Reduced Costs – Because we have access to resources such as hardware, software, and personnel, we can reduce overhead expenses while increasing productivity.
Improved Reliability – Since we work closely with your staff, we understand their needs and concerns. Therefore, we can anticipate problems before they occur.
Enhanced Security – We take extra precautions to ensure that only authorized users gain access to sensitive information.
Network Monitoring Services From ExterNetworks
We also offer advanced network monitoring and management solutions designed specifically for small businesses. For example, if you run an eCommerce site, you probably don’t want to spend valuable bandwidth uploading images to your server every time someone buys something from your store. Instead, you should upload photos once per week or month. That way, customers get high-quality pictures but don’t bog down your website with unnecessary data transfers. You can do the same thing with videos.
Expert advice: With decades of experience in the industry, we can help you make smart decisions about technology investments. Contact us today!
