Questions to ask a network provider
- How resilient is the network you have?
Can they really prove that their network is resilient? What you should look for is the fail-over options and self-healing capabilities of their network. Look for a network with a completely meshed infrastructure that provides alternate routes to key points to ensure traffic is automatically rerouted if one connection fails. Ask how many suppliers support the network, and whether the vendor has a backup network that can take over in the event of a primary network failure.
- How can you maintain business continuity during a disaster?
In the event of an accident or site failure, a good network service provider can reroute traffic to the homes of employees, using various self-healing options and other methods. This will ensure that businesses continue to be able trade. Ask how they maintain essential services during short-term incidents, such as a power outage. Do they have an emergency plan for home workers or disasters? Do they have at least two data centres connected to each other?
- How can I be sure that my network is secure?
The attacks on networks are diverse but equally damaging. They range from cybercrime, denial-of-service attacks and old-fashioned vandalism where copper and fibre are literally dug up out of the earth. It can be difficult to establish a vendor’s true security credibility when maintaining network security. Is their network security covered by the vendor’s policy? Conformity to industry regulations is a must. Find out about Multi Network Data Sim benefits for your business by visiting www.lister-communications.co.uk/business-mobiles/multi-network-data-sim-cards
- How can you ensure network performance?
You can run more critical business applications with higher speeds and bandwidth. Quality of Service (QoS), contention management, and future plans of the provider for resource availability are all important factors to consider. You should ask how they handle traffic surges. Will you have to pay more to get constant internet access?
