Eskom recently announced its new load-shedding schedule, which will attempt to minimise disruptions by shedding power less frequently, but for longer periods. Despite this being a more predictable approach, the scheduled four-hour power cuts emphasise the need for the safe protection of company data in the event of any power disruption.

It is therefore becoming increasingly important for organisations to ensure that they have adequate business continuity measures in place - regardless of their size or the industry they operate in. Probably the most obvious route to take is to host critical data in a data centre. Specialist data centres, such as Neotel's NeoHost Collocation data centre, house newer processing and cooling equipment that puts less of a load on the electricity grid per unit of computing power delivered than in-house infrastructure does. These companies also have the economies of scale that allow them to invest in power backup infrastructure of a quality, scale and size that few companies can justify as an in-house investment.

The NeoHost datacenter is at the forefront of datacenter technology and offers South African businesses a cost effective redundant and reliable hosting and bandwidth service for a more competitive return on investment (ROI). Neotel provides the local and global bandwidth performance demanded by high-end content providers and the physical and network security required by financial institutions. Neotel's 95th percentile bandwidth offering allows the network scalability to compete and dominate in a global market. Furthermore, each solution has access to a dedicated team of technical support staff for remote assistance needs.

NeoHost customers are all connected directly to Neotel's self-owned and managed Tier 1 International and Domestic IP MPLS network, providing true accountability for their bandwidth needs. The datacenter also allows customers the ability to rapidly upscale the hosted infrastructure needed to pursue vital market opportunities and to fit into any business model.

At the foundation of any truly successful hosting company are security, monitoring and support. At Neohost Collocation, multiple tiers of security control limit access to only approved technicians. This physical security is further enhanced with electronic access disks, CCTV cameras and 24x7 uniformed security guards. Neotel also offers customers round-the-clock monitoring of networks complemented with on-site server support.

Although the fiduciary responsibility of keeping a company running in extraordinary circumstances rests with the senior executives, where elements of infrastructure and/or services are outsourced, responsibility for selected elements is put in the hands of the outsourced service provider. Data hosting firms design their data centres according to the most rigorous international standards to ensure that mission-critical systems will stay alive during power outages. This allows them to provide a service that many customers' internal data centres are not able to match.

The signs are that South Africa's electricity crisis is here to stay, at least for the near future. To negotiate the rocky road ahead, companies will need to choose their partners for flexibility and their ability to cater for growth into the future.

About Neotel:
Neotel is South Africa's first converged communications network operator. It provides a range of value-added voice and data services for businesses, wholesale network operators and providers and consumers using its pure-IP Next Generation Network, powered by Neotel's high-performance fibre optic backbone. Neotel connects the major centres in South Africa to each other and to the world, directly linking the country into Tata Communications' global Tier 1 network. Neotel offers fresh thinking, a creative approach and flexible solutions for communications in South Africa.