Bigleaf Content for Business Owners and Leaders – Bigleaf Networks https://www.bigleaf.net Internet Connectivity Without Complexity Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:38:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.bigleaf.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/favicon-70x70.png Bigleaf Content for Business Owners and Leaders – Bigleaf Networks https://www.bigleaf.net 32 32 Why Cellular Backup is Essential for Business Continuity in 2024 https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/cellular_backup_essential/ Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:01:00 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20883 Read More]]>
Illustration of a mobile device with wireless connectivity symbols and Bigleaf Networks logo.

In 2024, uninterrupted internet connectivity is more important than ever for businesses. With the increasing reliance on cloud services and remote work, any disruption in connectivity can lead to significant financial and operational losses. Enter cellular backup—a failover solution designed to ensure continuous internet connectivity and protect businesses from unexpected downtimes.

The Need for Business Continuity

Internet downtime can be caused by various factors, including natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and service provider outages, all of which disrupt business continuity. Such disruptions can have a profound impact on business operations, leading to lost productivity, revenue, and customer trust. In an era where every second counts, uninterrupted internet access plays a critical role in ensuring seamless business operations.

Overview of Downtime Causes

Common causes of internet downtime include:

  • Natural disasters (e.g., storms, earthquakes)
  • Cyber-attacks (e.g., DDoS attacks, ransomware)
  • Service provider outages
  • Hardware failures
  • Human error

There are also some less common causes of internet outages. Read more in the BBC’s article, Watch out for sharks: The bizarre history of internet outages.

Critical Role of Uninterrupted Internet Access

Uninterrupted internet access is essential for:

  • Maintaining productivity and efficiency
  • Ensuring seamless communication and collaboration
  • Protecting revenue streams
  • Preserving customer trust and satisfaction

Understanding Cellular Backup

What is Cellular Backup?

Cellular backup technology acts as a failover solution by providing an alternative internet connection through cellular networks. When the primary connection fails, cellular backup automatically kicks in, ensuring continuous connectivity.

How Does Cellular Backup Work?

Cellular backup uses a secondary internet connection via cellular networks (e.g., 4G, 5G) to maintain connectivity when the primary connection fails. This ensures businesses remain connected without interruption.

Benefits of Cellular Backup

The benefits of using cellular backup include:

  • Reduced downtime
  • Enhanced reliability
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Ease of implementation
  • Peace of mind for business owners
Aerial view of a rural landscape with a river running through it, dotted with farms, fields in various states of harvest, and roads. Overlaid are numerous arcs with nodes, symbolizing a network of wireless connections linking the area.

Why Cellular Backup is Essential in 2024

Evolution of Cellular Technology

The evolution of cellular technology, from 4G to 5G, has significantly improved the reliability and speed of cellular networks. This advancement makes cellular backup a viable option for businesses seeking robust failover solutions.

Dependency on Cloud Services

With businesses increasingly relying on cloud services and remote work, the need for robust failover solutions is more critical than ever. Cellular backup ensures that businesses can maintain their operations without interruption, even during primary connection failures.

Implementing Cellular Backup

How Do I Implement Cellular Backup in My Business?

When setting up a cellular backup system, consider the following:

  • Hardware requirements
  • Choosing the right service provider
  • Integrating the system into existing network infrastructure

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Assess your current network infrastructure.
  2. Choose a reliable cellular backup provider.
  3. Install the necessary hardware (e.g., cellular routers).
  4. Configure the system to automatically switch to cellular backup during primary connection failures.
  5. Test the setup to ensure seamless failover.

Case Studies

Real-World Examples

Real-world examples of businesses that have successfully implemented cellular backup highlight the practical benefits of this technology. These case studies demonstrate how businesses can minimize downtime and maintain continuity, providing valuable lessons and insights.

Lessons Learned

These case studies highlight the importance of:

  • Planning and preparation
  • Choosing the right technology and provider
  • Regular testing and maintenance

Choosing the Right Cellular Backup Provider

Factors to Consider

When selecting a cellular backup service, consider:

  • Coverage
  • Cost
  • Data caps
  • Customer support
  • Reliability

Provider Comparison

When considering your cellular backup needs, it’s best to compare leading providers to find the best fit for your business. Look for providers that offer comprehensive coverage, competitive pricing, and excellent customer support. Bigleaf partners with multiple national cellular internet providers so we can include the best connectivity for your locality with single-vendor billing, and our support team is rated “Best Relationship” by G2 users for six consecutive quarters.

