In a scenario where a switch failure costs a company significantly, what is the most cost-effective solution?

The most cost-effective solution in a scenario where a switch failure could incur significant costs to a company is to purchase a spare switch prior to an outage. By having a spare switch on hand, the company can ensure minimal downtime in the event of a failure. This proactive approach enables rapid replacement, thus reducing the financial impact and potential loss of productivity associated with waiting for a new switch to be procured after a failure occurs.

Maintaining the existing maintenance contract may seem beneficial, but this does not guarantee immediate resolution or recovery from a failure, which could lead to prolonged downtime. Delaying switch replacement until after an outage could result in substantial operational losses, as the company would be susceptible to risk during that critical time frame. Increasing maintenance contract coverage might provide additional support for existing equipment but does not address the immediate and tangible risk of downtime that having a spare switch can mitigate effectively.