Are you multi-homed? In short terms, are you connected to the Internet via more than one Internet Service Provider? Today, more and more business activities rely on Internet: corporabe website, emails, online shopping.
Loosing your Internet connectivity is a major risk. Could you evaluate it? What will happen if your Internet connectivity goes down? Ok, you can have a redundant network and servers topology but if “something else” append? Read the following story: http://www.datanews.be/nl/90-61-18180/article.html?cid=rss
This is a really bad publicity for the ISP:
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Link to the ISP homepage: http://www.e-leven.be/
Note: In this specific case, the outsourced service is the ADSL network. Of course, it’s difficult to have a redundant solution here.
as a company it is a little more expensive … but it is also a choice as you say. Allthough you have to be careful. I have seen customers ordering alternative provider connections that are delivered over the same ADSL network (you know, Belgacom still owns that stuff :-s). At least make sure you either combine a fiber/copper uplink or, if you HAVE to use copper on both links (last mile fiber can be a killer too), both coppers have at least different paths.
Don’t forget about the increased design, implementation and hardware cost.
It’s not difficult, it’s just expensive. I have ADSL and Cable (although the last one is payed by my employer as benefit). They run on completely different networks. Costs me 30 euros per month to be redundant. It’s a choice.
Just you know, a judge ordered belgacom to reconnect by 22:00 this evening under pressure of hefty fines.