While there’s no doubting the benefits that modern technology can bring to your business, there’s always the risk that something can go wrong. Modern companies are reliant on the internet now more than ever before, particularly with the rise in popularity of cloud computing and web-based apps. As with everything else in the world of business IT, it’s always important to have a backup.
Uninterrupted internet connectivity is one of the most critical aspects in most business continuity management processes. However, between natural disasters and manmade disasters there’s always a reasonable chance that your business is going to experience some unplanned internet outage. In step with our IT support in 30 seconds or less promise, we offer a service to create a backup internet source and keep your business running in the unfortunate event that disaster strikes.
The Cost of Internet Outages
Although reliance on the internet varies by company, the cost of unplanned outages can be enormous, even if your company doesn’t rely on eCommerce business. Lost revenue is usually the biggest concern, since every hour of downtime translates into lost sales. Given that customers have so many choices these days, they are often spoiled for choice, and aren’t likely to give you a second chance.
Lost employee productivity is another high cost associated with outages. After all, there’s little point in paying staff just to sit on their hands all day while they wait for the internet to come back. Unplanned outages reduce productivity, cost you sales, and damage your reputation — driving even your most loyal customers to take their business elsewhere.
Wireless vs. Wired Internet
Wired internet connectivity is essential for almost any business. A wired connection tends to offer the best performance, highest reliability, and lowest latency rates. After all, interference is much less likely to be an issue with a wired connection than it is with a wireless one. However, wired internet does present one major disadvantage – it comes with a failure point, one that IT consultants refer to as the “vulnerable last mile.”
For business continuity, it’s much better to have an internet connection that doesn’t rely on any of the same hardware and infrastructure as your regular wired connection. For example, our NeverDown service connects Truewater client’s networks to 4G LTE wireless mobile networks whenever the internet goes down to offer a low latency and reasonable data transfer rates.
Redundant Internet Connectivity
In just the same way that you need redundant storage devices to safely back up your data, it’s also important to have a redundant internet connection. Keep in mind that redundant systems are more than just backups, they automatically take over should your primary systems fail.
With redundant wireless internet, your firewall pings well-known and reliable online services, such as Google, every few seconds. If none of the services are available, then your connection has probably gone down. However, the firewall will automatically switch over to your redundant internet connection, switching back only once the primary system is working again.
Setting up Remote Sites
It wouldn’t seem reasonable to blame a business for being unable to respond to its customers in the middle of a flood, right? That’s not always the case, and customers are rarely interested in excuses. You need to be able to remain open for business and plan well in advance for any unscheduled outages. With a redundant internet solution, such as NeverDown, you even have the ability to set up a temporary remote site should disaster befall your office.
Unlike wired connections, mobile networks cover almost every area of the country, particularly in regions you’re likely to be doing business. As such, even if your regular business premises is under a foot of water, having a wireless backup connection allows you to relocate with less hassle. As a result, you, your employees, and your customers will be able to enjoy greater peace of mind.
Our NeverDown wireless internet link uses the 4G LTE wireless network to offer speed and reliability should your primary connection fail. If your business depends on a reliable internet connection, call us today and say goodbye to unscheduled downtime for good.
