Crises rarely announce their arrival. They tend to strike just before holidays, during peak season, or unexpectedly in the middle of the night. For IT systems, this means being ready 24/7. The real question is: how much is actually invested to ensure services continue to operate when the “normal” world suddenly does not?
From the perspective of a large infrastructure company, the landscape of IT crises has become increasingly complex and multifaceted. According to Tallinna Sadam Head of IT Priit Koppel, organizations must be prepared for everything—from cyberattacks and energy instability to global software incidents. He points to the recent CrowdStrike incident, which disrupted international logistics chains, and to widespread power outages on the Iberian Peninsula, where ports were forced to operate on generators for days.
“Logistics is unique in that, beyond the immediate impact, the aftereffects often ripple through the supply chain for months,” Koppel explains.
Cyber Threats Never Sleep
While Tallinna Sadam has not experienced a crisis that completely halted operations in recent years, smaller incidents have provided valuable lessons.
“A couple of years ago, just before Midsummer’s Day, a core network device failed. It disrupted our ticketing system and caused queues,” Koppel recalls.
Cyberattacks, however, are a daily reality. “Threat actors are constantly rattling the doors,” he says. Beyond conventional attacks, the port has also faced hybrid threats such as GPS spoofing—situations where vessel traffic systems detect non-existent ships in Tallinn’s waters.
Growing Awareness of Risk
For telecommunications and IT service provider Levira, the most significant risks include connectivity outages, power failures, and cyberattacks that overwhelm services.
“All our service delivery layers are duplicated—whether satellite links, fiber optics, or radio connections,” explains Margus Uustalu, Head of IT Services at Levira. Over the past 18–24 months, he has observed a marked increase in client awareness around risk mitigation and resilience.
Crisis planning extends well beyond server rooms. At Tallinna Sadam, so-called offline scenarios have also been rehearsed.
“If energy disruptions outlast battery capacity, we switch to manual operations—raising barriers and assuming standard internet services are unavailable,” says Koppel.
Each scenario is assessed not only operationally but financially. “In some cases, it is more reasonable to absorb the loss or provide services free of charge than to bring operations to a complete standstill.”
Preparations related to the recent synchronization changes in the Baltic electricity system provided a valuable real-world exercise. “In a crisis, energy consumption often exceeds generator capacity. That means identifying and prioritizing the critical core services that must remain operational,” Koppel explains. He also references Ukraine’s experience, which demonstrates that even under military conflict, ports can continue functioning when procedures are simplified and clearly defined.
Plan B Is Not Enough — Have a Plan C
According to Uustalu, Levira can operate on generator power for more than 100 hours.
“We also have fuel partners in place and a Plan C—if resources become constrained, we shut down non-essential services to preserve capacity,” he says.
In the event of cable disruptions in the Baltic Sea, the situation would be critical—but not without alternatives. In addition to satellite connectivity, Levira has established direct line-of-sight radio links between Tallinn and Finland via the TV Tower, ensuring cross-border resilience.
Distributed Data as the New Standard
Data decentralization has become standard practice. Tallinna Sadam utilizes multiple data centers, ensuring that information is not stored in a single geographic location.
“Depending on the system, we use either real-time replication or secure backups in alternative locations,” Koppel explains. He again cites Ukraine, where certain operations have been migrated to international cloud environments, enabling business continuity even if headquarters come under attack.
At the same time, he offers a pragmatic reminder: “If the physical port or production site no longer exists, having data alone will not keep operations running.”
Levira has similarly distributed its infrastructure, operating two broadcast centers in Estonia and one abroad. However, relocating data “just in case” to the other side of the world is not always the right answer. Koppel emphasizes the importance of rational assessment—if Northern Europe faces large-scale disruption, data preservation may not be the primary concern.
Additionally, certain data cannot legally be transferred outside the European Union, and cost considerations also play a role. Blind reliance on U.S.-based solutions may present risks, as global conflict could disrupt access to intercontinental backbone cables.
Satellite Solutions as a Lifeline
To address connectivity disruptions, Tallinna Sadam has implemented alternative communication channels.
“Alternative connectivity is part of our crisis plan. We use Estri operational radio communications between locations. For data exchange, the next fallback scenario is Starlink,” says Koppel. The organization has practical experience with the solution—Starlink operates successfully aboard the icebreaker Botnica, even in Arctic conditions.
According to Uustalu, Levira recommends Starlink, other satellite connectivity solutions, and satellite phones to its clients.
Regardless of circumstances, preparedness is essential.
“Business-critical data and applications must be duplicated. Organizations must consider alternative connectivity—whether Starlink or satellite phones,” Uustalu stresses, noting that Levira supports clients with both consultancy and comprehensive end-to-end solutions.
A Plan Is Only as Good as Its Testing
“A plan that has not been rehearsed is just a piece of paper,” concludes Priit Koppel, Head of IT at Tallinna Sadam. “We have tested some scenarios four times before achieving a satisfactory outcome.”
Attackers will likely find a way in at some point. The critical factor is how quickly systems can be restored.
Resilience is not about avoiding every incident—it is about ensuring continuity when disruption inevitably occurs.