In today’s globalized world, businesses often rely on web applications and services that operate 24/7 to serve customers and employees across different time zones. Ensuring the reliability and availability of these applications is critical to maintaining productivity and user satisfaction. For organizations with teams spread across regions like the UK, EU, and India, setting up a robust daily check process for servers and applications can provide a significant advantage.
To give the UK and EU teams a head start, I have introduced an early morning server check process handled by a dedicated tester based in India. This process ensures that potential failures in applications or services are identified and reported before the primary workday begins in Europe.
Why a Daily Early Morning Check Process?
The primary goal of this process is to proactively identify and resolve any failures or issues in the web application or servers before they impact users. Even the checking of blacklinsting an IP address that is used to send out email is also checked. By conducting these checks early in the morning (India time), the tester can provide a status report to the UK and EU teams at the start of their workday. This ensures that any critical issues are addressed promptly, minimizing downtime and disruption.
Key Components of the Process
Application Functionality: Ensure all critical features of the web application are functioning as expected.
Server Health: Monitor server performance, including CPU usage, memory, disk space, and network connectivity.
Service Availability: Verify that all dependent services (e.g., databases, APIs, third-party integrations) are operational.
Error Logs: Review application and server logs for any errors or warnings that may indicate potential issues.
Automated Testing Tools: Use tools like Selenium, Jenkins, or custom scripts to automate the testing of key application functionalities.
Monitoring Tools: Implement server monitoring tools like Grafana or AWS CloudWatch to track server health and performance.
Scheduled Scripts: Create scripts to run daily checks at a specific time (e.g., 6:00 AM IST) and generate reports automatically.
Assign Responsibilities
Tester in India: A dedicated tester or group of testers based in India will execute the daily checks, review automated reports, and perform manual verification if needed.
Selected Person in UK/EU: A designated team member in the UK or EU will receive the daily report and take necessary actions based on the findings. If the issues are not resolved by the team in the UK/EU, it will refer to the team in the USA.
Create a Standardized Reporting Template Develop a clear and concise report template that includes the Date and time of the check.
Summary of application and server status (e.g., “All systems operational” or “Issues detected”).
Details of any failures or errors.
Screenshots or logs for reference.
Recommended actions for the UK/EU team.
The report can be delivered via email, a shared dashboard, or a collaboration tool like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Establish Escalation Procedures
Critical Issues: Define what constitutes a critical issue (e.g., application downtime, server crash) and establish a protocol for immediate escalation to the UK/EU team.
Non-Critical Issues: For less urgent issues, include them in the daily report with recommended actions for the team to address during their workday.
Feedback Loop: Regularly review the process with the UK/EU team to identify areas for improvement.
Refine Automation: Continuously update and refine automated scripts and monitoring tools to cover new features or address emerging issues.
Training: Ensure the tester in India is well-trained on the tools, processes, and escalation procedures.
Benefits of the Process
Proactive Issue Resolution: Early detection of issues allows the UK and EU teams to address them before they escalate, minimizing downtime and user impact.
Improved Collaboration: The process fosters collaboration between teams in different time zones, ensuring seamless handover and communication.
Enhanced Reliability: Regular checks and automated monitoring improve the overall reliability and performance of the application and servers.
Time Efficiency: Automation reduces manual effort, allowing the tester to focus on critical tasks and analysis.
Example Workflow
6:00 AM IST: Automated scripts and monitoring tools run daily checks on the application and servers.
6:30 AM IST: The tester in India reviews the automated reports, performs manual checks if needed, and compiles the daily status report.
7:00 AM IST: The report is sent to the designated person in the UK/EU team.
7-8:00 AM GMT: The UK/EU team reviews the report, prioritizes issues, and takes necessary actions.
Follow-Up: The tester in India follows up on any unresolved issues during their next check.
Implementing a daily early morning server and application check process, led by a tester in India, is a strategic approach to ensuring the reliability and availability of web applications for global teams. By combining automation, clear reporting, and effective collaboration, organizations can proactively address issues, minimize downtime, and provide a seamless experience for users. This process not only enhances operational efficiency but also strengthens cross-regional teamwork, making it a valuable addition to any organization’s workflow.