These days uncertainty surrounds the atmosphere. While many countries have re-opened businesses and daily operations, some are still in lockdown. Not only that, there is always the uncertainty of a new wave and the reinstation of restrictions.
Covid-19 has affected many businesses, even the top ones. Companies ask themselves if they can handle continuity under challenging times. Many are questioning the capability of their IT infrastructure.
The businesses that have come out to be stronger amidst a pandemic have one thing in common. They all have a well-managed service provider. That is because experienced providers such as Cherry Road Technologies come up with strategic solutions to help your company.
Are you also wondering if your IT infrastructure can manage during uncertain times? Here some questions you can ask yourself about your infrastructure provider to find your answer.
Are They Resilient?
Many infrastructure partners promise you 99 to 100% uptime, but only a
few have lived up to this commitment. No matter how good the providers, their ability to give quality services is limited to regular times. During crises such as natural disasters, city blackouts, etc., you learn their actual competence.
Companies do not expect to find themselves in uncertain situations such as a pandemic. That is why they fail to ask an important question from their service providers. “How did they fare in past crisis?”
An ideal quality you should be looking for in your partner is resilience. Asking them questions like that will help you determine if your infrastructure will be equipped for difficult times or not.
Can They Keep The Equipment Running?
As the pandemic is settling in, working from home has become the new norm. Of course, complying with lockdown restrictions also plays a part in that. In times like these, you should be thinking about your infrastructure provider’s capability.
To maintain a secure network and global connectivity, your provider must have a strong network. They should provide interconnection, whether to a data center or a cloud, or a carrier. Ask yourself the question, “Do they have a fiber network?”
Is Their Customer Service Up To Par?
Is your infrastructure in the hands of an external provider, such as at a data center or cloud? If yes, then you must be fully aware of the risk of poor customer service. Your provider must be accountable for managing the infrastructure.
In difficult times, many partners fail to address their clients’ needs, whether short-term or long-term. Besides that, large colocation centers cannot adapt to changes quickly, unlike small service providers. That is why it is essential to have a partner that will accommodate you every step of the way in uncertain times.
Do They Have A Disaster Recovery System?
Technology has evolved over the years so much that businesses can’t make do without it. Keeping their data safe in uncertain times proves to be a handful task for many companies. They have to maintain regular backups to ensure their operations run smoothly.
For this reason, your infrastructure partner must have a disaster recovery system. Many people assume that all service providers make backups, but that is not the case. It is your IT staff’s responsibility to maintain the software updates and backup regularly.
Service providers such as Cherry Road Technologies have a built-in recovery system to meet their customers’ demands. During uncertain times such as disasters or pandemics, movement is restricted. Hence, it is essential to know whether your providers can extend their capabilities or not.
Will Their Location Hinder The Business?
Finding a service provider in an ideal location is quite the task. Many companies prefer to choose a provider in their vicinity. After all, commuting will be less time-consuming if you have to meet them.
That is why they fail to consider whether the premises will be able to maintain their infrastructure or not. The center does not have adequate staff to run your servers without risks and delays in many cases. Apart from that, some areas are more prone to be affected by power outages and disasters.
You can find a good service provider who can comply with all your demands such as ample space, huge staff, and much more. But many times, situations can be beyond your control. Imagine a power outage in your service provider’s area. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How long will it last?
- Do the outages occur frequently?
- Will your infrastructure be affected?
Is Their Staff Trained For Unlikely Situations?
Many companies are likely to choose a service provider that has significant personnel. People have a misconception that having a sufficient staff will ensure good service. That is because they believe that your hardware won’t be neglected.
But that is not entirely true. A large staff does not necessarily mean good service. It would be best if you always considered the expertise of staff too. Here are some questions to think about.
Do the employees have prior experience with your equipment type?
Can the employees think out of the box if met with exceptional circumstances?
Your company is more likely to sail through uncertain situations if your providers have skilled staff. It would be helpful if you also kept in mind the response time of the team to resolve your issues in typical cases. Then think about whether you can expect them to be better under pressure.
Can Your IT Infrastructure Survive Uncertain Periods?
Those were the main questions that you should think about before choosing any service provider. By asking these questions, you will be doing yourself a favor. You must be aware of how well you know your infrastructure partner.
Were you able to get positive answers to your questions? If yes, you can be sure that your IT structure is well equipped to breeze through difficult times. But if you didn’t, then it is time for you to reconsider your provider. To learn more, visit https:/hopone.cherryroad.com/.