Making Use of an Internet Backup Line: Worry or be Sorry

One thing that many businesses don't think about is the need to have a second connection to the internet as backup. Most people realize the importance of backing up their data and spend quite a bit of time and energy configuring just the right backup system in case of a disaster or other event where they lose all their data.

But what happens if your internet connection suddenly goes down? What are your customers going to do? Are you willing to lose all that business while your connection is down, especially when you don't know when it will be up and running again? These are not rhetorical questions. They're important questions you must consider if you want to run a successful business.

Depending on the type of connection you use as your primary internet access, you will want to have a different type of connection as your backup.

Cable

Cable, obviously, runs through your cable television lines. While it's not necessary to have cable television in order to make use of the internet service, you're still subject to all the limitations of the cable infrastructure. So if there's an earthquake or if for some other reason your cable lines are knocked out, you won't have access to the internet. Of course, this isn't good for business.

The solution? Have a wireless backup connection. Wireless, or Wi-Fi technology, works through your existing Local Area Network (LAN) connection. Additionally, there are numerous 'hot spots' throughout major cities. While it's best to have your own wireless connection, in extreme emergencies, you should be able to find some place within the city that has a wireless hotspot.

DSL

DSL works by running through your existing phone lines. Like cable, if this is your primary internet connection you're bound to the limitations of the existing infrastructure. Depending on how the telephone lines run in your city, you'll have more or less difficulty when disaster strikes. Since most cities in the United States and Canada have above ground telephone lines, a nasty snowstorm or windstorm could knock your phone lines out for days at a time, leaving you out of business even to customers who weren't affected by the storm.

In order to prevent this loss of business, you can back up your DSL connection with a cable connection. Since cable lines run underground, it's not likely that both the telephone lines and the cable will be out at the same time. In fact, because cable lines run underground, the infrastructure is more stable and the chances of that going out are slim. While it might not be as desirable to have to go through a cable connection, it's better than not having any internet at all.

The virtues of backup

When deciding on which type of backup connection to use, make sure you keep in mind that you want to your backup connection to be different from your primary connection. This way in the event that you need to use your back up, both connections won't be down at the same time.

No business owner wants to lose business for something as silly and preventable as a downed internet connection. Not only will you waste your time and money, but you'll also kick yourself for not taking the simple step of having a backup connection. No one plans on having a disaster occur, but sometimes things happen that are beyond your control. When disaster does strike, it's better to be prepared and ready for it, then to be caught unawares with no way of connecting to the internet.