With March Madness underway, MSPs will need to address the associated increases in web traffic and potential bottlenecks to networks. As with any predictable spike in web traffic, MSPs are best advised to work in advance of potential problems.
Stay Ahead
Rather than simply jumping in to solve problems as they arise (“putting out fires”), MSPs should identify which clients are more susceptible to problems associated with high web traffic related to the basketball tournament.
Pay special attention to the users of clients’ services. Will they likely be watching games? Which ones? What activity can we expect from these users before, during, and after games? It may be helpful look at the tournament schedule and identify high-risk dates and times for network failures.
Have a Conversation
It is an excellent idea to initiate a conversation in advance of any actual problems. Remind the clients of potential issues and include them in coming up with a mitigation strategy. Might it be worth temporarily increasing server power and bandwidth? The client should ultimately decide what strategy makes the most sense for their business. Having the discussion in advance of any issues will align your expectations with theirs.
Game Day
Check in regularly with your client networks during identified high-risk dates and times. If you’ve done enough research, you can probably figure out when and where to expect certain issues. By monitoring at-risk systems, you may well find issues before clients do. This will help minimize downtime and is a great strategy for improving customer satisfaction.
With ninja skill and discipline we will get through this mad month. Stay focused and support your team and you will come out on top!
