From CRM platforms and virtual meeting apps to online sales, POS systems, and even office printers, the internet is essential for delivering high-quality products and services. However, according to Catchpoint’s 2024 internet Resilience Report, 43% of businesses estimated they lost over $1 million due to internet outages or degradations in the month before the survey.
When the internet goes down, it’s easy to blame the provider. But outages are inevitable, and pointing fingers won’t solve the problem. The solution must come from within the organization.
Understanding internet Connectivity Issues
In July, a global internet outage took millions of computers offline, affecting major airlines, banks, and hospitals. The disruption was caused by a single software update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which affected approximately 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide.
Cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs once described the internet as “held together with spit and baling wire”. This highlights the complexity and evolving nature of the internet, which connects countless systems and devices globally. A disruption in one part of the network can ripple through and impact other systems, as seen with the CrowdStrike update. Given the serious financial and security consequences of internet outages, preparing for them is crucial.
Resilience Comes from Within
After an outage, you might be tempted to fire your service provider. However, Catchpoint CEO and co-founder Mehdi Daoudi explained in an interview with Tech Brew that this isn’t the best solution unless the provider is consistently unreliable. Instead, it’s better to work with your vendors to understand what went wrong and how to be better prepared. Some companies have hired chief resilience officers, but the title is less important than having a leader focused on resilience.
“It’s important that companies embrace resiliency and reliability. How? By encouraging learning from failures, not by firing,” Daoudi told Tech Brew. “What did we learn from this outage? What can we do to strengthen our postures going forward?”
The internet is complex, and outages are a part of that complexity. To protect against the inevitable, businesses must build internal resilience and proactively collaborate with internet vendors to mitigate potential damage.
Take Action Now
Don’t wait for the next outage to disrupt your business. Start building your resilience strategy today. Identify potential vulnerabilities, establish a dedicated resilience team, and work closely with your internet vendors to ensure you’re prepared for any eventuality. Your proactive steps today can safeguard your business tomorrow.
