With IT failure in 2026 a matter of 'when' and not 'if' for businesses, Gloucestershire expert System Force IT says if your current setup hasn't been stress tested, you may only be one outage away from serious disruption.
Building resilience into your IT infrastructure helps to protect revenue, your reputation and operations when things go wrong. SoGlos lists 9 simple ways businesses can make themselves more resilient to these failures, from having multiple, regularly tested backups, to additional layers of cyber security.
Stop relying on a single backup
A shift to remote and hybrid working means it's more important than ever that businesses have robust data backup solutions, to safeguard sensitive information against potential threats. System Force says if your only backup is on-site or synced to the same system, you could be exposed.
It recommends using encrypted off-site backups, such as cloud-based solutions that are regularly tested and scheduled to avoid human error; immutable cloud backups, which cannot be modified or deleted, for protection against ransomware and malicious tampering; and tested disaster recovery solutions, ensuring data restoration in the event of a system failure or cyberattack.
Secure Microsoft 365 properly
Many SMEs may assume that Microsoft 365 includes full protection against data loss and cyber threats – it doesn't, with businesses needing additional layers to avoid leaving gaps in their security.
System Force recommends using advanced email security, to protect against spam, malware and phishing attacks; Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), such as through apps or push notifications to guard against compromised passwords; conditional access policies, to apply the right access tools without interfering with productivity; and keeping an external Microsoft 365 backup.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication everywhere
With passwords alone no longer enough to keep your accounts safe, System Force says Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) proves effective in blocking the majority of account-based attacks.
Recommending it be enforced as standard, it says that businesses should prioritise their email, remote access, finance and admin accounts when implementing MFA.
Create a real business continuity plan
In today's tech-driven world, ensuring there's a plan in place for when your IT systems go down is essential for businesses in maintaining customer trust, safeguarding revenue and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
System Force says business continuity and disaster recovery should be a strategic priority, not an afterthought, with an effective plan covering who does what; how systems are restored; how staff work remotely; and estimated recovery time.
Segment your network
Ensuring other areas of your network are safe if even one device gets compromised, segmentation – dividing your network into smaller, manageable sections – limits access to sensitive data and minimises the impact of a potential breach.
System Force says businesses should look to separate out their guest WiFi, internal servers and staff devices, preventing guests from accessing confidential company information; and containing security incidents by having different policies for each segment.
Keep systems patched and updated
Making sure your systems are running with the latest updates is key to maximising efficiency, with automated patch distribution streamlining the process and ensuring software remains fortified against emerging threats.
System Force says unpatched systems are one of the biggest causes of cyber security breaches, with key areas of focus being Windows updates; firewall firmware; server security patches; and third-party applications.
Monitor your systems continuously
When it comes to your IT infrastructure, you can't fix problems you can't see – making real-time monitoring and alerting crucial for operational efficiency and cyber security.
Proactive monitoring can help businesses prevent – and promptly respond to – server failures, storage issues, suspicious logins and performance degradation.
Train staff on cyber awareness
With most IT failures starting with human error, System Force says cyber resilience isn't just technical, it's cultural – with regular cyber awareness training helping staff to recognise things like phishing emails, invoice fraud, credential harvesting and suspicious attachments.
System Force itself is hosting a series of free cyber security webinars in 2026 to help SMEs boost their online safety, covering everything from phishing and AI governance to Microsoft 365 security.
Move from reactive IT to managed IT services
Taking a proactive approach to IT and cyber security will ensure you're not left high and dry when problems occur, with System Force saying 'break-fix IT' – simply reacting when something goes wrong – leads to costly downtime. While resilience isn’t built overnight, the most effective way to make sure your business is secure and running efficiently is to work with a managed IT partner.
System Force says a good managed service provider should serve as your business's outsourced IT department, cyber security advisor, disaster recovery planner and long-term technology partner, providing everything from 24/7 monitoring, tracking performance and providing instant alerts; patch management; threat detection; and performance optimisation, keeping your systems working at their best.
To find out more about what System Force IT could do for your business, visit systemforce.co.uk.
