The internet goes down. Nobody can reach their files, the video call with the client drops and the phones stop working too. In a modern office, almost everything stops. Nobody can prevent an outage completely. But you can make sure that one outage does not immediately take down the whole building.
Where outages often come from
An internet outage is not always the provider's fault. Common causes are:
- Digging. An excavator hits the cable in the street.
- A broken device. A router, switch or firewall in the building fails.
- Power cuts. If the power drops for a moment, devices restart. Sometimes they do not come back properly.
- A fault at the provider. Then you have little influence yourself, except with a second connection.
- Heat. Network equipment in a warm, poorly ventilated cupboard breaks down sooner.
Step 1: know where you are vulnerable
Start with a simple question: what happens if this part fails? Ask it for the connection, the router, the main switch and the power supply. Anything where the answer is "then everything stops" is a weak spot.
Step 2: a second connection
The biggest gain is usually a second internet connection. There are two forms:
- A 4G or 5G backup connection. It switches on automatically when the fixed line fails. Relatively cheap and quick to arrange. But with less capacity, and dependent on mobile coverage at the building.
- A second fixed connection. Preferably entering the building via a different route (dual entry) and possibly from a different provider. Then one excavator cannot hit both your lines.
Two connections running through the same trench give less certainty than it seems. So always ask how the cables enter the building.
With SD-WAN you can use both connections at the same time. The software keeps choosing the best route and switches over automatically in the event of an outage.
Step 3: power for the network
A small uninterruptible power supply (a UPS) keeps the network equipment running during a short power cut. Then nothing needs to restart. It is a relatively small investment that prevents a lot of trouble.
Step 4: a good place for the equipment
The technical room or patch cabinet must be cool, dry and locked. A cupboard next to the boiler or in a warm storage room is asking for problems.
Step 5: see it coming
With network monitoring, software keeps an eye on the network day and night. If a connection drops or a device gets too hot, the administrator gets an alert. Often before users notice anything.
Step 6: clear agreements
What does your contract with the provider say? How quickly is a fault fixed, and does that also apply in the evening and at weekends? That is in the SLA. A business connection usually comes with better agreements than a consumer subscription.
In a let building it also matters who is responsible for what. Does the connection belong to the owner or the tenant? Who calls the provider when there is a fault? You record that in the IT Demarcation List.
What does this mean for the IT-Label?
How well a building copes with outages is reflected in the levels of the IT-Label. The highest level, IT1+, includes redundant fibre and continuous monitoring, among other things. Want to know how your building performs? Take the free self-scan or request a pre-inspection. Then you will see where the weak spots are.