Find out what the most common causes of server failures are and learn specific ways to prevent this type of problem.
What are server failures? What are their real costs from a company’s perspective?
Such events can lead to disruption of IT infrastructure, either partially or completely ‘cutting off’ access to critical IT resources. In practice, situations often arise in which there is an interruption in the provision of specific digital services. This, in turn, translates into direct financial losses – amounting to several, a dozen or, in extreme cases, tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds. It all depends on the scale of the problems and the size of the company itself.
Which companies are particularly vulnerable to such costly consequences? This group primarily includes those for whom every minute of downtime means real losses. These include, for example, online shops, SaaS solution providers, and other companies that base their operations on the functioning of the network.
What are the most common causes of server failures?
Based on our experience, we can identify four main categories of problems: hardware, software, human, and external. Each of them requires a slightly different diagnostic approach and, consequently, a different repair approach. Statistics show that the vast majority of failures are caused by hardware problems, with slightly fewer related to software. Human and external factors cause the fewest failures.
#1 Hardware problems (hardware)
The efficiency of your server depends not only on the code itself, but also on the physical devices, which can simply break down. The most common causes of hardware failures are hard drive damage and overheating. Failures can also be caused by power supplies, RAM, and processors, which simply wear out over time.
#2 Software problems
These often start with system updates or modifications. Another source of problems can be conflicts between programmes, for example when two separate applications start competing for the same resources.
#3 Human error
Incorrect server configuration or unintentional deletion of critical files. These are by far the most common ‘mistakes’ that can lead to serious failures.
#4 External factors
What do we include in this category? First and foremost, these are:
- power supply problems (interruptions in supply or complete power failure),
- DDoS attacks,
- natural disasters.
How to effectively counteract server problems?
Unfortunately, the bad news is that there is no single method that will protect you from such problems. So what is the good news? That yes, there are solutions, but… there are at least several of them. What can you do to reduce the risk?
Firstly, constantly monitor server performance
Ensure that your organisation is equipped with monitoring that will constantly track and analyse critical server parameters. Pay particular attention to CPU utilisation, RAM consumption, network traffic, memory usage and temperature.
Additionally, configure the system to send you alerts about any irregularities. These can take the form of text messages, emails or instant messages.
Secondly, use system redundancy
Always have solutions at hand that will allow you to quickly replace those that have failed. Examples?
- in the case of power supply – make sure you have additional power generators,
- in the case of equipment – equip yourself with spare servers, for example.
The same may apply to connectivity (diversification of suppliers) or data centres (located in different regions).
Thirdly, make backups (regularly!)
Treat them as your insurance policy in case of data loss. Save them regularly – at specific intervals and preferably on several independent media. In addition, remember to test your backups periodically to ensure that once created, they cannot be restored.
What to do when such a failure occurs? How to react?
When the server fails, every minute counts. Literally! Start by diagnosing the source of the problem. Check: logs, hardware monitors and application reports. Once you have determined the cause of the failure, implement a recovery plan. By the way, we recommend creating it in advance, long before the first server failure. This way, you will be able to act efficiently and logically.
Your plan should include elements such as:
- a list of people needed to fix the problem (along with their roles in the process),
- detailed diagnostic procedures,
- repair methods and tools,
- priorities for repairing and restoring specific IT areas,
- strategies for communicating with internal and external customers.
Do you want to protect yourself against failures or deal with their consequences?
Take advantage of the support of experienced House IT experts. As part of our support, we offer comprehensive services related to IT security. We take care of the stability and protection of your infrastructure, and we successfully repair the effects of existing problems and server failures. We invite you to a non-binding conversation.
