23x7

23x7 refers to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operational model commonly used in industries requiring continuous availability, such as IT support, customer service, and manufacturing. The term combines "23" (hours of operation per day) and "7" (days per week), indicating that while most businesses operate 24/7, a 23x7 model leaves one hour of downtime each day for maintenance, updates, or scheduled outages. This approach balances reliability with necessary maintenance, reducing the risk of prolonged disruptions.

The 23x7 model is particularly popular in enterprise IT environments, where critical systems like servers, networks, and databases must remain operational while allowing for routine maintenance. By dedicating a single hour daily to updates or repairs, organizations can minimize downtime while ensuring system stability. This model is also applied in customer support, where round-the-clock assistance is provided except for a brief daily maintenance window.

Adopting a 23x7 strategy requires careful planning, including automated backups, redundant systems, and proactive monitoring to detect and resolve issues before they escalate. While it does not offer full 24/7 uptime, it strikes a practical balance between availability and maintenance, making it a preferred choice for businesses prioritizing reliability without the complexity of continuous, unattended operations.