When it comes to Cloud Communications, how stable is your phone system during carrier issues such as cable cuts, power outages, and natural disasters?
To answer this, it’s helpful to know how the cloud works. “Cloud” is simply a word that has come to mean “I don’t have to store anything on my local PC.” We store our pictures online. We do our banking online. We do our shopping online. The history of these events are stored “on the cloud.” Or, more accurately, in some huge warehouse that is full of servers that you access via your internet connection. Over time, this has become a more and more secure way of saving data. If I have a disaster at my house, gone are the days where I have a meltdown over all my pictures being lost, because they’re saved to the cloud. There are more important things to worry about than losing data, right?
How does this relate to our communications?
Simple.
With the cloud, you no longer have your hardware stored onsite. It is stored in one of those massive warehouses – or multiple massive warehouses – on servers that, prior to “the cloud,” you kept in your phone and data closets. You still have a phone on your desk, but in case of an emergency you don’t need it. A flip of a switch (so to speak) and you can start taking calls on your cell phone until you’re able to get back to your desk.
But what if the disruption in service doesn’t happen locally? What if it happens in one of those massive warehouses where all the servers are kept?
This is where Geo-Redundancy comes in.
As the name infers, Geo-Redundancy means that no matter your geographic location, your data (or service) is replicated elsewhere. It gives you an extra layer of protection. It allows you to continue receiving calls even if your cloud carrier, for whatever reason, loses power. If you have an internet connection, and your provider’s servers are geo-redundant, it is business as usual for you. If you are the one losing internet connection, with a couple minor tweaks you can continue doing business from your cell phone until your internet connection is restored. It is your best option for not losing business when life happens.
At TCS, we always strive to stay ahead of the game and keep up with the latest technology. Beginning June 1, 2019, all our cloud installs will go onto geo-redundant servers, giving our customers the best chance to keep business up and going when disaster strikes.
To learn more about geo-redundancy and the best options for your business, contact us today!
