Downtime is a term used to describe the time that a computer or IT system is not operating or is offline. There are many reasons why this can occur, and it can be planned or unplanned. Planned downtime is usually due to IT maintenance. However, unplanned downtime can result from software or hardware malfunctions, human error, or equipment failure.
The Real Cost of IT Downtime
When your IT system goes down, it not only causes a loss in revenue, but it also causes a number of other issues. Firstly, if your IT system is continually going down, it can cause a lack of trust in your employees.
It may also result in your clients or customers losing trust in you, resulting in a loss of credibility for your business. Your brand reputation can take a hit. If your IT downtime persists, there is the potential loss of long-term clients.
How to Avoid IT Downtime
To avoid your business being affected by the cost of IT downtime, here are some simple ways in which you can reduce the frequency of your downtime.
- Identify the cause of the problem so you can work to remove it or reduce it.
- Regularly test your server backups to ensure they are working efficiently and effectively.
- Schedule regular updates for all of your devices, so they don’t automatically update at a difficult time.
- Choose a reliable host for your system.
- Remove unnecessary or ‘junk’ data to keep your system clean.
- Enhance the security of your system to avoid malware or hacker disruptions.
- Employ an uptime monitoring plug-in.
Ideally, use more than one of these methods to improve your IT system and reduce the risks of unplanned downtime.
To learn more about the cost of IT downtime and secure your system, contact OnePointSync, the Ransomware experts, and get a quote today.