When a fibre connection to your business fails, the path to resolution often feels like an obstacle course fraught with delays, unnecessary checks, and a lack of visibility into the actual problem. Fibre Network Operators (FNOs) often default to assumptions that waste precious time, leaving businesses scrambling to maintain productivity. Enter SD-WAN, a game-changing solution that not only ensures connectivity during outages but also puts businesses in control of their network troubleshooting and management.
The Cumbersome Reality of Fibre Support
For businesses relying on fibre connectivity, the process of diagnosing and resolving faults is notoriously slow and inefficient. Here’s what typically happens:
The Assumption of Power Issues:
When a fibre link fails, the first assumption from many FNOs is a power problem at the site. Even if one SD-WAN-connected link remains operational, which clearly rules out a power fault, they insist on verifying equipment power. This redundancy wastes time that could be spent identifying the real issue.
Delayed Fibre Diagnostics:
The actual checks that matter—fibre continuity and signal levels—are often left until later in the troubleshooting process. Instead of addressing the root cause immediately, days can be spent going through basic and irrelevant checks.
Limited Visibility:
FNOs often don’t provide businesses with real-time insights into fibre signal quality, making it impossible to proactively address issues or verify the problem independently.
How SD-WAN Changes the Game
With SD-WAN, businesses regain control over their connectivity and avoid being held hostage by the inefficiencies of a single fibre provider.
1. Instant Path Failover
SD-WAN solutions connect businesses using multiple WAN links—fibre, LTE, or other last-mile technologies. If one fibre path fails, the other path takes over seamlessly, ensuring no interruption to business operations.
2. Power Fault Logic Built In
SD-WAN automatically rules out power issues when one path remains operational. There’s no need to waste time on unnecessary checks—this insight is already baked into the solution.
3. Proactive Troubleshooting
Instead of waiting for the FNO to diagnose a fault, SD-WAN provides visibility into the status of each link, allowing businesses to confirm whether the issue is with fibre continuity, signal levels, or a physical cut. This significantly reduces resolution times.
4. Business Continuity and Reliability
With SD-WAN, path failures don’t result in productivity losses. Employees stay connected, cloud applications remain accessible, and downtime becomes a thing of the past.
5. Improved Vendor Accountability
When you can prove that power is not the issue and pinpoint fibre problems more accurately, FNOs are pressured to address the real issue faster. Businesses no longer need to accept unnecessary delays or unproductive suggestions.
The Cost of Unnecessary Delays
Without SD-WAN, businesses suffer:
Loss of Productivity: Employees can’t work effectively during downtime, leading to lost revenue and frustrated clients.
Extended Diagnoses: FNO delays in troubleshooting fibre faults result in extended outages.
Reactive Response: Businesses are left waiting for updates instead of taking proactive action.
The SD-WAN Advantage
By implementing SD-WAN, businesses move from a reactive to a proactive stance in managing their network connectivity. They no longer depend solely on FNOs to ensure reliability and uptime. Instead, SD-WAN empowers them with:
Real-time visibility into path status.
Automated failover to keep operations running.
Reduced dependency on slow FNO support processes.
Wrap
The traditional model of fibre fault resolution is broken, with unnecessary delays and inefficiencies costing businesses time and money. SD-WAN is the perfect solution, providing continuity, reliability, and the ability to troubleshoot connectivity independently.
With SD-WAN, businesses no longer suffer from the frustrations of fibre faults. Instead, they take control, ensuring their operations remain smooth and uninterrupted, no matter what happens in the last mile. Stop wasting days on unnecessary checks—embrace SD-WAN and keep your business moving forward.
