Prevention is better than troubleshooting. Build systems that avoid problems and detect issues before users notice.
Proactive monitoring:
- Alert on approaching thresholds, not just failures
- Monitor interface errors and discards
- Track resource utilization trends
Regular maintenance:
- Apply patches on a defined schedule
- Test backups by restoring
- Verify failover actually works
Change management:
- Test changes in non-production first
- Have rollback plans ready
- Review changes after implementation
Every incident is an opportunity. Ask what you could have done to prevent it.