business
‘‘
TALKING
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
But look at it from the consumer’s
perspective: “You’re doing maintenance, on
your systems, to comply with your legislation.
But I’m losing out as a result.” Suddenly,
planned downtime doesn’t look like quite
such a reasonable prospect.
Even when the eventual aim of it is to
safeguard consumer finances, it’s hard to
escape the feeling that the average customer
has a fairly hard deal in not being able to do
so much as check their bank balance, pay an
electricity bill or access essential services for a
couple of days. And it’s increasingly arguable
that businesses who plan downtime should
spend more time looking for ways to keep
a viable minimum number of their services
open. Rather than resting on a ‘planned
downtime’ excuse that’s beginning to look a
bit ‘computer says no’.
Essential services must
remain essential
While the Barclays case is interesting (as well
as apt for highlighting the relevancy of this
issue) the problem of planned downtime
is not just applicable to the business or
financial communities. Any industry, sector
or organisation that provides a service that
may be deemed ‘essential’ has to start
thinking about how technologies can ensure
their customers are able to access everything
they need to – especially when it’s as
simple as isolating one server for backup
or maintenance, so that another can keep
things going.
“
THE
COMPROMISES
PEOPLE ARE
PREPARED
TO MAKE FOR
EXCITING
INNOVATIONS
BEGIN TO
DISAPPEAR AS
THEY WANT
MORE AND WILL
ACCEPT LESS
INCONVENIENCE
AND DELAY TO
GET IT.
Any large consumer-facing organisation
or business, can use emerging solutions
that allow vital work to take place, while
the frontline stays online. For example,
using backup data to sandbox a particular
production scenario. Which has the dual
benefit of keeping vital systems online,
and producing more accurate results than
a standard, one-application sandbox that
wouldn't take into account the intricacies of
an actual live IT network.
This kind of approach to maintenance
brings downtime in line with consumer
expectations, in that (unless disaster strikes)
there won’t be any. But it still ensures that
systems are well-kept and fully up-to-date.
The next evolution of availability
As recently as five years ago, we as
consumers or businesses would accept or
understand unplanned downtime as part
of our digital experience. Innovators were
trying to do interesting things to make lives
easier. And if that meant a little disruption
every now and then, so be it.
But gradually expectations change. Better
tech generally breeds more impatience and
less willingness to wait for a service. Scheduled
downtime starts to make headlines. And,
eventually, it becomes an issue which is worth
switching providers to avoid.
For businesses, the consumer desire for
better and more consistent service has big
implications. First among which is a new
meaning for availability that doesn't include
‘planned downtime’ within its lexicon. But, as
ever, it’s going to need business and public
sector leaders to adopt a new evolution in
technology to make it a reality. n
“
BRAND
LOYALTY IS AN
ANTIQUATED
CONCEPT WHEN
COMPETITION IS
SO RIFE IN EVERY
MARKET.”
42
INTELLIGENTCIO
www.intelligentcio.com