Bigleaf Networks awarded "Best Relationship" by G2 users for six consecutive quarters, with badges for Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024. The image showcases Bigleaf Networks' achievements in customer service and support, highlighted by G2 recognition.

The Future of Cellular Backup

Emerging Trends

Emerging trends in cellular technology, such as advancements in 5G and beyond, will continue to enhance the capabilities of failover solutions.

Predictions

As technology evolves, cellular backup will become even more integral to business continuity strategies. Future advancements will offer faster speeds, greater reliability, and more seamless integration with existing network infrastructures.

In conclusion, cellular backup is essential for maintaining business continuity in 2024. As businesses face increasing threats to their internet connectivity, implementing a robust failover solution like cellular backup is crucial. Consider integrating cellular backup into your business strategy to ensure seamless operations and safeguard against disruptions.

Ready to enhance your business continuity strategy? Explore the benefits of cellular backup and secure your operations against unexpected disruptions. Contact us today to learn more about how cellular backup can keep your business connected.

Bigleaf Wireless Connect

Bigleaf Wireless Connect offers the convenience of adding wireless connectivity to your Bigleaf service, providing a reliable, single-vendor solution for uninterrupted business operations.

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What is Dynamic QoS? Why your business needs it https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/what-is-dynamic-qos-why-your-business-needs-it/ Mon, 13 May 2024 15:26:42 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20774 Read More]]> Complex network illustration showcasing interconnected data paths with colorful lines

Understanding Quality of Service (QoS).

Before we dive into Dynamic QoS, at its core, Quality of Service (QoS) is a technology designed to manage network traffic effectively. It prioritizes essential applications over less critical ones, ensuring that important network activities, like video calls, receive precedence over lower-priority tasks, such as streaming videos on Netflix.

Goals of QoS

    • Minimize Latency: Decreases the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction.
    • Eliminate Jitter: Avoids variations in packet delay at the receiving end, important for quality in real-time communication

The Evolution of Dynamic QoS

Traditional QoS systems operate on predetermined rules that allocate bandwidth to prioritized applications and create virtual queues for data packets. This method follows a basic first-in-first-out principle, where bandwidth is reserved for prioritized traffic.


Abstract visualization of data packets traveling in a network
Experience seamless and prioritized network traffic with Bigleaf’s Dynamic QoS.

Transition from Tradition:

  • Dynamic QoS transcends these limitations by utilizing intelligent software to monitor and adjust traffic rules dynamically for optimized performance. Here’s how Bigleaf elevates this process:
  • Intelligent Identification: Bigleaf identifies application traffic dynamically.
  • Real-time Adjustment: Continuously adjusts QoS policies based on current network conditions to ensure high-priority traffic like VoIP, SSH, and Remote Desktop is not hindered by ISP congestion.

The Business Case for Dynamic QoS

Without effective QoS, network traffic can become chaotic, akin to rush-hour traffic with non-functioning traffic lights, leading to significant performance degradation. Bigleaf automates the identification and prioritization of traffic, eliminating the need for constant manual monitoring.

Benefits for your business:

  1. Enhanced Productivity: Optimizes latency, allowing employees to remain productive and focused.
  2. Improved Reliability: Prevents disruptions in VoIP calls, video conferences, and VPN sessions, ensuring smooth, reliable communication.
  3. Cost Efficiency: Rather than upgrading to more expensive internet lines, Dynamic QoS provides a cost-effective solution by better managing existing bandwidth.

Optimizing Internet Performance with Bigleaf Networks

Many businesses attempt to improve slow internet speeds by increasing their service plans. However, Bigleaf Networks proposes a more strategic approach through Dynamic QoS, which ensures that cloud and SaaS applications perform optimally, regardless of the internet provider or location.

Bigleaf’s Dynamic QoS:

As part of our comprehensive SD-WAN solution, Bigleaf offers AI-powered Dynamic QoS to support businesses reliant on stable and reliable internet connectivity across all applications and locations.

