Assess bandwidth, physical routes, failover and support responsibilities when planning primary and backup connections.
Who is this for? Organizations with multiple locations or critical cloud-based workflows.
Use cases and context
A second line can improve availability. However, if both connections share the house supply, power supply or active components, a common point of failure remains. Therefore, redundancy includes more than two contract numbers with one provider.
The appropriate bandwidth depends on the actual use: video conferences, data transfers, central applications and backups put different loads on connections. In addition to throughput, delay, fluctuation and packet loss are also important. An alternative connection must at least be able to support the prioritized workflows.
The approach in detail
- Record locations, user groups, applications and load profiles. Determine critical processes and justifiable constraints in the event of an outage.
- Check available connection types and independent alternative routes. Plan routing, firewall, VPN and desired prioritization together.
- Test the switchover in a targeted manner. Document effects on ongoing sessions, telephony and external shares, and take the switch back into account.
Expected outcomes
- Prioritized bandwidth and quality requirements
- Visible common failure points
- Tested switching and reversing behaviour
- Defined signaling and fault clearance channels
Prepare for an informed decision
For the first check, the location address, existing connections, contractual obligations and desired date are helpful. Detailed data on the development is then checked on a site-by-site basis.
Name fixed public IP addresses, incoming connections, and VPN remote stations. A changed source address can affect a business application despite working Internet access.
Questions and answers
Are two providers always independent?
No. Providers can use common inputs or train paths. The actual independence must be checked for the location.
Can mobile communications be an alternative route?
Depending on the reception, capacity, addressing and required applications, this can be useful. A test at the actual location is more informative than a general network coverage map.