The Weather Company recently issued a notice warning that the summer of 2024 could be one of the hottest ever recorded. Additionally, NOAA has predicted an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, which lasts from June through November. These extreme weather conditions and severe storms threaten to cause widespread power outages and disrupt internet connectivity, posing significant challenges for businesses.
In today’s interconnected world, network outages can have significant consequences for businesses and communities alike. When network operations fail, disruptions are far-reaching and costly. One recent study found that the cost of unplanned internet outages to an enterprise ranges from $1-5 million per hour, with the greatest impact occurring in high-traffic industries like retail and financial services.
At FiberLight, we collaborate with our customers to design network infrastructure that ensures high availability through our diverse and redundant network. By building with network resilience in mind, we provide seamless connectivity even during severe weather.
Deeply Buried Fiber: With over 90% of our fiber buried more than 3 feet underground, FiberLight minimizes the risk of accidental fiber cuts and deters rodent interference. This deep burial also protects our infrastructure from severe weather conditions such as high winds, flooding, and extreme heat, ensuring greater reliability for our customers.
Network Redundancy as Priority: While network outages may be inevitable, FiberLight prioritizes network redundancy in our infrastructure design. Our fully-diverse fiber backbone is strategically engineered to automatically reroute traffic in the event of an outage. This design is crucial during severe weather events, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for our customers when they need it most.
Network Ownership: FiberLight takes pride in owning and operating our all-fiber network across each of our regional markets. This ownership allows us to provide quicker diagnostics, easier outage location, and faster dispatch times. In the event of weather-related disruptions, this capability is vital for minimizing downtime and restoring services promptly.
24/7 Network Monitoring and Support: We understand that uptime is critical, and our team of dedicated network engineers are focused on monitoring and maintaining our infrastructure. During severe weather events, our 24/7 monitoring ensures that any issues are detected and addressed quickly, maintaining reliable network performance for our customers.
Why Network Resiliency Matters: Severe weather events are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, making resilient infrastructure more important than ever. In a world where network disruptions can have far-reaching consequences, FiberLight prioritizes network resiliency and reliability. That’s why we work closely with our customers to ensure that our network design is purpose-built to maximize uptime. Our robust network design and unparalleled support keep businesses connected and thriving, even during the most severe weather conditions.
Case Study: Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District
Network Resiliency and Network Redundancy: Critical Factors of This ISD’s Successful Dark Fiber and Ethernet Implementation
The importance of network uptime cannot be overstated, particularly for educational institutions like the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (HEB ISD) in Bedford, Texas. Spanning nearly 40 square miles and serving 23,000 students across 30 campuses, HEB ISD relies heavily on consistent and reliable network connectivity to deliver cloud-based learning and other essential services.
FiberLight has been a partner for HEB ISD for nearly 25 years, providing the robust fiber infrastructure needed to support the district’s growing technological needs. With a remarkable 99.9% uptime, FiberLight ensures that HEB ISD remains connected and operational even during severe weather.
Scott Forester, Director of Technology at HEB ISD, has noted the importance of the district’s network uptime, stating, “Without a solid foundation that our cable plant provides, we would be sunk. FiberLight’s 99.9% uptime is invaluable. All our scaling up has been seamless, and the backbone layer that supports our growth has been smooth and consistent. FiberLight has been excellent in getting that done.”
Maintaining network uptime and accessibility is essential for keeping the school district connected throughout storms and severe weather. This connectivity enables reliable access to educational resources, administrative systems, and safety and communication channels, and supports the educational mission of HEB ISD.
Network resiliency is not just about preventing disruptions; it’s about ensuring that organizations can continue to operate and thrive in the face of challenges. By designing your network infrastructure with resilience in mind, and learning from successful implementations like that of HEB ISD, organizations can maximize uptime and secure connectivity, even during the most severe weather events.
To learn more about how FiberLight ensures uptime for organizations, please visit Fiber Optic Network or learn about the FiberLight Difference.