Learn More and Get Started

Discover more about how Dynamic QoS can transform your business network for better efficiency and performance:

By leveraging Bigleaf’s Dynamic QoS, you can ensure that your business not only keeps pace with modern demands but also maximizes its technological investments

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Empowering small businesses with reliable connectivity solutions https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/empowering-small-businesses-with-reliable-connectivity-solutions/ Fri, 03 May 2024 13:16:00 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20760 Read More]]>
Restaurant owners discussing over a laptop with Bigleaf Networks visible on the screen.
Bigleaf Networks supports these restaurateurs with reliable internet, keeping their business connected and thriving.

Every day is an opportunity for small businesses to grow and succeed. At Bigleaf Networks, we provide reliable connectivity solutions that empower small businesses to perform their best, especially during key shopping events like Small Business Saturday.

Why Connectivity Is Crucial for Small Businesses

Reliable internet is foundational for small businesses. It supports efficient customer transactions, continuous online presence, effective communication with customers and suppliers and enables innovation and business expansion. 

Our Commitment: Year-Round Reliable Connectivity Solutions

Our services are designed to meet the diverse demands of small businesses: Simplified Plug-and-Play Connectivity:

  • Quick, hassle-free setup.
  • Resilient Backup: Constant connectivity with same-IP address failover.
  • Optimized Traffic: Maximum performance, even during peak usage

How to Enhance Your Business Connectivity

Take these steps to ensure your business remains competitive and connected:

Reliable internet is crucial for the success of any small business. Whether you’re preparing for Small Business Saturday or looking to boost your daily operations, Bigleaf Networks is here to ensure your connectivity needs are met all year round.

Ready to upgrade? Contact Bigleaf Networks today and discover how we can help your small business stay connected and competitive.

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The Crucial Role of Reliable Internet for eCommerce Platforms https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/the-crucial-role-of-reliable-internet-for-ecommerce-platforms/ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:08:00 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20716 Read More]]>
This image is designed to promote the Bigleaf Bytes newsletter, which focuses on the intersection of eCommerce and connectivity. The graphic includes a variety of online shopping-related items like a shopping cart with gift boxes, a credit card, a discount tag, and tech gadgets that symbolize leisure and travel—all to signify the wide range of activities that benefit from reliable internet provided by Bigleaf Networks.

Connectivity: The Lifeblood of eCommerce

eCommerce has revolutionized the retail landscape, creating a world where everything from the latest gadget to weekly groceries is just a click away. As businesses of all sizes pivot to digital storefronts, the reliance on robust internet connectivity has never been more critical. In this blog, we’ll delve into how Bigleaf Networks ensures you have the most reliable internet for eCommerce platforms to ensure your business is a model of continuity and efficiency.

In the digital marketplace, connectivity reigns supreme. It’s the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity, a satisfied customer and a frustrated shopper. We’ll explore why consistent internet access is not just beneficial but necessary for maintaining the pulse of your eCommerce business.

Top Benefits of Reliable Internet for eCommerce Platforms:

  • Reduces Website Downtime: Minimizes the risk of losing customers and sales due to site outages.
  • Speeds Up Load Times: Enhances user experience with faster page loading, which can increase conversion rates.
  • Supports High Traffic Volumes: Keeps your website running smoothly, even during peak shopping periods.
  • Improves Customer Satisfaction: Provides a seamless shopping experience that can boost customer loyalty.
  • Strengthens Security: Ensures secure transactions by maintaining a stable connection for security protocols.
  • Facilitates Scalability: Allows your eCommerce business to grow without being constrained by connectivity issues.
  • Optimizes Backend Operations: Improves inventory management, order processing, and other backend functions with consistent online access.
  • Enables Multichannel Sales: Supports diverse sales channels, from social media to mobile apps, without interruption.
  • Boosts SEO Rankings: Google favors websites with good user experience indicators, like load speed and availability.
  • Enhances Data Analytics: Provides uninterrupted data flow for accurate real-time analytics and reporting.
A stylized representation of a green credit card on a green gradient, illustrating secure online payment options.

Navigating eCommerce Challenges with Bigleaf

Bigleaf: Your eCommerce Connectivity Partner

Encountering issues like website downtime or slow loading pages can quickly erode customer trust and diminish sales. We’ll dissect these common pain points and show you how Bigleaf’s solutions address them head-on, keeping your digital doors open and business booming with reliable internet for eCommerce platforms.

