The Infrastructure Challenge

Ageing hardware … scope new requirement … source suppliers and quotes … procure and await delivery … perform installation … set up network configuration … patch new infrastructure … operational readiness test … document configuration … prepare for service outage … Migrate workload … continue service

At end of hardware lifecycle, start from step 1.

Add to this:

  • ongoing maintenance and upgrades
  • servicing component failure
  • managing support tickets
  • ensuring hardware/software compatibility
  • performing firmware updates
  • and monitoring data center resources

and it is clear that a significant amount of work is involved in provisioning and maintaining your own infrastructure. Businesses have to ensure that they are well staffed with skilled IT personnel, to cope with the workload to ensure that there is no disruption to service delivery.

Finally, Businesses also have to be prepared for unplanned cost. Running your own infrastructure often means that there are risks that Businesses have to accept with additional expenditure as and when required. How much and how often is what you will never be prepared for.