Our server has stopped working

Right away

1. Call your IT provider. Describe what people see, when it started and anything that happened just before, such as a power cut, an update or a strange message.
2. Write down any error messages or warning lights. A photo of the screen or the front of the server helps.
3. Tell staff what is affected and that it is being handled, so they stop trying to fix it themselves.

Do not

• Do not keep restarting it. If a drive is failing, each restart can make it worse.
• Do not unplug drives or move cables unless IT asks you to.
• Do not pay anyone if a message on screen demands money. That is ransomware, and IT needs to know straight away.

While you wait

• Switch to your fallback: work from Microsoft 365, cloud copies, paper or another site, as your recovery plan says.
• Note what work is being done offline, so it can be entered once systems are back.

Afterward

Ask what caused it, how long recovery took compared to the plan, and what would make it faster next time. If the server is old, this may be the moment to plan its replacement.