The first step during a major IT outage is to identify the cause and assess which systems are affected. Staff should avoid making unnecessary changes until the issue has been properly investigated.

Communication is important during outages, particularly if employees or customers are affected. Businesses should follow their continuity plan, prioritise critical systems and restore services in a controlled way.

Once systems are back online, reviewing what caused the outage can help prevent similar problems in the future. Regular maintenance, monitoring and reliable backup systems all play a key role in reducing the risk of future disruption.