Introduction

Digitisation and technology have enabled the world to run in a fast track mode. All of us now live in the era of same day delivery. Today, everything depends on a well-functioning IT system. As our technology is growing, organizations are fast switching to IT solutions. Thus, the question of the hour is ‘Can companies afford to have IT downtime?’

Fact Check: Based on a recent study from Reports and Data, the global digital transformation market was valued at almost $261.9 billion in 2018, and it is projected to reach around $1.051 trillion by 2026.

IT Systems and Digital Platforms

Downtime is the time frame during which a computer system, network, or a server is unavailable for use or is shut off. Systems can be shut down for various reasons such as hardware or power failure, hacker attacks, system crashes or reboots, software updates, or due to lack of network connectivity, and more. Technological mishaps cannot be averted as most companies, especially the ones in the business sector are adopting technology for more efficient solutions. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has further secured the digitisation speed, with organizations now being completely dependent on IT systems and digital platforms. This automation also helps employees who are working from home. Much of the office functioning is also being automated at the same time. Thus, the answer is loud and clear, organizations CANNOT afford downtimes. IT failures are inevitable; however, due to such failures, businesses are losing billions of dollars. 

How AI and Predictive Analysis can Help

AI and predictive analysis are rapidly being adopted across all industry verticals. Forbes Insights has neatly summed up the business benefits of AI and predictive analysis as:

• Increased productivity
• Reduced operating costs
• Improved speed to market

For IT departments, the application of AI along with predictive analysis has far greater advantages. As IT departments are central to the entire business, they utilize more applications than other departments and generate more data. Which means that as AI technology grows, IT departments can easily process and understand all the data generated. Here are a few ways IT departments can benefit from AI and predictive analytics:

• Downtime can be predicted and eliminated: AI engines can efficiently access large data banks and easily recognize hidden trends and patterns that can shed light on recurring problems and seasonal trends in the IT operations.
• Resource requirements can be planned: Leveraging AI in resource allocation can make service desk processes better, making way for quicker request resolutions and better SLA compliance.
• Costs can be cut and IT budgets can be planned better: A lot of unnecessary expenditure can be saved by using AI and predictive analytics.

Organizations need not have an AI application, or a specialist for that matter to supervise the IT systems. There are various AI-based detection platforms available that can supervise an organization’s IT cell and spot issues in real-time. Such platforms scan for initial signs of potential failures. 

The AI based detection platforms provide recommendations such as:

• Cost-efficient solutions for a client’s current problem
• Real-time failure predictions
• Problems that may occur next
• Estimates for part, skills and job duration
• Step-by-step troubleshooting process

Using Machine Learning (ML) and Data Science

By using ML, AI based detection platforms can utilize the data available to understand how issues generally develop, thereby enabling a company to proactively work on the solution before a problem arises.

AI Application to Reduce False Alarms

Another major threat to a fast functioning IT organization is a false alarm on IT downtime or any other problems concerning technology. Any technical issue in the system accounts for a huge loss to the organisation, thus conclusions related to IT down time must be made very carefully. AI applications can help by providing a dependable grasp of what really leads to failures and this method is better than using human operators and other technologies.

Conclusion

Organizations facing IT downtime issues is usual, but the manner in which these organizations choose to deal with the threat through early prediction using AI applications such as ML and data science can help. As organizations adopt technologies in a full throttle mode, it is good to have a backup system or a solution ready for real-time issues.