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Backup internet links for business continuity
By Vicky Ogola, Senior ICT Consultant 1 min read
If work stops when the internet does, a second link from a different provider and path is cheap insurance.
Email, cloud applications, payments and phone systems all depend on internet access. For many organisations, an outage means work stops.
Choose genuine diversity
A backup link should not share the same weak points as the main one. Ideally use a different provider and a different technology or physical path — for example fibre as primary and a wireless or cellular link as backup.
Automatic failover
A router or firewall that supports multiple internet links can detect when the main link fails and switch traffic to the backup automatically, then switch back when it recovers.
Decide what runs on the backup
A backup link may have less capacity. Prioritise critical traffic — business applications, payments, voice — over large downloads and streaming.
Test it
Unplug the main link during a quiet period and confirm everything keeps working. Many backup links are discovered not to work during the first real outage.
Watch both links
Monitor each link separately so you know when the backup is in use or has itself failed.
See our business connectivity and network services.
About the author
Vicky Ogola
Senior ICT Consultant
Vicky Ogola writes about network design, connectivity, data centres and the infrastructure that business systems depend on.