Whether you’re a small local shop or a sprawling global enterprise, Bigleaf offers network optimization solutions tailored to your unique eCommerce needs. From dynamic QoS for streamlined traffic to same IP failover for constant uptime, Bigleaf is dedicated to keeping your online presence robust and responsive.

Bigleaf’s Unique Features for eCommerce Connectivity:

  • Dynamic QoS: Prioritizes bandwidth for critical traffic like checkout processes and customer service interactions.
  • Same IP Failover: Maintains sessions and transactions during ISP outages, providing seamless failover.
  • Real-Time Adaptation: Adjusts to changing internet conditions to prevent slowdowns and jitter.
  • Bigleaf Wireless Connect: Offers backup connectivity through a 4G LTE network for uninterrupted service.
  • Zero-Touch Installation: Simplifies the setup process without interrupting your business operations.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

  •  
A minimalist ecommerce concept with a 3D illustration of a green shopping bag floating against a gradient green background. The image conveys a seamless online shopping experience that could represent the reliability and uninterrupted service of network connectivity in ecommerce solutions.

Wireless Connectivity: The New Frontier in eCommerce

Imagine a safety net that ensures network connectivity even in the face of physical line damage. With Bigleaf Wireless Connect, that’s a reality. We’ll discuss how this wireless solution, in conjunction with Bigleaf’s optimizations, offers unparalleled connectivity resilience for your eCommerce operations.

Checklist for eCommerce Site Owners to Maximize Uptime:

  1. Ensure you have a reliable hosting provider with a track record of uptime.
  2.  
  3. Opt for a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to speed up global content delivery.
  4. Implement website caching to reduce server load and improve page load speed.
  5. Regularly back up your website to recover quickly in case of downtime.
  6. Choose Bigleaf’s SD-WAN solution for automatic failover to keep your site live and provide reliable internet for eCommerce platforms.
  7. Monitor website performance with tools that alert you to connectivity issues immediately.
  8. Schedule regular maintenance during off-peak hours to avoid disrupting shoppers.

Conclusion:

Reliable internet isn’t just a supporting character in the story of eCommerce—it’s the star. With Bigleaf Networks, experience the peace of mind that comes from knowing your platform is powered by top-tier connectivity solutions. Say goodbye to the fear of downtime and hello to a world where every digital interaction is smooth, fast, and reliable.

Interested in a connectivity consultation or eager to learn more about Bigleaf’s impact on eCommerce? Learn more about how Bigleaf can revolutionize your eCommerce connectivity by visiting our website or getting in touch with our team. Contact us today to ensure your online business platform is equipped to succeed in the digital marketplace.

This creative representation of online lifestyle shopping features a 3D illustration of orange sunglasses in the top-right corner against a gradient green backdrop. It suggests the stylish and trendy aspects of ecommerce, parallel to the modern and efficient network connectivity that ensures a smooth and fashionable shopping experience.

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Maximizing productivity with Bigleaf’s real-time traffic adaptation  https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/maximizing-productivity-with-bigleafs-real-time-traffic-adaptation/ Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:14:00 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20488 Read More]]>
Maximizing Productivity with Bigleaf's Real-Time Traffic Adaptation

How Bigleaf Helps Keep Your Business Running Smoothly

In today’s fast-moving business world, being efficient and productive is super important. A big part of this is making sure your internet works well, especially for important work tasks. Bigleaf Networks has a smart way to make sure your internet doesn’t slow you down.

Bigleaf Makes Your Internet Smarter

Think of your internet like a highway. With Bigleaf, it’s as if this highway never gets jammed, so your important data (like emails, video calls, and files) moves fast, without any trouble. Bigleaf does this by checking your internet conditions all the time and making changes on the spot to avoid any slowdowns. This means your most important work gets priority and runs smoothly, even when lots of people are online at the same time.
Bigleaf’s smart system doesn’t just pick who goes first; it also quickly changes paths if it sees a problem, keeping your internet stable and quick. This is great for video calls, using online tools, or sending big files. It’s a new kind of technology that’s better than old internet setups, giving you less waiting and more reliability.

