Unplanned server and network downtime can be caused by a number of different events:

• Catastrophic server failures caused by memory, processor or motherboard
failures

• Server component failures including power supplies, fans, internal disks,
disk controllers, host bus adapters and network adapters

• Software failures of the operating system, middleware or application

• Site problems such as power failures, network disruptions, fire, flooding or
natural disasters

To protect critical applications from downtime, you need to take steps to protect
against each potential source of downtime.

Eliminating potential single points of failure is a time-tested technical strategy for reducing the
risk of downtime and data loss. Typically, network administrators do this by introducing redundancy in
the application delivery infrastructure, and automating the process of monitoring and
correcting faults to ensure rapid response to problems as they arise. Most leading
companies adopting best practices for protecting critical applications and data also
look at the potential for the failure of an entire site, establishing redundant systems at
an alternative site to protect against site-wide disasters.

A failure of a critical Microsoft Windows application can lead to two types of losses:

• Loss of the application service – the impact of downtime varies with the
application and the business. For example, for some businesses, email can
be an absolutely business-critical service that costs thousands of dollars a
minute when unavailable.

• Loss of data – the potential loss of data due to an outage can have
significant legal and financial impact, again depending on the specific type of
application.

In determining the impact of downtime, you must understand the cost to your
business in downtime per minute or hour. In some cases, you can determine a
quantifiable cost (orders not taken). Other, less direct costs may include loss of
reputation and customer churn.

The loss of production data can also be very costly, for a variety of reasons. In the
manufacturing environment, the loss of data could affect compliance with regulations,
leading to wasted product, fines, and potentially hazardous situations. For example, if
a pharmaceutical company that is manufacturing drugs does not show all of the
records of its collected data from the manufacturing process, the FDA could force the
company to throw away its entire batch of drugs. Because it is critical to know the
value for every variable when manufacturing drugs, the company could face fines for
not complying with FDA regulations.

Publicly-traded companies may need to ensure the integrity of financial data, while
financial institutions must adhere to SEC regulations for maintaining and protecting
data. For monitoring and control software, data loss and downtime interrupts your
ability to react to events, alarms, or changes that require immediate corrective action.

The bottom line is downtime is very expensive and preventing downtime is the most important factor in any business operation.