According to Gartner, network redundancy is a communications pathway that has additional links to connect all nodes in case one link goes down.
Network redundancy involves installing additional or alternative instances of network devices, equipment, and communication mediums in a network infrastructure.
Its purpose is to ensure network availability in the event of device or path failures, serving as a failover mechanism.
Veeam 2022 report carefully examined the frequency and causes of outages.
“Globally, 40% or 2 out of 5 servers had at least one or more outages over the past 12 months.”
Network redundancy is mainly implemented in enterprise network infrastructure to establish a backup source of network communications. It acts as a backup plan by swiftly transferring network operations to redundant infrastructure when unexpected network outages occur.
It is typically achieved by adding alternate network paths, which are established through standby routers and switches.
When the primary path becomes unavailable, the alternate path can be immediately activated to minimize downtime and maintain uninterrupted network services.
The main types of network redundancies include:
1.Power redundancy: This involves having backup power sources, such as battery backups, backup generators, or alternate power supply units, to keep the network functioning in the event of a power outage.
2.Data redundancy: Data redundancy involves replicating critical information in secondary facilities to protect against data loss or inaccessibility caused by physical damage. This ensures that crucial portals, communication systems, and business intelligence can still be accessed.
3.Geographic redundancy: Geographic redundancy involves distributing network resources, such as servers, across multiple geographic locations. By spreading data centers or server locations, the network becomes less susceptible to localized events, such as natural disasters, which could disrupt the availability of data.
4.Pathway redundancy: Pathway redundancy establishes alternative routes within the network to maintain connectivity and operations in case the primary connections fail. For example, if a particular communication pathway malfunctions, pathway redundancy ensures there are alternate routes to connect different network components.
In Conclusion
