Tag Archives: #Downtime

What Does Downtime Mean for Your Business?

Manage Service, , , ,
Two IT technicians having difficulty repairing IT system in a server room - a concept of business downtime.

Your IT system could be the main culprit behind your frequent downtime.

Many business dictionaries agree on the definition of downtime to mean the period in which your equipment, machinery, or workforce is not working. The reasons why you experience it can range from maintenance to technical failure.

This definition of downtime can apply to mainly labor-intensive industries such as construction, distribution, or manufacturing. However, it can also apply to the systems at the heart of your business operations.

Your IT system could be the main culprit behind your frequent downtime. How does this happen? Let’s take a look.

 

Hardware Failure

Wear and tear are inevitable forces when it comes to moving parts of any equipment or machinery. It is not a stretch to imagine that those parts are going to fail at one point or another. This is why routine maintenance is important to keep your equipment in good working order.

Sometimes, though, some of these components can experience a catastrophic failure. Your IT system, which has been monitoring operations all this time, could force your entire operation to shut down. This is to prevent any further damage from destroying your hard work.

The result is unplanned downtime.

 

Software Updates

You’ve probably heard of this statement before, whenever the likes of Microsoft release a new Windows version or major update; let the guinea pigs test out the new software updates before upgrading your own. The purpose is to suss out whether there are bugs that can disrupt your operations or experience.

You may not have that luxury when it comes to enterprise and industrial software. Even with numerous test runs before installation, some bugs may appear during actual operations. The bugs can have various effects on your operations, from silly mistakes and slowing down operations to downright causing havoc.

 

Employee Error

Most modern systems have an IT structure baked into them. It is responsible for the control and monitoring of the myriad components that make it up. While this kind of automation has been important in terms of automating and streamlining production processes, it still needs human input now and then.

That’s where the major weakness lies; with the operator. It is not uncommon to have an employee enter the wrong information into the controls. Depending on the operation parameters, the mistake the worker makes could range from a minor inconvenience to an expensive breakdown both in time and money.

 

Internet Outages

The IT systems running your operations are superb. The level of convenience they offer your company is unparalleled, and frankly, you wouldn’t have it any other way. The best part is, you can monitor operations over the internet, and even make changes when needed.

An internet outage occurring at the wrong time can mean loss of access to information crucial to the running of your operations. Not only does this affect output, but it can also lead to downtime when the system is waiting for input from you.

 

You Don’t Have to Suffer Downtime.

Some things can inevitably go wrong from time to time. However, how quickly you get back up is a great determinant of success. Not only is downtime a loss of productivity, but it also means you have less output for the market. It ultimately ends up impacting your company’s bottom line.

What you require is a team of qualified and experienced experts monitoring your IT systems, and being proactive to prevent your systems from experiencing downtime. That is where we at SystemsNet come into play.

We have designed packages that can suit various small and medium enterprises such as yours. Are you interested in such a program, but have no idea where to begin? Get in touch with us. We’d love to help you succeed.

What does downtime mean for your business

Manage Service, , , ,
Employee working in an office showing frustration over their company's system downtime.

Losing productivity due to device misconfiguration any other system downtime issues?

Nowadays, most companies rely on cloud-based networks to offer their products and services. It is, therefore, crucial to have a solid IT infrastructure. Unscheduled downtime can affect your business in many ways, including reduced productivity, lost customers, reputational damage, and high remediation costs. Whenever the IT system gets downtime, your small business will suffer.

According to research by Gartner, the average cost of downtime per minute is $5,600. For one hour, the cost can go up to between $14,000 and $540,000. However, the cost varies depending on business size and industry. It is crucial to understand how a system downtime affects your organization’s operations.

Causes of downtime

Let’s begin by looking at the causes of downtime. Here are some main causes.

Human error

Human error is a common cause of unplanned downtime. Employees can unplug cables, or delete data accidentally, which could lead to downtime. Fortunately, you can reduce human error through regular training of your employees.

Hardware or software failure

If you are using obsolete hardware or software, you increase the chances of a system outage. Applying patches without testing them first can cause the entire application to become corrupt.

Natural disasters

Floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes can affect the power supply, which can lead to damage. Natural disasters can lead to downtime if they extend for longer.

Device misconfiguration

Configuration errors create security gaps in the network and thus make it vulnerable to cyberattacks. You can avoid misconfiguration errors by automating the process. Make sure you test the configurations in a last before you implement them to your system.

