If your business relies on technology – and let’s face it, every modern business does – you need a disaster recovery plan to prepare for the worst. An effective disaster recovery plan will streamline the process of getting your systems back up and running after disaster strikes, be it a cyber attack, hurricane, or anything in between.
This blog will discuss the importance of preparing your Houston business for disaster and the solutions you can put in place to strengthen your recovery plan.
Why Is Disaster Preparedness Important for Business Internet in Houston?
Both man-made and natural disasters can disrupt your organization’s critical systems, like Internet connectivity and voice service. Taking the location of your business into consideration is the first step toward creating an effective disaster recovery plan, as some areas are more prone to natural disasters than others.
Houston is no stranger to natural disasters, from floods to hurricanes and more. Some notable events that have impacted business Internet in Houston over the past few years include:
- Hurricane Harvey – Hurricane Harvey swept through Southeast Texas in August 2017, devastating Houston and surrounding areas with heavy rains and flooding that resulted in over 100 deaths and an estimated $125 billion in damage. It also disrupted network, cable, and telephone services for 180,000 homes, 364 cellular towers, and 17 centers that process 911 calls, according to the FCC.1
- Winter Storm 2021 – The winter storm that hit Texas last year resulted in record-low temperatures, impassable roads, and more than 3 million homes and businesses statewide without access to electricity.2 Following the storm, business owners reported $4.1 billion in insurance losses due to disruptions caused by power outages.3
- Heat Waves – The Greater Houston Area has seen record heat waves these past few months, resulting in power demands of more than 75,000 megawatts in June 2022.4 The month prior, high temperatures triggered six power plant failures throughout the state, causing power outages for businesses and homes.5
Safeguard Your Business With These Disaster Recovery Solutions
A comprehensive disaster recovery plan combines proven business continuity and data backup solutions to help your business ensure uptime, reduce data loss, and maximize productivity if a disruptive event occurs. Here are two essential solutions to strengthen your company’s disaster recovery plan:
Data centers
Data centers are an important component of any disaster recovery plan, as they are built to withstand most natural disasters and continue providing network support throughout these events. Colocation and managed server hosting are just two of the services these facilities typically offer. These services involve housing your IT infrastructure in a secured, off-site location where trained technicians monitor power and connectivity around the clock.
PS Lightwave has fiber running to nearly twenty data centers throughout the Greater Houston Area for our customers’ convenience, in addition to our LightHouse Data Center. The LightHouse is a 12,000-square-foot facility located near Houston’s Galleria business district, boasting the utmost attention towards redundant power, cooling, and connectivity to support hardware and hybrid solutions with all the major cloud providers. In addition to 99.999+% power availability, we have employees on site 24/7/365 to ensure your network is connected no matter what.
Network Operations Center (NOC)
A network operations center (NOC) is a centralized location where IT teams – either in-house or third-party – can monitor and manage all aspects of a network. It typically serves as the first line of defense against potential network failures or disruptions, so working with a network services provider that has a dedicated, robust NOC is key for quickly returning from disaster.
PS Lightwave created our local NOC to provide our customers with network reliability and responsive support. Our Tier-2 certified operations teams undergo rigorous training and ensure reliable service for every carrier and client. Through our NOC, we act as your single point of contact, monitoring systems, troubleshooting issues, and providing quality support to keep your Houston business connected. Unlike competitors, PS Lightwave’s local NOC technicians live and know Houston and are here for you and your staff.
Trust PS Lightwave for Reliable Business Internet in Houston
PS Lightwave is a Houston-based business, so we know the importance of being prepared for anything nature throws our way. Our advanced technology offers uncompromising connectivity due to our network’s switched Layer 2 environment – an infrastructure that offers greater reliability, faster speeds, and higher data density.
Trust PS Lightwave for:
- Industry-leading network connectivity, reliability, scalability, redundancy, and support
- Custom point-to-point network designs and solutions to meet your unique business needs
- Cutting-edge technologies delivered over our all-fiber, privately owned network infrastructure
- Dedicated resources and personnel on-hand to solve any technology issue you may encounter
- Locally-based customer service and network monitoring offered 24/7/365
Contact PS Lightwave today if you’re ready to strengthen your network infrastructure or need help getting your disaster recovery plan on track. We’ll work with you to implement IT solutions that keep your business connected and future-proof your network – so you can focus on growth instead.
Sources:
- https://www.channele2e.com/news/texas-cell-networks-cable-systems-suffer-outages-harvey-aftermath/
- https://www.crn.com/news/data-center/texas-winter-storm-channel-clients-face-rolling-blackouts-internet-outages?itc=refresh
- https://tdi.texas.gov/reports/documents/feb2021-tx-winter-weather-summary-july2021.pdf
- https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/14/texas-power-demand-breaks-record-as-severe-heat-wave-hits-the-state-.html
- https://gizmodo.com/ercot-power-grid-texas-power-outages-heat-1848931161
