What is Network Downtime?

• Network Downtime Definition

  Network Downtime Definition

  Network downtime refers to the inaccessibility of a network due to the failure of a particular system, application, or the entire network of a company. Downtime could occur due to maintenance activities, power cuts, or unexpected technical failures. The impact of such interruption may vary for every organization, depending upon its size, customer base, and service capabilities.
• How to reduce network downtime

  How to reduce network downtime

  Network outages can immensely disrupt a company’s routine operations. Besides revenue and productivity loss, your company's critical information can be lost during unplanned downtime, further delaying your recovery process. Frequent server outages or service interruptions decrease trust in your brand, leading to bad publicity and a higher customer churn rate.

  There are some ways to help minimize network downtime, including:

  • Perform root cause analysis: Identification of the problem source is vital to reduce network downtime. Gather critical information about all your network devices using network diagnostic and monitoring tools. Analyze the network's historical and real-time performance data via dashboard visualizations and compare multiple metrics such as device status to identify the root cause of the problem. Automation tools can also provide centralized monitoring capabilities, allowing your network teams to track every issue closely and accelerate the incident resolution process.
  • Leverage multiple communication strategies: Formulate robust internal communication strategies to reduce the longevity of unplanned downtime. IT staff members resolving the network issues must exchange information regarding failed devices or applications with minimum resistance for quick diagnosis and error resolution.
  • Promote transparency during incident management: Network administrators and other key stakeholders must have complete knowledge about the remediation actions taken to resolve a network issue after its occurrence. With automation tools, you can ensure transparency in the entire incident management process by delivering regular updates to concerned parties. It also helps admins quickly identify network personnel handling a particular issue and the amount of time they need to resolve it.
• What can cause network downtime?

  What can cause network downtime?

  Outlined below are some common key causes of network failure:

  • Human errors: Some common errors during network administration include ignoring documented procedures or applying illegitimate shortcuts for device setup and repair and accidental unplugging of cables or detaching power plugs from key network devices such as routers.
  • Equipment failure: Physical devices in a network can fail anytime, no matter how meticulously they’re engineered. Common triggers of equipment failure or crashes include overheating, outdated firmware, and improper care or maintenance.
  • Incorrect configurations: Faulty device configuration is among the top reasons for network outages. The failure of network admins in copying the changes from running to baseline configuration files increases the risk of corrupt devices, which can lead to IT downtime.
  • Power failure: A company network can crumble quickly during a power outage. Besides lengthy downtime, power outages can result in the loss of sensitive data and damaged network inventory.
  • Natural disasters: Calamities such as earthquakes and tornadoes can damage or destroy your network devices, power backups, and communication systems without any prior alerts.
• Potential costs of network downtime

  Potential costs of network downtime

  Lost revenue: A downtime incident often slows down the customer-facing applications and systems of a company, resulting in a significant revenue loss. For example, a website crash or unresponsiveness due to server failure can cause thousands of dollars of loss per hour to an e-commerce company.

  Declined productivity: Network outages often restrict employees from performing their daily tasks or duties. However, it still requires companies to pay them as per contracts. Every non-working hour for employees can stretch project deadlines further with monetary and productivity losses.

  Recovery costs: Recovery from network outages can be a costly affair. It includes various expenses, such as employee overtime charges, equipment repair and maintenance fees, and data recovery costs, organizations often bear to reinitiate their operations.

  Intangible Costs: These indirect costs of a network failure can badly damage a company's reputation. Network failures often result in client dissatisfaction, declining stock prices, poor public relations, and a higher customer churn rate for a company.
• What are the differences between planned and unplanned network downtime?

  What are the differences between planned and unplanned network downtime?

  Planned downtime is a specific period during which IT staff performs network repair or maintenance activities, such as device configuration updates and system diagnostics. These activities are typically scheduled outside regular business hours to avoid sales and productivity losses.

  Unplanned downtime, in contrast, is an unexpected breakdown of a network. It can emerge from various reasons such as poor equipment maintenance, human errors, and power loss. Unlike planned downtime, determining the exact amount of time and resources required to recover from unplanned outages is often challenging for network teams. 
• How to avoid network downtime

  How to avoid network downtime

  Invest in high-quality network equipment: High-quality equipment can improve your network resiliency in extreme conditions. Simultaneously, network teams should regularly review critical device details such as end-of-life information in network inventory to detect and replace older equipment. Prolonged use of such equipment can slow down network operations.

  Update firmware regularly: Outdated devices are more vulnerable, so IT teams must regularly install updates and patches to devices and applications for improved network stability and security.

  Employ network monitoring tools: Network monitoring software can help minimize outages with proactive monitoring and early detection of network issues. Monitoring tools allow network admins to track the real-time status of network devices and receive alerts of unusual activities, such as high CPU utilization and automatic server reboots. Real-time network analysis helps admins rectify the potential issues that can cause trouble at a later stage.

  Frequent server backups: Backing up servers helps ensure quick restoration of network operations after a failure. Regularly test backup servers, both physical and virtual, to ensure they’re working as intended. Having both on-site and cloud backups is also crucial for maximum safety during a server failure.   

  Investigate your facility: Regular facility tests are critical to ensure smooth server room and data center operations. IT teams must detect and troubleshoot threats such as damaged cables, high equipment temperatures, and airflow blockages; these can heavily damage network infrastructure, resulting in unplanned downtime.