The sudden disruption of two cut undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea raised awareness of the importance of having redundant network connections. Secure, fast, and reliable network infrastructure is essential for seamless communication, efficient data management, and operational continuity across industries.
Even minor vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure can cause devastating business losses in today's digital landscape. Network disruptions, internet outages caused by physical damage, cyberattacks, or natural disasters can have significant financial, operational, and reputational consequences.
“The recent disruption of undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea is a wake-up call for businesses and providers alike. This incident isn’t isolated but part of a more significant, growing concern about the vulnerability of critical global infrastructure and the need to consider various risks. Undersea cables are frequently involved in geopolitical tensions, serving as critical assets during conflicts. It underscores the urgent need for resilient, redundant connectivity solutions to ensure continuity in an increasingly interconnected world. We provide reliable and secure network infrastructure that supports businesses in overcoming challenges”.
Opengear's research states that 91% of global businesses face at least one internet outage quarterly, emphasizing the need for better network resilience. Meanwhile, the Annual outage analysis 2023 from Uptime Institute reveals that, similar to previous years, the two most common causes of network-related outages are configuration/change management failure and third-party network provider failure.
Therefore, every business should plan how to avoid these disruptions. Resilient connectivity is the backbone of uninterrupted operations, enabling companies to thrive despite unexpected challenges.
The reasons could be numerous; for example, in July 2024, a routine software update by a cybersecurity company caused a global internet outage. Outage reports from internet users worldwide surged dramatically, hitting around 68 times the usual rate and significantly affecting emergency services. The airline industry was also notably impacted, with reports rising by approximately 50 times the daily average. In comparison, cable and internet service providers saw a more modest increase, with outage reports rising fourfold.
What can you do to mitigate network outage risks?
Although it is impossible to prevent all incidents, businesses and network providers can ultimately adopt a range of strategic measures to significantly mitigate the risks associated with disruptions. By proactively identifying and addressing potential vulnerabilities and implementing robust contingency plans, they can better safeguard their operations and minimize these disruptions' impact on their services and customers. For example, network outages can halt production lines, delay shipments, and disrupt global supply chains. Resilient connectivity supports IoT devices, automation, and logistics coordination, effectively minimizing the risk of downtime. It is also crucial for telecom providers to ensure non-disruptive communication services for their users. Redundant and diverse fiber networks help maintain service continuity and high uptime.
Implement redundant network connections
These incidents are a stark reminder of the importance of redundancy in network connections. Uninterrupted and fast connectivity is essential in financial services, e-commerce, healthcare, and other industries to maintain customer trust and operational integrity. Avoid relying solely on a single cable or connection in a specific region. Multiple network routes ensure traffic can automatically switch to an alternate path if one fails.
Choose a reliable network provider
Selecting the appropriate network provider is essential to ensuring your business gains the maximum advantages of network solutions. Prioritize providers offering diverse routing options, reliability, robust infrastructure, and proactive network management to identify and swiftly resolve issues 24/7 before disrupting your operations. Consider a complete services portfolio, as you will only benefit from choosing a one-stop provider for network solutions and IT infrastructure management.
Maintain always-on digital infrastructure
Redundant infrastructure allows businesses to adapt to unexpected surges in demand, such as during peak usage or crises. Regular maintenance of physical and virtual network components also helps prevent disruptions and ensure uninterrupted connections. A good decision could be to consider cloud-based solutions with multi-region redundancy that remain accessible even if one region faces connectivity issues. This provides an additional layer of resilience.
Network redundancy is part of your disaster recovery plan
Implementing a disaster recovery plan and choosing the right provider wisely is a kind of business insurance that should be carefully evaluated. Preparing for worst-case scenarios is crucial. Backup infrastructure in geographically diverse locations and broad network connections with redundant low-latency routes enable our customers to implement a best-practice disaster recovery plan.
By conducting regular backup tests, you can guarantee that your operations will be restored quickly and efficiently during unexpected outages. This proactive approach will safeguard your business availability and continuity.
Reliable network services for your business
As a Northern Europe green data centers and network provider with over 25 years of experience, Delska provides full-spectrum IT infrastructure services to ensure business continuity in several European locations and a robust and reliable data transmission network.
Our 3000 km fiber network connects businesses in Western and Northern Europe, offering a wide range of data transmission services and advanced connectivity options for telecom providers and companies with complex needs. Our Baltic Highway backbone network facilitates data transmission between Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, and Frankfurt. This network offers high data transfer rates, catering to various needs and efficiently managing data-intensive operations.
Connect your business branches efficiently with regions of high-end user density by choosing comprehensive Delska network solutions:
- Dark fiber: Increase bandwidth capacity, eliminate existing technology constraints and intermediaries or vendor dependencies, reduce latency, connect directly and enhance security with an additional layer of protection.
- Data transmission: Increase fiber capacity with Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) for cost-effectiveness, enhanced bandwidth, and higher capabilities. Secure Layer 2 (L2) to avoid costly investments with ready-to-use Ethernet services and multi-route connectivity.
- Connectivity services: Use international IP transit, peering with backbone providers, to quickly access IT resources and provide better connectivity to your end users.
- Internet Exchange: Increase network efficiency and reach from various locations with fast connections to global IX points.
- Network security: Safeguard your network and IT infrastructure by minimizing downtimes with anti-DDoS protection to prevent cyberattacks.
Unique business needs require custom solutions, and that's where our strength lies. Our network experts are ready to help by building comprehensive solutions adapted to your requirements!