3 of the Most Common Downtime Scenarios Caused by Technology

We've reached a point with technology that we're totally dependant upon it to accomplish most mission-critical business tasks. This is great for getting business done efficiently, but being dependent upon technology makes operations virtually impossible when technology fails. This is called downtime, and your business needs to be prepared for every downtime scenario possible.

There are enough technology-related downtime scenarios out there to fill multiple binders. To get you started, we'll go over the three most common downtime scenarios caused by technology and then go over what actions you can take to be ready for them.

A Sudden Power Outage
When the electricity goes out, nothing works and operations grind to a halt. Essentially, you and your staff are powerless to do anything when the power goes out. Unless your company has a backup generator prepped and ready to go, your business isn't immune to power outages. A sudden loss of power is especially hard on electronics. For example, your computers have a procedure that the system needs to run every time it shuts down in order to power off properly. A sudden power loss will cut that important shutdown procedure short and put your files at risk of data loss. Having a data backup and recovery solution for your servers is the best way to protect your data from a loss caused by power outages. You can also equip a uninterrupted power supply (UPS) that will provide a contingency that will will shut down your server properly in the event of a power outage.

Using Unreliable Equipment
You may think that you're saving your business money by putting off upgrading your equipment, but if your old equipment has become unreliable and creates downtime by freezing up or causing lag, then it's responsible for downtime. There are times when using old and well-maintained equipment is a great money-saving decision, but when equipment becomes so old that it isn't compatible with newer pieces of technology, then it's due in for an upgrade that will smooth out your system's time-wasting hiccups.

Using the Wrong Equipment for the Wrong Job
Sometimes a piece of technology can be up to date and functioning properly, but the fact that it's the wrong tool for the job will make it a tool for downtime. Take for example the infamous fax machine. Even if your office is equipped with a brand new fax machine that functions properly, it will still cause your organization downtime because it's an inferior communication tool. Taking time to isolate the outdated and inefficient equipment in your office that make tasks harder on employees than it needs to be, and then swapping out this equipment for a better solution, will make the job go much faster (like replacing the fax machine with a fax server solution). By using the correct equipment for the job, you will improve operations and drastically reduce downtime.

It's virtually impossible to do business without the aide of technology, but that doesn't mean you have to experience downtime and lose money when something inevitably goes wrong with it. With help from Directive, you can be ready for a disaster like a power loss, ensure that every piece of equipment on your network is compatible and in good working order, and operate an efficiently by using the right technology for the job. You can be prepared for downtime to strike at any time by calling us at 607.433.2200.