Why Bigleaf Makes a Difference

Choosing Bigleaf is like getting a helpful tool that makes sure your business can do its best work without waiting on slow internet. It gives you control and clear insight into how well your internet is doing, which is really important for businesses today. With Bigleaf, you worry less about internet problems and have more time to focus on what your business does best.
Bigleaf’s smart internet help is a game-changer for keeping things running smoothly and making sure your business can keep up with everything you need to do.

Learn More About Keeping Your Internet Fast and Reliable with Bigleaf.

A version of this content was originally published as part of our Linkedin Newsletter, Bigleaf Bytes, in January 2024. Subscribe now on LinkedIn.

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Online orders or offline agony? Why restaurants can’t afford to ignore internet issues anymore https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/online-orders-or-offline-agony-why-restaurants-cant-afford-to-ignore-internet-issues-anymore/ Tue, 17 Oct 2023 22:36:32 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=20178 Read More]]>

In this post-pandemic world, internet connectivity is no longer just a commodity—it’s a competitive advantage. Restaurant operators need cloud applications and internet-enabled technologies to engage with guests and build lifelong brand advocates.

From online ordering to digital loyalty to cloud point-of-sale –restaurant franchises of all sizes depend on always-on internet connectivity to operate efficiently and create differentiated experiences for their guests.

But what happens when you can’t depend on your network to support your most essential day-to-day business needs?

During this webcast, you’ll learn:

  • Trends and shifts in the market that are changing the way your guests want to interact with you
  • Why your internet connection could be your biggest (and most attainable) competitive advantage
  • How to gain a 360-degree view into your entire network to eliminate disruptions and create a smooth guest and employee experience in every one of your restaurant locations
Featured speakers
Greg Davis

CEO, Bigleaf Networks

David McGiffin

Manager, Sales Engineering/Former MSP

Lori Stout

CMO, Bigleaf Networks

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Bigleaf prevents network downtime for Hanna Andersson https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/bigleaf-prevents-network-downtime-for-hanna-andersson/ Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:13:20 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=19230 Read More]]>

Reliable uptime supports productivity and online sales

With an online-only retail operation backed by an internet-enabled data center and warehouse, Hanna Andersson was acutely aware of the risks associated with network downtime. Bigleaf optimized network connectivity at all three locations, to keep the company’s entire e-commerce operation up and running without disruption.

Hanna Andersson depends on e-commerce and ERP

Hanna Andersson is a children’s lifestyle brand with a longstanding reputation for top-quality apparel. The children’s lifestyle brand began selling from a catalog in 1983, and later established 55 retail stores and 11 outlets. 

Beginning in 2019, the company pivoted to an online-only sales model and closed all its brick-and-mortar stores. Hanna Andersson’s 400 employees now manage the entire operation from three U.S. sites: headquarters offices in Portland, OR, a data center near Seattle, WA, and a Louisville, KY, distribution center. 

Hanna Andersson’s e-commerce system is both an online catalog and a retail sales venue. The website is supported by the company’s ERP, which manages inventory and fulfills orders. Hanna Andersson also relies on critical business applications, including Office 365, other SaaS applications accessed via the cloud and hosted by Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. 

Challenge: Risks and costs of internet downtime

Network downtime is a direct cause of lost productivity, according to Tony Velasco, Director of Infrastructure and Operations for Hanna Andersson. The data center and warehouse are especially sensitive. 

“If connectivity goes down at our data center, every single employee is affected,” Tony explained. “Our IT team is inundated with support calls, because no one is able to work,” he continued.       

Internet connectivity issues in the warehouse can cause even more disruption. Even when a circuit doesn’t fail completely, intermittent outages or performance degradation can disrupt an entire shift.  

When Hanna Andersson relied on a single circuit or a manual failover process – which was the norm before Bigleaf – an intermittent outage could cause a temporary shutdown. On at least one occasion, the entire warehouse staff was sent home for the remainder of their shift due to internet performance issues.

Losses would be especially acute during the holiday season, when the company’s distribution facility runs 24 hours per day, including 3 hours of unmanned order acceptance and processing. 

Solution: Bigleaf reduces risk of downtime, ends “fire drills”

Tony evaluated several network optimization and SD-WAN solutions before choosing Bigleaf. Ease of use was a key benefit. Tony was also relieved to find that Bigleaf works outside the firewall, so there was no need to change the company’s established security policies, technologies, or vendors.

