What is the role of HTTP? And what is HTTP availability?
HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is the foundation of the internet and is used to transfer data between servers and clients.
HTTP availability refers to the ability of a server or network to provide access to resources via the HTTP protocol. In other words, it refers to the uptime or reliability of a website or web service that can be accessed over the internet using HTTP.
In the context of online retail, HTTP availability refers to the ability of a retailer’s website to be accessed by customers at all times.
High availability is important for ensuring that users can access a website or web service at all times, and it is often achieved through the use of redundant servers and load balancers. When a customer visits a retail website, their request for the website’s content is sent to the retailer’s server using HTTP. If the server is unavailable, the customer will be unable to access the website, resulting in a poor user experience.
On the other hand, if the server is available and able to respond quickly to the customer’s request, the customer will have a positive experience and be more likely to make a purchase.
One of the biggest challenges for online retailers is ensuring high HTTP availability. Downtime, even for short periods, can lead to significant financial losses for a business. For example, during peak shopping periods such as the holiday season, even a few minutes of downtime can result in thousands of lost sales. To mitigate this risk, retailers should invest in strong and dependable systems to guarantee that their website is constantly accessible to their clients.
How can you improve your website’s HTTP availability?
There are several strategies that retailers can use to improve HTTP availability. Some of them are:
Content Delivery Network
One of the most effective is to use a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Wondering what is Content Delivery Network? A CDN is a network of servers distributed across multiple geographic locations that work together to deliver content to customers. By using a CDN, retailers can ensure that their website’s content is delivered to customers quickly, even if the retailer’s primary server is unavailable.
Load Balancing and Failover
Another strategy is to use load balancing and failover technologies. Load balancing is the process of distributing incoming traffic across multiple servers to ensure that no single server is overwhelmed. Failover is the process of automatically switching to a backup server in the event that the primary server becomes unavailable. By using load balancing and failover, retailers can ensure that their website remains available to customers even if one of their servers experiences a problem.
Constant Monitoring and Reporting
Finally, reporting and HTTP monitoring tools are also important for ensuring HTTP availability. By constantly monitoring the performance of their website, retailers can quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise. They also can make use of web analytics, log analysis and other tools to measure and report on the performance of the website.
24×7 HTTP availability monitoring for the retail industry with Awakish!
HTTP availability is a critical aspect of the online retail industry. Retailers must invest in robust and reliable infrastructure that helps in constant HTTP monitoring and reporting on the performance of their websites.
By doing so, they can ensure that their customers have a positive experience and are more likely to make a purchase, ultimately leading to increased sales and revenue for the business.
Awakish’s HTTP availability monitoring tools are customized to align with the specific needs of your websites to ensure their high availability and performance. Our instant downtime alerts will keep you ahead of disgruntled customers and enable your team to resolve unprecedented issues much more efficiently.
Our analytics and reporting tools help you understand your website’s performance over time and identify vital business trends or issues.
Get in touch with our support team to understand how we can help transform your business health!