F E A T U R E

Terry Storrar , Managing Director , Leaseweb UK

dependable on IT services . However , when it comes to switching providers , even well-established businesses are often surprisingly hesitant . The culprit ? The fear of downtime . System outages can lead to lost revenue , frustrated customers and a tarnished reputation – consequences that make even the most performance-hungry businesses think twice . are fully up to date with all continuity and recovery procedures .

Arguably , there is less focus on geo-redundancy as a basis for data replication and backup plans . With the complications and restrictions brought by data sovereignty , more companies are

considering data replication using several suppliers to protect against downtime – rather than spreading data across locations with one data centre operator . This approach might change again once regional and cross-border data sovereignty agreements come into play – for example , the initiative between 12 European Union member states to create a cohesive European sovereign cloud infrastructure .

On a very practical note , data centre businesses should not undervalue the importance of conducting regular testing as part of business as usual . Training staff in this way ensures readiness for

managing downtime caused by a range of scenarios and for implementing a backup plan if and when required .

Simon Yeoman , CEO , Fasthosts

In a world where online presence is everything , organisations of all sizes are

However , clinging to the familiar is no way forward . Businesses shouldn ’ t be deterred from exploring better IT options because they are nervous about the unknown . The answer lies in striking a balance between minimising downtime risk and venturing towards pastures new .

Making the switch

For businesses looking to address the risks posed by downtime , four essential steps must be combined to form a robust provider migration plan .

• Carry out a risk assessment and comprehensive audit : Businesses can unveil potential hazards that exist or may arise during the transition , as well as the consequences to operations . An extensive inventory makes sure that a business has noted all the essential components that need to be transferred in the move .

• Embed a contingency response into the migration plan : This acts as a safety net against data breaches , human error and network outages . A backup system protects businesses

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