99% is not enough

99% is not enough

A few years back, I attended training at a large computer company's corporate office. The trainer told his students that having a computer network work 99% of the time was not good enough. We should shoot for better: for 99.999%. I am challenging you to expect 99.999% uptime from your technologies.

First, the math. One year has 365 days. If a device works only 99% of the time, that would leave it working 361.5 days and unusable the alternate 3.5 days. If a device works 99.999% of the time, that would leave it working 364.99635 days per year and unusable 0.00365 days. For all practical purposes, it would always work.

Some of our technologies already approach 99.999% uptime.

Phones approach 99.999% uptime. We pick up the phone and the dial tone will tells us the phone is alive. Sometimes we start dialing without bothering to make sure the dial tone occurs. When was the last time you picked up the phone and did not either a) hear a dial tone, or b) answer a call? On the flipside, would you keep a phone service that was not available 3 ½ random days per year, by design?

Cars approach 99.999% uptime. We jump in the driver's seat, turn they key and start the engine. I drive a Honda and am proud to report that it always starts. There is no suspense. When was the last time you tried starting a car and received a message: “Sorry, not today”? Would you drive a car that did not start 3 ½ random days per year, by design?

TV sets approach 99.999% uptime. We grab the remote, push the Power button and relax. My TV works. It has been a long time since I've seen a TV anywhere that didn't work. Would you buy a TV knowing that it wouldn't work 3 ½ random days per year, by design?

Now let's turn our attention to personal computers. I am constantly amazed that people will buy “low” computers. In “low,” I mean low price and low quality. Some run to local retailers and look for either a) the most bells and whistles in one package, b) the cheapest price in the zip code, or c) both of the above. Some purchase based on price, not quality. Some think they're getting a good deal but in reality, they're buying devices that won't reach 99.999% uptime or last as long as expected (three years, on average).

On the flipside, I encourage clients to set higher expectations. Purchase business grade devices. They work better. They achieve 99.999% uptime and they last longer than expected. The choice is yours. Buy cheap and get cheap, or buy reliable and get long term reliability.