Since introducing Bigleaf, Tony doesn’t need to worry about internet downtime or performance optimization. Bigleaf keeps Hanna Andersson’s internet connections up and running, and all business-critical applications perform as expected.

Bigleaf fixed serious issues automatically, before they affected Hanna Andersson’s network operations. In a recent review of his Bigleaf Web Dashboard, Tony learned that there had been an outage on a main circuit that serves the company’s Seattle-area data center. That outage could have caused a downtime event, but Bigleaf corrected the problem seamlessly. For a company with 400 employees and an untold number of customers, even a few minutes of lost productivity and lost sales could have entailed significant costs.

Earlier in the year, one ISP’s line had recurring performance issues and a series of outages. That ISP serves the Hanna Andersson distribution center in Louisville, but thanks to Bigleaf, there was no impact on business operations. Bigleaf monitors circuit performance constantly and directs network traffic automatically to the circuits that are best suited for each application. That dynamic adjustment improves the quality of service so applications and services work as expected.

Result: Bigleaf saves Hanna’s time, money, and brand reputation

“Bigleaf saves my IT team so much time,” Tony said. “Instead of spending hours troubleshooting and resolving problems, we can look at the Bigleaf Web Dashboard to identify and address the source of a faulty connection,” he explained.

When the problem originated with an ISP, Tony presented that ISP with evidence from the Web Dashboard to show where and how the issue could be addressed. 

With Bigleaf’s help, Hanna Andersson can now deliver an outstanding customer experience, enhancing the brand’s reputation for quality and reliability. The company was recognized by Newsweek in 2023 with a second-place award for customer service among online retailers of children’s clothing and products. 

“We wouldn’t have achieved that recognition without Bigleaf,” Tony said. 

Get valuable tips directly from Tony Velasco of Hanna Andersson in a fireside chat hosted by Bigleaf CMO, Lori Stout.

Register for Bigleaf's fireside chat and learn about the Cost of Downtime

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[Infographic] What does internet downtime cost your business? https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/cost-of-downtime-infographic/ Fri, 03 Mar 2023 18:36:57 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=19215 Read More]]>

The cost of downtime could be higher than you realize. Lost revenues, lost productivity, and damage to your company’s reputation can add up, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour of downtime. See the latest stats in this infographic, then discover your own company’s risks with Bigleaf’s cost of downtime calculator.

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What is the true cost of internet downtime? https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/what-is-the-true-cost-of-internet-downtime/ Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:29:34 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=19183 Read More]]>

Internet downtime can be a huge source of aggravation for any business. Cloud-based applications are unavailable, and employees can’t do their work. The IT team is overwhelmed with support calls.

Even a partial outage or brownout can affect time-sensitive, session-based activities. VoIP calls drop, customers can’t complete their online purchases, and videoconference participants start to look and sound unprofessional during their most important meetings.

Discover your company’s total cost of downtime with Bigleaf’s online calculator.

How can you prevent disruptions due to internet outages and brownouts?

Learn about the costs and risks of internet downtime – as well as unusable uptime – from a seasoned IT pro, when you join Bigleaf in a fireside chat on Wednesday, March 8, with guest Tony Velasco, Director of Infrastructure and Operations at Hanna Andersson, a top manufacturer of children’s apparel.

Tony will provide a view from the trenches, including valuable tips that saved Hanna Andersson thousands of dollars per minute and helped them earn a prestigious Newsweek award for outstanding customer service. And he’ll explain how his company has eliminated the risk of future internet outages, protecting revenue and productivity.

Together with Bigleaf CMO Lori Stout, Tony will also reveal the best practices that support optimal performance of the company’s e-commerce operations and other critical, internet-dependent applications and services.

Watch the fireside chat with Tony and Lori.

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Calculate the real cost of internet downtime https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/cost-of-downtime-calculator/ Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:56:04 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=18909
Calculate the real cost of internet downtime
Want to see how Bigleaf can help you optimize your internet connectivity and eliminate your cost of downtime?
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Beyond uptime: It’s time to make “usable uptime” the KPI for your company’s Internet https://www.bigleaf.net/resources/usable-uptime/ Tue, 01 Mar 2022 23:52:54 +0000 https://www.bigleaf.net/?p=14981 Read More]]>
Usable Uptime is the new KPI for business internet.

