The Beginners Guide To Dealing With Website Downtime

26 September 2019

According to recent research, the average website is down for about three hours per month as a result of downtime to web hosting servers. The 99.9% uptime guarantee and refund policies offered by most to hosting provider, won’t matter if you have lost traffic as a result of downtime. On average businesses can lose $10.6 million a year as a result of website downtime.

What Are The Major Causes Of Website Downtime?

Website downtime occur for reasons,some of them include:

Website code issues: poor programming can cause heavy loads on servers which leads to database error then eventually, makes the site unresponsive

Hacker attacks: a website can be brought down by attack from hackers in various ways – the server can be overloaded with DOS attacks, or malicious code is injected to steal security credentials – either way, the website owners are often forced to shut down the site in order to resolve the problem.

Data Centre issues: downtime can be caused by the hosting company itself. In this instance, uptime monitoring tools come in handy because they allow you to track the reliability of your web hosting company.

Increased traffic: increased traffic is probably one of the leading causes of website downtime. The only way to keep your site up and running even when there is a traffic surge is to engage the services of a reliable web hosting provider – a fully functional optimized website would be useless if your web host is unreliable.

How To Protect Your Website From Downtime

It’s been established, website downtime can negatively impact an online business bottom line, therefore it is important to have protective measures in place to safeguard your business. Some of these methods include:

DNS management: is a service that automatically reroutes traffic from the affected server to a secondary server.

Backup recovery: setting up a secondary hosting account with a different hosting provider on a different server is a great backup option, that makes it easy for you to get your website online if your primary server experiences downtime

CDN: this network will basically store and deliver all cached content from your website and will protect it, in the occurrence of any short time downtime.

The combination of DNS management, a content delivery network (CDN) and a backup host- backup listing will go a long way in protecting your website from experiencing short or long-term downtime.

How To Avoid Prolonged Downtime With A Great Website Recovery Plan

Website downtime is unavoidable -site updates, extreme weather or equipment upgrade can cause website downtime. A website recovery plan and backup are are important to keep unplanned downtime from adversely affecting your business. Before setting up a website backup and recovery plan, you would need to put up – website monitoring systems in place to track website uptime. These monitoring tools provide vital information regarding website performance and availability.

With these tools, you can create a different test (checks on your website), to accurately narrow down the root cause of the problem and take adequate steps to correct it. These checks have to be set up outside of the basic HTTPS check the include-checking against known databases of virus and malware sources, record changes to DNS records and so on.

Set up a downtime page

The best time to set up a downtime page is when you still have access to your website. It comes in handy when there unplanned downtime or planned downtime. This page informs your visitor that you are on top of the situation. Putting up a ‘service unavailable’ or a ‘website undergoing maintenance’ message on a page is a great way to keep credibility and show that you have control of the situation.

How To Handle Website Downtime

1. Confirm site downtime: before taking any major step, you need to verify that your website is really down – that is, make sure it isn’t a problem with your Internet connection or browser. To be extra certain, use a different computer to test out your website.

2. Find the cause: you should try to ascertain what caused the downtime -hardware issues, a programming error, expired domain or a DNS problem?

3. Get in touch with IT support: get in touch with the support of your web host and get assistance for the issue. if you choose a great web host, you should have ready support available.

4. Inform your website users about the downtime: it is imperative that your website visitors are not left in the dark. Put out messages on your social media account to keep your customers informed about what is going on and that your business is taking steps to address the problem. If it is a planned all downtime, it is good practice to send out a warning message detailing the date and time of site maintenance.

5. Check-in with IT: communicate regularly with IT and offer any information they may need regarding the web server or your website. You should also get an estimate of how long it would take for the problem to be solved.

6. Remain calm: this is tough to do but it is important to remember that website downtime can affect anyone and it is not the end of the world. Keeping calm is a great way to stay on top of the situation and resolve it quickly.

In Conclusion

A website is an integral part of a business’s online success. Because of the great number of website downtime, it is imperative that downtime is dealt with swiftly to avoid long-term repercussions -loss of clients loyalty, the revenue.

Thankfully, major search engine websites like Google have put measures in place to help website owners mitigate SEO ranking damage by providing a way out.

