Exa News
Importance of Backup Connections for Schools: What Makes a Reliable Failover?
- Date Posted:
- Read time:
- 3 min read
- Written by: Exa Networks
In today’s classrooms, reliable internet access is essential. From cloud-based learning platforms to safeguarding systems and online assessments, schools are more connected than ever. But what happens when the connection drops?
That’s where resilience comes in and it’s not just best practice, it’s a DfE expectation. The Department for Education has made it clear that schools should have a resilient internet connection with failover capability in place to maintain continuity of learning, uphold safeguarding obligations and meet the needs of a modern digital environment. Ofsted has also made clear that digital infrastructure is a key enabler of effective teaching and school leadership.
For schools, that means investing in a robust backup connectivity solution is no longer optional—it’s a fundamental part of digital infrastructure planning.
The reality is, even short periods of downtime can grind the school day to a halt. Lesson delivery stops, safeguarding systems disconnect, communication breaks down and with more platforms moving to the cloud, the impact of a lost connection is only growing.
That’s why forward-thinking schools are building in resilience now—to protect their teaching, their compliance and their peace of mind.
The real impact of downtime in Schools
84% of teachers say that even short internet outages significantly disrupt learning.
The average school experiences at least 3 connectivity disruptions per term, with downtime lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
89% of schools say internet access is essential for teaching and learning throughout the school day.
71% of IT leads in education report experiencing unexpected internet outages at least once per year—with some lasting over an hour.
90% of safeguarding software requires real-time cloud connectivity to log or escalate incidents—meaning an outage can delay urgent alerts.
What should Schools look for in a backup connectivity solution?
Here are the key things to consider when building a failover plan that works for your school:
-
Automatic Failover
Your backup connection should kick in seamlessly the moment your primary connection drops. No one wants a system that relies on manual intervention. -
Bandwidth That Supports Learning
Make sure your failover connection can handle the critical tools (such as cloud MIS access, filtering systems, and safeguarding platforms) even if it’s not quite as fast as your primary line. -
Consistent Filtering and Security
Backup connections should still route through your school’s filtering and safeguarding systems (like SurfProtect). This is especially important to remain compliant with the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, even during downtime. -
Diverse Technology
Using diverse technologies for backup connectivity (such as combining a leased line with FTTP or utilising different providers) helps avoid shared points of failure and ensures greater resilience. If both connections rely on the same infrastructure, a single issue could take them down together. A varied setup spreads risk meaning a more reliable failover. -
Monitoring and Alerts
Monitoring both your primary and backup connections in real time with alerts when failover occurs can help IT teams stay on top of issues and resolve them faster. -
Cost-Efficiency
Budget matters. Your backup doesn’t need to mirror the cost of your primary connection. Instead, find a solution that’s right-sized to your school’s risk tolerance and operational needs.
Exa will always recommend the best available, DfE compliant solution based on your budget and digital environment.
4G/5G: A Smart, Scalable Backup Option
One of the most popular and effective backup options for schools is a 4G or 5G failover. Here’s why:
- High Availability: 4G/5G is widely accessible, even in rural or remote areas where fibre isn’t available or leased lines are costly to install. Because it doesn’t rely on physical cabling to the premises, it’s an ideal option when fixed infrastructure falls short.
- Fast Enough for Learning: With average speeds now rivaling or even surpassing some FTTC lines, especially on 5G, mobile connectivity can support essential classroom tools and cloud access.
- Secure When Done Right: It’s vital that mobile backups are configured to still route through your filtering and monitoring solutions. At Exa, we ensure mobile failovers still filter through SurfProtect, so you’re covered on both security and compliance.
- Quick to Deploy: 4G/5G routers can be set up rapidly, making them ideal for schools who need a fast resilience plan without months of lead time or expensive civil works.
- Infrastructure Diversity: 4G/5G operates completely independently from wired broadband, meaning a fibre cut or local cabinet issue won’t affect your mobile backup. This gives you true failover protection through a completely separate technology.
Future-proofing your Schools connectivity
As education continues to go digital, downtime will only get more disruptive. A robust backup connectivity solution is your school’s insurance policy against interruptions.
At Exa, we specialise in education focussed connectivity, helping schools stay online, stay safe and stay ahead. Whether you’re reviewing your current infrastructure or building your digital strategy for the future, we’re here to help.
Want to explore backup options tailored to your school?
Let’s talk.
Keep up to date with our news
Suggested Next Read
Related News Articles
- 2 October 2024
- 2 October 2024
- 3 min read
