25 Jan Do you have the basics covered for quality IT infrastructure?

IT infrastructure is built on strong foundational components.

At Bytagig, we talk a lot about the importance of IT infrastructure. Protecting it, developing strong foundations, utilizing cloud services for flexible scaling, budgetary planning and concerns, everything a tech-driven enterprise needs to survive and thrive. But what about establishing strong IT infrastructure? What ingredients are necessary to cultivate that ideal, productive architecture that’s resilient, flexible, and cost-effective?

Knowing is half the battle, and we’ll establish the core components comprising a solid IT environment.

Why is strong IT infrastructure so important?

Today’s markets rely heavily on technology. Conducting business and customer communication are handled through numerous avenues with simultaneous data integration involving their specific metrics, like age, device usage, background, and even purchase histories. This can be used to streamline ad campaigns and communication between the company and the customer. It’s also the backbone of your enterprise, allowing you to access conventional solutions and take advantage of tech that can help your business excel.

There are several categories of IT that comprise essential infrastructure.

The essential components of IT infrastructure

To possess what is considered IT architecture, a business manages several essential sectors of information technology.

Hardware

The brick-and-mortar, hardware here is defined as all assets, devices, and computational systems interacting with the business environment to perform essential tasks. Anything and everything that handles company jobs – be it computer, copier, or phone – involves the hardware backbone.

Software

Software is self-explanatory but can cover a wide area of IT-adjacent tasks. Time trackers, meeting software, communication platforms, email, and custom programs for specific business goals comprise the category of software IT.

Network and Data

Modern technology thrives on broadband connectivity and data-centric outcomes. Another key and crucial aspect of modern IT infrastructure is therefore just that: network power and data. With fast network speeds, an enterprise can quickly shift data, engage in video meetings, enable remote working operations, and take advantage of online-centric services like active security monitoring.

Data is also important and important to protect. Data gives management and administrators valuable information to develop insight-driven decisions about products, services, and workflows.

Cybersecurity

Protecting your digital and network-adjacent assets is a crucial characteristic of modern, functional IT infrastructure. Given the reach of data combined with the expanding IoT family, data is everywhere. Not to mention, all your network-adjacent devices and functions need protection, maintenance, and monitoring to ensure they’re shielded from threat actors.

Cybersecurity also involves modifying human behaviors to adopt sound security hygiene practices. It’s one of the bigger challenges involving cybersecurity and IT infrastructure, making it one of the most important pieces of the IT puzzle.

IT Solutions and Cloud Infrastructure

On the auxiliary side, one of the final characteristics of robust IT architect solutions and cloud-based infrastructure. IT solutions involve experts and staff to handle troubleshooting, coding, and scaling demands. In some cases, IT solutions involve expert third parties (like Bytagig).

Cloud infrastructure is a newer branch of IT that’s seen rapid growth over the years. Cloud solutions involve all the main components of IT, the primary draw being scalability. Adding new software, modules, and even operating systems in seconds comprise cloud services. An enterprise planning rapid IT growth benefits from an involved cloud-based ecosystem.

Integrating IT infrastructure

Now you have the basics established. But how do you integrate IT infrastructure into your business model? Are you lacking in specific areas? How do you know if you need IT infrastructure?

There’s no one single answer since all organizations have different business models. Not every enterprise is a scaling tech giant. That said, IT is not something to ignore. With how reliant we are on data, technology, and broadband communication, you’re likely to engage with IT at one point or another.

The simplest IT infrastructure foundations start at the characteristics we’ve gone over.

IT Staff

You will need trained IT staff and experts to troubleshoot, build, and engage with the tech-facing environment. The need for long-term IT employees is essential, as they’re a cost-effective investment ensuring you keep the digital “skeleton” working smoothly. Even if you have components of IT infrastructure present, it won’t amount to much without knowledgeable minds capable of keeping things running.

If not already, you’ll need to onboard competent IT staff with hands-on training involving data, programming, troubleshooting, monitoring, and cybersecurity.

The tools and hardware

As you navigate your business future with tech integration, you’ll need the right devices, hardware, and tools that benefit your organization. Remember: every addition of hardware should be a necessary, utility-focused one. Integrating expensive solutions “just because” is a recipe for disaster.

Furthermore, new hardware and software require updates, maintenance, and security integration. Each needs an onboarding process and employee training process.

The broadband you need

Most functioning IT services and client relationships require strong broadband/internet connectivity. Without it, communication, backups, and standard business operations will be throttled. If you rely on data centers, for example, that relationship requires powerful broadband for instantaneous transfer of valuable information.

The good news though is ISP providers have gotten better about business contract offerings and establishing stronger internet infrastructure. Fiber internet is now more reliable, cheaper, and easier to acquire.

Third-party services

Even with savvy leadership and insightful tech roadmaps, establishing a strong IT infrastructure is not always an easy task. In some cases, smaller businesses need additional help to establish comprehensive architecture without breaking the budget.

Fortunately, SMBs (small-medium businesses) have options at their disposal. In the event they lack the financial resources/capital to establish their own IT infrastructure, utilizing an MSP is another option. An MSP covers all the areas of IT infrastructure needed for an efficient business model. For example, an MSP has access to experts and solutions that otherwise may not be available to an enterprise.

If you’re still struggling to set up strong IT foundations or want some assistance, an MSP is an ideal solution.

For more information, you can contact Bytagig today.