Consequences of downtime

When you are unprepared, you’ll have to deal with the consequences of downtime. The effect of the downtime can either be long-term or short-term, depending on the frequency. Here are some consequences of downtime.

Lost productivity

Losing network access in your business could bring your workplace to a stop. If you are like most companies, then you rely on online communications. Critical systems will become unavailable when there is downtime. You use task management systems, virtual chat software, email, and customer support systems. Your employees will not have work to do when your business experiences downtime. You’ll end up paying rent and salaries even though there was no meaningful work due to the downtime.

Data loss

Downtime not only affects your business but your clients as well. When there is downtime due to cyberattacks, it can result in stolen or damaged data. Any unexpected downtime can expose your customer’s data to cybercriminals. Most companies back up their data to avoid unexpected data loss. Organizations that rely on big data analytics to make their decisions can lose their data resources when downtime occurs.

Lost business opportunities

If you do substantial business online, loss of network means that your customers will be unable to find your products or services. Fewer customers means your revenue will be reduced. A downtime makes it impossible to connect with your customers. Employees will be unable to offer support since they don’t have the necessary tools. Therefore, a downtime can drive away your prospects and existing clients.

Damaged brand image

Customers expect a seamless experience every time. Downtime is unacceptable and delays are just intolerable. All it takes to damage your brand’s image is a single downtime event. When you get repeated downtime, your customers will be unhappy and they’ll leave bad customer reviews.

One way you can minimize downtime is by taking a proactive approach to operations and systems maintenance. With the necessary backups, redundant and rollover, you can easily eliminate downtime. You can get help from a team of experienced individuals monitoring and being proactive to prevent downtime and that is where SystemsNet comes into play. Contact us today.

What Will Happen If I Do Not Have A Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR)?

Data Backup, , ,
A folder containing emergency/disaster recovery plans

Life is unpredictable. Backup Disaster Recovery (BDR) plans are essential.

Backup and Disaster Recovery is an archiving solution that is used to retrieve information that could have possibly been corrupted, lost, or accidentally deleted. Your Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan will instantly become your insurance policy against data breaches and data losses.

If you are operating a small business, your business will be at a higher risk of closing its doors completely within less than a year after the data breach or data loss.

On the other hand, if you are operating a mid-sized business or a large business, you will be at a greater risk of being one of the targets of cyber criminals because of the significant amount of data you possess. Cyber criminals will also target larger businesses because of the financial resources they have to pay high ransoms.

If you instantly lose access to your data, applications, and documents, it does not have to lead to the end of your business. With the right backup and disaster recovery plan, you can significantly reduce your downtime and get your business running again. What can happen to your business if you do not have a reliable Backup and Disaster Recovery plan?

Significant Downtime

We understand it can be difficult to understand the real cost of downtime for your business. Did you know the average cost of downtime to a small business can exceed $8,000? While two of the things you will lose during the downtime are efficiency and productivity, they are not the only things you will lose.

You will also lose a significant amount of data that may have already landed in the hands of the wrong people. You will spend a significant amount of time trying to recover data and trying to get your business operating again.

The Loss of Data

There is more than one cause of data loss. If you do not have a Backup and Disaster Recovery(BDR) plan in place, the data you lost may not ever be recovered. If you suffer a permanent data loss, the amount of data you lost could be worth between $150 to $250 per record. That is certainly a significant amount of money that you will lose once you calculate how many data records have been lost.

The End of Your Business

It is important for you to have an understanding of how important the value of eliminating risks. As mentioned earlier, if you operate a small business, the loss of data or a data breach can lead to the end of your business. Unfortunately, over 50 percent of small businesses that suffer from data losses and data breaches will never recover.

Unfortunately, the loss of data will lead to more than just the loss of money, It will be extremely difficult for your current customers and clients to trust your business. It will also be difficult for potential customers and clients to give your business a chance after learning about the significant data loss or data breach you experienced.

As we have witnessed this year, natural disasters can happen at any time and in any location. Natural disasters can completely alter the state of any business, regardless of the size. It is also important to be vigilant of cyber criminals who can attack at any time. Natural disasters, malware, ransomware attacks are happening every year, and you have to understand that these disasters and attacks can lead to irreversible damage to your business.

You need to have a backup and disaster recovery plan in place or you can find yourself in a difficult position to recover. If you do not want to put the current state of your business and the future state of your business in jeopardy, please do not hesitate to contact SystemsNet for more information on how you can implement an effective BDR plan.