Managed IT Infrastructure
IT infrastructure consists of all elements that support the management and usability of data and information. These include physical hardware and facilities, data storage and retrieval, network systems, legacy interfaces and software to support the business goals of the organization. The structure also includes hiring, training, policy, testing, process, upgrades and repairs.
A managed IT infrastructure is important because it provides structure and control for diverse technical operations which involve hardware, software, and networking in both the physical and virtual environment.
Infrastructure management is the process of managing the components of a company’s information technology. Having appropriate methods in place for the management of the IT infrastructure allows for improved performance, improved availability and quick solutions for various issues that could arise.
The benefits of IT structure management all stem from the ease of operation, clarity of information, reporting, and cost savings. Behavior that supports this outcome includes:
Rapid response to changing and disruptive conditions.
Flexible and agile procedures that lead to proactive strategies.
Automated work reduces labor, cost, and impactful incidents.
Allows for better capacity planning, centralizes information, and provides near real-time information and reporting.
Streamlined day-to-day functions and operations, freeing up time for personnel to better plan for and meet the demands of organizational goals.
Improved customer satisfaction and overall performance.
Reduced downtime by accelerating deployments and decreasing repair times.
Importance of Service Providers for a Well-Managed IT Infrastructure
While new technologies present powerful opportunities for organizations, they also introduce challenges. The pace of change in IT is unprecedented. The mobile devices and cloud-based technologies that have brought in so many possibilities have also introduced a number of devices, platforms and apps for IT departments to manage and secure. These challenges add up to significant expenses such as cost of hiring and training qualified workers, purchasing the infrastructure to support and so on. Rather than struggle to keep pace with technology themselves, organizations hire service providers for help. The third-party service providers help with cloud deployments, data center solutions, mobile initiatives, collaboration tools, security and IT Asset Disposition. They offer a holistic approach resulting in higher standards as compared to organizations that handle it in-house.
Proactive Disaster Management
If a company does not have a team dedicated to manage its IT infrastructure, it will be impossible to predict or manage disasters as they come along. This reactive approach can lead to lengthy downtimes and major data loss. Therefore, being proactive will save a lot of money for the company during disasters and in their aftermath and also provide for budget for such emergencies.
Shifting the Burden of Compliance
In addition to regular audits, organizations are also obligated to meet standards and requirements in accordance with the laws of the state, especially when it comes to E-Waste, recycling and the environment. When you use OceanTech for your e-waste recycling, you will have peace of mind. Peace of mind that your equipment will never end up in a landfill or incinerated. It is the cornerstone of OceanTech and our certifications back this up.
Keeping Pace with Demands for IT Expertise
Outsourcing functions such as cybersecurity and app development to a partner with technically skilled and specialized engineers in new and emerging technologies alleviates the pressure from the company.
Data Backup
If data is deleted, lost, corrupted, or compromised, it can be restored with the help of backups that have been incorporated as part of the IT infrastructure. A careful and efficiently managed backup process reduces downtime, maintains productivity, and continues to provide outstanding customer satisfaction.
Improved User Experience
Being aware of the state of the IT infrastructure of the organization can provide a better experience for the end-users. Sudden downtime can be controlled or prevented by having them scheduled for maintenance. When downtime becomes necessary, the clients can be given advance notice saving the company monetary losses and embarrassment if it happens suddenly.
Greater Scalability / Asset Lifecycle
IT organizations spend months deploying large systems. Outsourcing the management of the IT infrastructure helps an organization to scale up or scale down depending on the demand. OceanTech makes your IT hardware deployments easier. Unlike manufacturers, we don’t need your original boxes or receipts – OceanTech’s professional and expert teams will show up with all of the tools and equipment required to de-install, de-commission, and disassemble even the largest data centers, right down to the floorboards. Our crews will safely remove and load equipment directly from wherever it is located in your facilities for secure transport back to the OceanTech facility. While performing the sorting and testing process, our IT asset recovery experts will assist in determining the maximum value of all retired assets and return value as a credit to you. This also ensures your assets will not needlessly end up in the e-waste recycling stream. Any equipment that still holds market value will be catalogued for reimbursements, sanitized of all data, reset to factory default settings, and returned to grade-A condition to guarantee the best possible resale rate. Once refurbished, our expert sales team works within our exceptional network of trusted consumers to ensure your equipment is sold to the best end-user, or IT hardware broker, for maximum return on your assets.
Ways to Improve IT Infrastructure Management
Improving the infrastructure helps to improve agility, reduce time, effort, and cost to manage the IT infrastructure internally. Simplifying equipment and processes will help to better identify weaknesses and necessary improvements in the infrastructure. There are a few important practices that simplify the management of IT infrastructure of an organization and improve its efficiency.
Implementing virtualization (creating a virtual version of something) to increase efficiency.
Backing up data to the cloud, to prevent major data loss due to unexpected failures
Creating a ticketing system to streamline submissions and keep track of the status of issues reported by end-user.
Monitoring backup reports for any signs of malicious activity.
Investing in cloud services that allow the company to easily scale up or down as demands and technology change.
IT infrastructure forms the backbone of the economy of the company. Whether a business is small or big, its bottom line can benefit from using a managed IT infrastructure. There will be consistent monthly costs but it comes with the ability to scale and immediate access to experts – which sums up the importance of managed IT infrastructure for any business.
