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Written by: James Ponds
Downtime that is caused by network issues can have a severe impact on your business. The best way to avoid network downtime is by preventing it.
While having an incident management plan in place to respond to issues when they occur, it is more beneficial and cost-effective to prevent these situations from the start. Keep reading to find out about the most common network-related problems and what you can do to keep them from happening in your business.
Issues with Misconfiguration
Did you know that misconfiguration is responsible for up to 80% of all unplanned outages in your network and business? You can reduce the possibility of these mistakes resulting in the configuration by using automation. With this, you can deploy changes, instead of setting the parameters manually. Make sure you test all the configurations in a secure environment before making any changes on the devices used daily.
Security Breaches
Issues related to security failures can let unauthorized traffic take down an entire network because of an excess load. Be sure you have the right security controls set up to help keep potential intruders from overloading the network and causing it to crash.
Older Equipment
Any type of unsupported device or obsolete software can result in serious issues. Ensure you are proactive when planning for upgrades and replacing any out-of-date equipment that is still being used.
Human Error
Along with issues related to configuration problems, individuals may make mistakes that are as simple as just unplugging the wrong cord or not knowing the right procedure. You can avoid these issues by properly training your staff and ensuring proper documentation, including putting labels on all the devices in the workplace.
Incompatible Changes
With this situation, you are not dealing with configuration changes that were made by mistake or misconfiguration. These issues will arise when a change that you intend does not work appropriately with your other equipment. You can avoid these issues by testing any changes made and new devices in a protected setting before you begin using them. You can also reduce problems if you have accurate records that are up-to-date and current devices with the latest settings. With all this, you can find and deal with any incompatibilities before they become an issue.
Issues Related to Hardware Failures
All devices, regardless of how new they may be, can fail. Be sure that you perform regular maintenance and invest in patches when needed to keep your devices updated and to reduce your risk. It is also possible to reduce the impact of device failure by building redundancy to help prevent any single point of failure and keep this from impacting your entire business or network.
Power Failures
You need a backup power supply to protect you from a power outage and cause a complete shutdown. It is a good idea to connect your redundant devices to different power circuits, too. By doing this, you can feel confident that just one circuit outage will not shut down the network or service entirely. You can also invest in a UPS, which will provide you with an additional layer of protection and peace of mind that your network will not experience a potentially devastating interruption.
Avoiding Errors, Mistakes, and Downtime
You can avoid many of these errors if you maintain adequate records and reduce your team's total amount of work by implementing automation. When you monitor and invest in preventative maintenance, you will find this goes a long way when it comes to minimizing issues related to equipment failures that may cause your entire network to fail.
In some cases, hiring a third-party company to help with risk reduction will pay off, as these services are trained to find issues and ensure they do not create problems for your business. Being informed and knowing what to expect are the best ways to ensure that you get a high level of uptime your business needs and requires.