Failure rates. When it comes to what’s happening behind the server closet door, usually “no news is good news”. As long as there’s a peaceful hum and a little heat coming out of there, we move on, feeling good for another day.
But as the graph below shows, no server lasts forever.
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During the first year, servers are shown to have a failure rate of 5%. While this might seem high, it’s often the result of some out-of-the-box defect or initial configuration issue, easily diagnosed and fixed. Over the next two years, rates only rise at a level of 1%, showing a period of stability. Hard drive failures start to spike around year four, pushing our number up to 11%. After that, the curve increases until it becomes clear that a server replacement is not just of question of if, but when.
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A similar graph shows Server Downtime by age. Reflecting the failure rates above, this graph shows that downtime is relatively flat for the first few years – downtime that might be attributed to planned re-boots and software updates. After that the curve shows a sharp and steady increase indicating unplanned incidents and additional resources spent on IT personnel to address emergency problems.
In other words, a planned investment in hardware now might save you money (and headaches) down the road.
Even if you’re not running a server, the same sort of failure curve applies to Laptops, Workstations, Tablets, and other digital devices. Think ahead, backup, and have a life-cycle replacement plan in place. If you need a second opinion, give us a call. We’re ready to review your network, make recommendations, and guarantee that you’re ready for business.
(Graphs and more information can be found here.)