What is failover?
Failover is an automatic switch to another communication channel when the primary channel cannot deliver a message, ensuring reliable and uninterrupted customer communication.
Failover is a reliability feature that redirects a message to another communication channel when the primary one fails. It acts as a ready backup path, helping ensure important notifications still reach the user even if a channel is slow, unavailable, or temporarily offline.
How it works
When a system detects that a message was not delivered, it triggers a sequence that sends the same message through an alternative channel such as SMS, WhatsApp, email, or push notification. This process is automatic and happens after a defined timeout or delivery status check.
In Infobip’s Customer Engagement Solution, failovers are easy to set up. You choose the primary channel, set fallback timing, and define a secondary channel. This improves reachability for customers who switch networks, lose data coverage, or have inconsistent connectivity.
Example: A user has no mobile data but still has a cellular signal. If a WhatsApp message cannot be delivered, the system sends the same message via SMS so the user still receives it.
Failover flowchart
Primary channel attempted → Delivery fails or times out → System activates failover
→ Message sent via secondary channel → Delivery confirmed
Failover vs backup
A backup is a saved copy of data for later recovery. Failover is an active switch to a working path so communication continues without interruption.
In short: backup restores, failover redirects.
Failover vs disaster recovery
Failover handles everyday communication issues like a channel outage or local network failure.
Disaster recovery addresses major incidents that impact entire systems or infrastructure.
Failover keeps operations running in the moment; disaster recovery focuses on rebuilding after a large failure.
Why it matters
Failover prevents message loss, increases delivery success, and supports a consistent customer experience across regions, devices, and channels. It ensures operations continue smoothly, even when conditions change.
FAQs about failover