Read Also:

Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Add Accuracy To Your Testing With The Help Of Multimeter

A multimeter is also known as a multi-tester. This small device helps you to find the accurate measurement of voltage, current, resistance, and power. With the help of an analog multimeter, you can troubleshoot the electrical problems with accuracy with the help of pointer on a scale. You can also use this multimeter in technical industries as well as in domestic appliances. You can use this multimeter for testing heavy motors, machines, wiring systems, and power supply and in home appliances like television, refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioner etc. Hence, it is a very useful device for both domestic and professional use. How do needle based multimeters work? The main work of needle based multimeter is to pass the current through a coil which is suspendedbetween two permanent magnets. After choosing the voltage scale, when the voltage is applied, a resistor of known value is placed in series with a measurement lead. This multimeter is a very sensitive piece of electrical testing device. It is common not only in home appliance installations but isalso very useful in servicing and repairs. Sometimes, when there is fluctuation in power supply this needle based multimeter gives you an accurate reading, which is not possible in the digital meter. Advantages of using the needle based multimeter: As you know that multimeters are of two types, analog and digital, the former one is very low in cost and available at every hardware store. You can get an accurate measurement by an analog meter, and you don’t even need a battery to operate it unless you have to measure the resistance. But in digital meters, you need a battery to operate it. While an analog meter needs DC power to measure resistance, it forces the current to flow in the capacitor and when it is stabilized, you will get the reading of the faulty wiring. How to check the voltage by an analog meter? If you want to check the voltage with the help of a needle based multimeter, you have to just follow a few tips. Thenumberto which the needle moves from 0 is known as “deflection “and full scale deflection is that goes till the end of the scale, anything beyond the scale is not measurable. In other words, this process is also known as full scale deflection. Users mostly drop the deflection part because it is rarely relevant anymore. Current measurement by an analog meter: Both AC and DC current can be checked with the help of needle-based multimeter by connecting the series in the meter in the circuit. For AC current measurement, an analog meter consists of diode rectifier that converts AC to corresponding DC current. Before measuring the current, one should consider the following: Insert the red and the black leads in their respective slot depending on very high or very low current measurements. Set range selector switch to DC current, and also select the expected range. Multimeter users can also ensure maximum range for measurements. They can also reduce the range if needed. Read Also: How To Get Started With Arduino Uno R3 Demystifying The Common GDPR Myths

Cloud Hosting: Top five reasons to take your business to the cloud

Cloud hosting refers to the potential of making websites and applications available on the Internet with the help of the cloud. Since the previous couple of years, cloud hosting services have gained a lot of popularity. Not only do they have a lot of benefits but also the way of the future. Here are five reasons you should move to the cloud. Easier collaboration and maintenance : Gone are the times when all your documents and data was saved on hard drives and you' had to either back it up or regularly or risk losing all of your valuable data. By putting your data and software on the cloud you can make all your data resources available online anytime, at any place, from any device. The central hub of your system is no longer the hard drive. Using the cloud to store your data will make it easier to collaborate and maintain your data as all of your data is stored in one location instead of different hard drives and partitions. Easier access to data : The times of carrying hard drives and flash drives with you on business trips are gone. By putting your data in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about copying presentations on to flash drives that can easily be lost or misplaced. If you transfer your business to the cloud, all your data resources will be at your fingertips no matter where you go. Of course, the place has to have an internet connection but in today’s day and age what place doesn’t? Saves budget : By taking your business to the cloud, you can significantly reduce the amount of money you spend to set up and maintain your data resources. You don’t have to spend any more resources on data centers, large hardware arrays, hard drives, rental space to build your servers, or any similar expenses. By using the cloud, you can utilize space that belongs to somebody else and use it as long as you require. Also, you only have to pay for what you use. This way, you can easily adjust usage based on your income and server demands. This feature of the cloud-based business is great for businesses that have varying demands. You can always increase the storage space and computing resources as you require. At the same time, you can reduce them when you don’t need them. Also, the budget you spend on employees to manage your servers is also saved. Improved data security : Keeping your data in the cloud is likely far safer than building your own servers. Most cloud providers put loads of effort into keeping the data of their clients free from unauthorized access by cybercriminals and government interference. The physical security conditions of server farms are generally quite better, too, as server farms are kept under 24-hour surveillance and strict lock. Hostiserver.com is an online hosting provider that is well known for its security and many automated features it provides. It is the way of the future : Frankly, you will have to take your business to the cloud now or later if you don’t want to be left behind. Cloud-based business in the gateway to innovation and as we progress towards a paperless environment, it is becoming a sudden necessity. Read Also : Things You Should Know About Web Host Providers What Makes A Web Hosting Good? 7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using A CDN With WordPress

