Server Downtime: Causes, Impact & Prevention Strategies

Server downtime can be very costly to a company as it can cause a large amount of lost revenue. Furthermore, server downtime can make a business lose its customers. Below we will discuss what server downtime is, its causes, impacts and how to prevent it.

What is Server Downtime?

Server downtime is the period during which a server cannot function properly. This situation can be caused by a variety of factors. When it happens, server downtime can be very detrimental to the business and can also be detrimental to customers. 

The easiest example to understand is an online store. Online store revenue can only be obtained if the server experiences uptime or active time. Once the server experiences downtime, the online store cannot get any income at all. If downtime occurs frequently, customers will consider us an unreliable business. 

Causes of Server Downtime

There are many things that can cause server downtime. Below are the most frequent causes and are considered the most significant:

1. Network Errors

Some kind of malfunction on the network can cause server downtime. Unfortunately, this happens quite often. One of the most common is network outages caused by a lack of electricity supply. Network outages can also occur due to hardware malfunctions. 

2. Error in Human Resources

Also commonly known as human error, this is an error that is also very likely to occur. Humans are not perfect and may make mistakes at unwanted times. The cause of server damage is often due to human error. 

Errors that occur due to humans occur due to various things. Even the person who does it can be anyone. Not just new people, but even specialists, the coding experts who are most familiar with how servers work, can make mistakes. Fortunately, if the source of the problem is quickly realized, it can be resolved very easily.  

3. Damaged Back Up

Data being lost or corrupted unexpectedly is not uncommon. Therefore, we should prevent it by having a back up or backup. The problem is, back ups can also get corrupted. We can’t overcome server downtime with a corrupted backup. Sometimes, if the backup is damaged, it will take a long time to fix the server back to normal. Downtime will probably last for a longer time. 

4. Software or Hardware Problems

Servers are very vulnerable to errors that occur in the software. The causes vary, but they are usually caused by misconfigurations or corrupted documents. To fix this, make sure to configure the software properly. 

Problems can also come from the hardware. You need to pay more attention to the hardware fans to avoid overheating. Once it overheats, it will be easy for server downtime to occur. Lack of electricity intake can also be the cause.

5. Cyber Attacks

This last cause of server downtime is the most common. Attacks from hackers turn out to be the problem most avoided by many servers. Sometimes cyber attacks can be overcome easily, but if you are dealing with hackers who are always looking for loopholes, then the downtime will last long enough. 

Impact of Server Downtime

Jika sampai terjadi server downtime, dampaknya yang sangat jelas adalah langsung ke bisnis kita. Server If there is server downtime, the very clear impact is directly to our business. Server downtime will primarily affect businesses that require constant access, such as online retailers. 

The following are some of the impacts of server downtime that are very detrimental:

1. Damaging Business Reputation

The first impact of server downtime is that it can damage our business reputation. Site visitors and customers will start to question whether our business is reliable? Always remember that customers want to get fast and timely service. 

If the server experiences downtime and cannot operate, for just 10 minutes, this will greatly affect the business reputation. If the downtime lasts for hours, of course the business reputation will decline sharply. 

2. Negative Impact on Sales

In short, if visitors can’t access our site, then they won’t be able to make any purchases. Therefore, server downtime will greatly affect sales figures. Of course, it will directly affect revenue. If it happens for hours, the losses incurred can reach a very large number. 

3. Lowering Customer Satisfaction Levels

If you pay attention, a successful business must pay attention to customer loyalty. This can be achieved by providing good products and services. Server downtime is one form of bad service. 

When the server experiences downtime, online customer service will stop. We cannot fulfill customer requests, cannot answer customer questions, and many more. It is very natural that customers are not satisfied and there is a possibility that the business will lose customers. 

Strategies to Prevent Server Downtime

To prevent the occurrence of server downtime which is very detrimental, this situation can be avoided by doing some of the most effective ways below:

1. Regularly Testing Backups

Existing backups should be checked constantly, as some of them may not work. Back up testing will ensure that the server always has a verified backup that can be used whenever backup is needed. We can use a separate server for verification. 

2. Monitor Sites and Applications to Prevent Server Downtime

Another method to prevent server downtime is to monitor software and sites. This way, we will get a complete picture of the server’s functioning. This will make it easier to identify and recognize problems that occur on the server. 

3. Ensure the Infrastructure Used as Required

Providing the right computing infrastructure that suits our needs can avoid the possibility of server downtime. We must ensure that the existing infrastructure is capable of handling our needs. 

In other words, we need to provide strength to the computer system. A weak server will not be able to handle heavy tasks. Sooner or later, a weak server will cause server downtime. 

To avoid server downtime, make sure to use server monitoring services so that server performance is always well monitored. If there is a problem, we will know about it early on and be able to resolve it as quickly as possible, without causing ongoing problems.

As a trusted network monitoring service in Indonesia, Netmonk is ready to monitor the condition of computer networks to ensure their performance is running optimally. Netmonk comes with a 14-day trial. Visit the site and get the trial! 

Reference:

https://glints.com/id/lowongan/downtime -adalah/