Thursday, September 02, 2010
Rain, Wind, Ice…and Reuse
Looks as though hurricane season is in full swing. Hurricane Earl is bearing down on the Eastern U.S. seaboard and weather prognosticators are predicting no fewer than 14 named storms this season. While hurricanes may not be a common occurrence for us here in the New England, they certainly are for other regions as much as severe snow and ice storms can bring us to our knees in winter. So, what does this all have to do with reuse? Well, a lot actually.
Severe weather and natural disasters (i.e. earthquakes, volcano eruptions) can have a tremendous impact on service providers’ network operations. And communication, particularly in the hours and days following an event, is absolutely critical for first responders, relief efforts and families trying to connect with loved ones.
Restoring service quickly could very well hinge on how fast a carrier or OEM (if they’re operating a network as part of a managed services deal) is able to source replacement parts. With little, or no, visibility into equipment inventories it’s going to take longer to locate, transport and install assets despite the best intentions of existing disaster response and recovery plans.
While reuse strategies can’t predict the weather, this type of an approach can help you plan better for events like hurricane season and winter storms. By establishing greater visibility into stocks, you’ll not only know what excess equipment you have (and what you don’t) and where it’s located, but more importantly you’ll be able to incorporate severe weather patterns into your long-term planning and procurement processes. As a result, you’ll be better prepared when the time comes to respond with speed and efficiency.