8 Reasons why your Company should get a Vendor Management Software

Vendor Management Software is a tool that companies can utilize to track vendors, in this case, third-party service or good providers. This includes onboarding, performance monitoring and review, risk management and implementation advice. The goal of Vendor Management is to ensure that a company runs smoothly, minimise risks and maximise the Return on Investment (ROI). As your company matures and grows, you can’t avoid outsourcing or relying on outside help for some of the company services. It simply is one of the tricks of the trade and is unavoidable. However, managing these third-party providers (or vendors for brevity) can prove to be a major headache. Spreadsheets and notepads are not enough to consolidate their information nor is it recommended for growing businesses. Simply put, it would be too messy. For most companies, a staff or technology is dedicated to managing the vendors’ information. Vendor Management Software has become a must-have tool that will gear your company towards success. Reasons You Should Have A Vendor Management Software 1. Consolidate Information A Vendor Management Software organizes all your vendors’ information while keeping it in an online system that you can customize to suit your business structure. This tool can allow its users to rate their vendors regarding their performance. Having this feature makes way for quick decision-making and lets you pinpoint who is performing poorly. Vendor Management Software provides an efficient way of storing, collecting, and analyzing vendor’s data. This reduces documentation errors which may lead to major mishaps. 2. Performance Review: By determining those who are delivering perfectly and those that are not, you can take appropriate measures that can maximise your Return on Investment (ROI). This could lead to renegotiation, renewal or end of contracts. The ability to identify problems, even before it becomes one, and opportunities, is one aspect that vendor management software has an advantage of as compared to having a staff dedicated to the job. This also ensures that all your vendors are meeting the agreed-upon Key Performance Indicators (KPI), which can boost vendor performance. 3. Reduce Risks and Compliance Costs: A Vendor Management Software guarantees that you reduce your company’s compliance cost. By having an internal management structure, you can pick off unnecessary expenditures while also having an automated checklist that ensures that your company does not run any risk of noncompliance or malpractice. It also has a comprehensive Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) system which allows you to reduce your inherent and residual risks. 4. Implement a Vendor Strategy: The ability to control your company’s costs can be a dream come true. A Vendor Management Software creates clear and effective Spend Management Reports that will help you make an informed decision regarding your vendors. Through the information collected by the software, you can devise a clear vendor strategy that can vastly reduce your expenses. This provides you an objective point-of-view on which vendors should you keep, and which ones should you let go of. 5. Simple, Quick, and Easy to learn: Despite being complex software, the user interface is easy to learn and provides all users a pleasant experience. No need to take a crash course. It may sound complicated and tedious but, it is not. There are ready-made templates that you can use for easy consolidation of data. 6. Improve Vendor Communication: You can directly communicate with your vendors through the Vendor Management Software. This ensures that all communications run through only one channel and does not become a messy ordeal. As it stores all communication with vendors, it also minimizes the risk of who said what should a problem arise. Having a direct communication channel can also improve your vendor relations. 7. Automated Reminders: A calendar that reminds you of deadlines, tasks, and renewals might sound like a small task, but it is not. By reminding you of your and your vendors’ responsibilities, you can reduce the number of missed deadlines and lapsed contracts. This will prove to be helpful especially during chaotic times when you don’t know which task to prioritize. The application of vendor management software can make things work for you in all aspects. 8. Data Storage: A Vendor Management Software allows users to store and organize documents making it easier to locate contracts and files should you need them. While it may seem rubbish or unnecessary now, there is a high chance that having an unorganized system may greatly affect your operations in the future. Read Also: How To Choose A Practice Management Software For Your Law Firm 5 Important Considerations To Get Supply Chain Management On Cloud

The Beginners Guide To Dealing With Website Downtime

What Are The Major Causes Of Website Downtime?

How To Protect Your Website From Downtime