A huge part of a modern business’s productivity and success depends on how well their IT infrastructure functions. Even just one IT disaster can single-handedly throw your business into turmoil. Worse, these disasters can strike with little to no warning.
Anticipating and preparing for these threats can therefore be difficult, but they’re necessary to keep your business afloat and save you from significant disruptions and financial setbacks.
Which IT disasters should your business prepare for?
By focusing on the following IT disasters, you’ll be a step closer to protecting your operations, building up business continuity and resilience.
Power outages
Despite advancements in power grid technology, unexpected blackouts remain a common culprit behind IT failures, significantly impacting critical IT systems. In late 2023, for instance, a data center power outage took Cloudflare offline for 40 hours, cutting off countless customers from their services and further damaging Cloudflare’s reputation.
To prevent a similar fate from befalling your business, you need to prepare a backup power supply that automatically activates when primary power goes out, ensuring uninterrupted operations. However, you must be careful of power surges that accompany power restoration, as these can inflict severe damage on equipment. You can mitigate this risk by investing in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and surge protectors. For added protection, consider dispersing your servers across multiple locations with different power grids.
Natural disasters
Natural calamities such as fires, floods, earthquakes, or tornados can severely damage physical infrastructure and compromise valuable data, breaking hardware or destroying entire facilities.
There are several things you can do to prevent this scenario. First, conduct proactive risk assessments to identify the natural disasters that are most likely to occur in your area. This gives you a good grasp of how to plan for specific disasters and ensure business continuity if a crisis occurs. Next, you can implement solutions that would allow you to rapidly transition operations to a remote environment. Cloud-based solutions provide a vital safety net, enabling businesses to maintain operations uninterrupted even when their physical premises are inaccessible. You can further bolster business resilience by adopting remote work policies that allow employees to operate from anywhere. Lastly, you must have data backup and disaster recovery measures in place to quickly and effectively restore any systems disrupted by disasters.
Hardware failure
Even the most advanced hardware is susceptible to failure. While technological advancements have extended equipment lifespans, any hardware will still inevitably break down.
To prevent data loss due to hardware failure, implementing a comprehensive backup strategy is paramount. By regularly backing up data, you ensure that you have access to business-critical information, even if hardware breaks down. Partnering with IT services providers that offer hardware maintenance and replacement services can extend hardware longevity and prevent inconvenient and disruptive failures.
Network interruptions
Network interruptions are a frequent cause of IT disasters. For example, nearby construction work can sever cables, cutting the flow of data. Or, your internet service provider can suffer a technical issue, making your network inaccessible. Network interruptions are especially critical as more IT systems rely on Software-as-a-Service, which requires constant internet connection for essential applications.
Fortunately, affordable solutions have emerged in recent years, such as secondary internet lines that leverage 4G or 5G for backup connections. While this doesn’t solve the root problem, it still minimizes disruption, transforming network outages from disasters to inconveniences.
User error
According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, the human element contributed to 68% of data breaches between November 2022 and October 2023, making human error one of top causes of IT disasters. Human error encompasses everything from downloading a virus unintentionally to mishandling sensitive data.
You can mitigate human error through extensive training on recognizing cyberthreats, following security protocols, and using devices and software correctly. And because a huge percentage of human error stems from weak passwords and insufficient password management, it’s essential to specifically address these issues. Utilizing password management applications can help by creating strong, unique passwords and storing them safely. Additionally, creating a work environment that makes employees feel comfortable reporting errors without fear of punishment can further help address mistakes swiftly, containing issues before they can cause bigger problems.
Be ready for any IT disaster with Liberty Center One
IT disasters can strike at any time, but with proper planning and precautions in place, you can reduce their impact and, in some cases, even their likelihood. What’s more, by partnering with a technology expert, you can access experts with specialized disaster recovery skills and solutions.
Prepare your business for the worst by speaking to a Liberty Center One expert. Contact us today.