Resilience
4G/5G Backup
A separate mobile path that takes over automatically when the primary line fails.
Learn moreWhat happens when your primary line goes down?
Work through this failover checklist
Failover only helps if it is set up right and actually tested. This checklist covers what a site needs so it stays online when the primary connection fails, from a genuine second path to how you prove it works before you rely on it.
The checklist
What to have in place before you rely on failover.
Work through each of these for every site that cannot afford to go offline. If you are unsure on any of them, that is exactly where a provider should help.
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Confirm you have a genuine second path
A backup that shares the same duct, exchange or supplier as the primary is not real resilience. Use a different technology or route, such as 4G/5G behind a fibre line.
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Decide automatic or manual failover
Automatic switchover keeps the site online without anyone intervening. Manual means someone has to notice the outage and act, which costs time you may not have.
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Know the failover trigger
Confirm what conditions cause the switch: loss of signal, loss of routing, or a latency threshold. Know how quickly the changeover happens.
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Decide what stays up on backup
A backup line is often lower capacity. Decide which traffic matters most, such as card payments, voice or key cloud apps, and confirm the backup can carry it.
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Plan the failback
Confirm the site returns to the primary connection automatically and cleanly once it recovers, without dropping sessions or needing a manual reset.
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Protect fixed IPs and inbound services
If VPNs or inbound services rely on a static IP, confirm what happens to them on the backup path so remote access and site-to-site links keep working.
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Test it properly
Physically disable the primary line and confirm the site keeps working. A failover that has never been tested cannot be trusted on the day it is needed.
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Re-test on a schedule
Networks change. Re-test after any change to lines, hardware or config, and on a regular cadence, not just once at install.
Relevant services
Services that keep a site online.
If the checklist raises questions, these are the services that usually answer them.
Connectivity
Dedicated Internet Access
An SLA-backed primary connection with guaranteed capacity as the resilient foundation.
Learn more
Connectivity
Multi-Site Connectivity
Consistent, resilient connectivity across every location, managed as one network.
Learn more
Security
Managed Firewall
The device that handles failover and protects the site whichever path is live.
Learn moreTalk to us
Want us to design failover that actually works?
Talk to Regional Broadband and we will help you put a genuine second path in place, set up automatic switchover, and test it so you know the site stays online.