Internet disruptions aren’t just annoying, they’re creating big problems for your business. Sales calls drop, meetings are interrupted, time is wasted, customers are frustrated—and it’s happening more often than you may think. 

For years, we’ve thought about Internet disruptions in terms of “outages” when the internet is just off. But today’s high-performance applications like video chat, VoIP calls, CCaaS and collaboration tools can become unusable even when the internet is technically up. To put an end to the disruptions, we need to understand the full range of these issues, what causes them and how to stop them. 

“Uptime” doesn't equate to usable

Your internet can be live, and useless. Don’t believe it? Ask your sales team if they’ve ever been on a Zoom call that had to be rescheduled because of choppiness. Or ask your head of HR if any virtual company meetings have ever ground to a halt because the connection was “unstable.”  

In both of those cases, the internet was live. Your firewall would be able to ping its destination and would never think to fail over traffic to another circuit. But the internet wasn’t “usable.” That is to say, the users couldn’t do what they needed to do. For IT, that’s what matters most—not whether the Internet was “up,” but whether it was “usable.” 

“Usable uptime” is the new key metric for business internet

At Bigleaf, we’ve built a definition of usable uptime based on thousands of customers’ experience. In its simplest form, our definition of usable uptime requires: 

  • Less than 2% packet loss 
  • Less than 60ms of jitter 
  • Less than 40ms of one-way relative latency. You could simplify this to a more common absolute round-trip latency of 100ms. 

For Bigleaf, this equates to a circuit health alarm level of 0 through 2 out of 7, a threshold that’s exceeded more often than you may think.  

The cost of unusable internet is huge ​

In fact, across thousands of circuits, we’ve found an average of 274 hours per year of “unusable uptime”, far beyond the 38 hours per year when the circuits were actually down hard. So for an average business using technologies like Zoom, MS Teams and VoIP phones, their internet is “unusable” for a total of 312 hours every year!  

According to Gartner’s downtime cost calculations, that 604 hours equates to over a million dollars in lost productivity and sales every year. So why isn’t every business optimizing for “usable uptime”? Frankly, because it’s been too hard to measure and even harder to control…until now. 

Optimizing for “usable uptime” has never been easier

Legacy networking technologies like failover and SD-WAN have traditionally made it difficult or impossible to track, let alone improve usable uptime of internet connectivity. You may have tried a few options yourself over the years. 

Every firewall has internet failover built in, but it only fails over when the circuit is down hard, not when it’s live but unusable. SD-WAN showed a lot of promise, but most vendors require manual configuration that’s almost impossible to get right, and it only helps site-to-site traffic. Getting to truly usable uptime requires a different approach. That’s where Bigleaf comes in. 

Bigleaf is designed to simply deliver truly reliable connectivity over the internet. Our plug-and-play installation connects you to our backbone network over up to four ISP connection—making those connection work like one singe ISP with a Bigleaf IP block. That means we can provide visibility and control along diverse paths to anywhere your traffic needs to go. 

What’s more, Bigleaf’s intelligent software automatically categorizes your traffic and identifies performance issues, allowing it to react in seconds to ensure your users never feel the bumps in the road. No more guessing and testing at policies and configurations. Just reliable connectivity for all your users. 

Finally, our web dashboard shows you everything that’s happening across every circuit at every location. That means you’re always in control of the conversation and never guessing when things go wrong. 

All of this means that Bigleaf can deploy anywhere, over any ISPs, for any applications, and we can have you up and running in as little as two weeks.

Start optimizing for “usable uptime” at your business

Ready to make usable uptime a reality at your business? There’s no better time than now.  

If you already have a way to measure your packet loss, latency, and jitter on an ongoing basis, you can start tracking usable uptime using the definition above. It’s great to get a baseline and see where you’re at. 

If you’re ready to make usable uptime the new standard for your IT team, we’d love to show you how you can get there in as little as two weeks.  

Learn more about how Bigleaf can transform your business for the better by requesting a FREE demo. If you have any questions, shoot us an email at sales@bigleaf.net or contact us through the website. 

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