In the information age, the management of IT infrastructure can play an important role in keeping businesses competitive. As you work to ensure that IT infrastructure management is completed correctly and efficiently, your company can stay agile. However, this process can often require specific steps that are not easy to execute.
Some of the challenges you may encounter when handling infrastructure management for IT systems include difficulties with outdated systems, concerns with cybersecurity, data management scalability, and more. What is the best way to navigate the complexities of IT infrastructure management? Continue reading this article, where we will highlight the best methods to do this.
Understanding IT Infrastructure Management
The concept and execution of IT infrastructure management refers to the administration and enhancement of an IT system and its components. Some of the components the management process can optimize, and the means to do so, include the following:
- IT hardware: IT hardware management includes deploying, maintaining, and optimizing each hardware component your business uses.
It can include optimizing servers or server management, by monitoring the performance of the server, implementing security measures, and allocating the right resources managing storage devices, or enhancing end-user devices, optimizing networking hardware, and more.
For example, to manage the hardware, you may use hardware lifecycle management and complete capacity planning processes – these actions can include regular monitoring, troubleshooting, and upgrades.
- Software: Managing IT software requires you to configure and then maintain the software applications your business uses.
For instance, the process can include version control and patch management, which involves ensuring the entire business is using up-to-date versions of the software and acquiring and installing patches with the software to resolve vulnerabilities or security issues.
- Data centres: With data centre management, you can ensure operations completed through your business’s data centre are efficient and reliable. Containing servers, storage systems, and networking equipment, these centres help you manage large quantities of data.
As you complete capacity planning and monitoring, execute disaster recovery method best practices (such as risk assessment, regular backups, using redundancy and failover mechanisms, and producing documents for disaster recovery scenarios), and ensure the right security measures are in place, you can ensure the data centres are operating optimally.
- Networks: As well as VPN management, configuring firewalls, and managing bandwidth, you also need to complete network monitoring as essential processes to handle the network component of your IT infrastructure.
Each of these processes can help you optimize the network infrastructure. For example, envision having increased visibility of network traffic and blocking malware and threats easily. Configuring firewalls can help you do this, monitor the traffic flow, and help you prevent malware by thoroughly inspecting data packets.
Well managed IT infrastructures can make a real difference in how your business operates, especially when you maintain the resources and ensure they align with your business goals. It can streamline your operations and mean that they work efficiently without interruptions.
The key goals of IT infrastructure management can include making sure technology resources are efficient and reliable. It can also include making data security better and optimizing the technology as the company grows. Simultaneously, you may also aim to ensure the business has a competitive advantage, which is possible when you use innovative technology and manage it well.
Challenges in IT Infrastructure Management
While achieving the goals for managing your infrastructure has clear advantages, it’s worth understanding that some challenges in IT infrastructure management can make the process difficult. If we look at some of the challenges you may face, we can better understand the difficulties you should be on the lookout for:
- Scalability issues: If your existing infrastructure can’t handle the requirements for a larger number of resources, this can result in scalability issues. For example, your network bandwidth or storage capacities may be lower than the amount your business requires.
This can mean that as you attempt to grow the business, the IT infrastructure cannot accommodate the strain on its limited systems.
- Security concerns: As you manage the IT infrastructure, it’s essential to address security concerns. You run the risk of individuals claiming unauthorized access to your data systems or falling victim to malware or phishing attacks if you are unable to efficiently address such concerns when managing the infrastructure and systems.
A few examples of security issues you need to look out for include network threats and threats to data – and these security concerns can come from cyber attacks or threats. It can mean your sensitive data is compromised and easy to access, when it shouldn’t be.
- Legacy systems: With outdated hardware, software, or technology solutions, you face challenges when trying to manage IT infrastructure. Examples of issues you may encounter include compatibility, security issues, scalability, and the inability to make cost savings when maintaining these systems.
Compatibility is limited because newer technologies may not work with the legacy systems, scalability is a challenge because the legacy systems might not be able to cope with expansion, putting a strain on how they operate. Security issues happen because legacy systems lack certain security enhancing features, and cost savings are difficult to make because these systems require greater maintenance.
- Resource constraints: You may also face difficulties when completing IT infrastructure management if you have resource constraints that do not align with your business.
In a real-world case study, Canadian health information systems, notorious for relying on legacy systems like Windows XP, have experienced breaches in security. Statistically speaking, 48% of all reported 2019 Canadian breaches happened within the health sector, which is also due to security concerns such as malware.
In the 2020 case of eHealth Saskatchewan, for instance, 40GB of encrypted files were stolen by malicious actors. This case backs the fact that security concerns can be a real issue that businesses should consider when managing IT infrastructure.
Strategies for Effective IT Infrastructure Management
Fortunately, additional strategies for effective IT infrastructure management exist. You can handle security issues, resource constraints, scalability issues, and more, simply by using a few of the strategies listed just here:
- Automation: Using automation tools can make server setups easier and also automate network devices. For example, you may use tools such as Ansible and Chef to use the correct modules that network devices require. This process also facilitates scalability and minimizes manual requirements – so IT operations are greatly streamlined.
- Proactive monitoring: Real-time monitoring can ensure you spot and handle issues as they take place and avoid disruption to your productivity.
Monitoring is easier with specific monitoring tools, which we will look at below, and can streamline the infrastructure monitoring process by ensuring you do not experience downtime. It can also minimize data loss in the event of a data breach.
- Cloud adoption: Cloud adoption can have multiple advantages for IT infrastructure management. By first evaluating the infrastructure, and then selecting a cloud service provider, you can commence a cloud migration process.
You can proceed by moving the IT infrastructure to platforms such as Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud Platform. We recommend moving non-critical data first, which works as a test process, and then checking the compatibility of the other data before migrating it afterward – it is a process that leads to improved and better business performance offered by exceptional resources and backup options.
- DevOps practices: There are many DevOps best practices that translate well to IT infrastructure management. By embracing automation of manual tasks like network configuration, completing real-time monitoring of the infrastructure, and considering iterative, agile approaches, you can streamline your infrastructure management and make it more efficient.
Tools and Technologies for IT Infrastructure Management
We have mentioned that Ansible is one tool you can use to improve and manage a part of your IT infrastructure, however, many others are available. The following tools are ideal if you intend to manage the components of your system:
- Network monitoring tools: Examples of network monitoring tools include SolarWinds, Zabbix, Nagios, PRGT, and more.
- Configuration management software: As well as Ansible, configuration management software includes SaltStack, CFEngine, Microsoft System Center, and many others.
- Cloud management platforms: Cloud management platforms include Cisco Intersight, HPE OneView, BMC Helix ITSM, and more.
- Security solutions: Symantec Endpoint Protection, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation, Cisco Secure, and many others are just a few security solutions that can work well while managing IT infrastructure components.
Now, when you are selecting between these tools, plenty of evaluation criteria can help you decide whether they match your organizational needs and goals. Ensure you consider the following criteria when you choose one:
- Consider the compatibility: First, ensure the tools and technologies are compatible with the components you want to enhance. Completing research into the tools, assessing your infrastructure, reviewing the system requirements, and requesting information from the vendor will help you find out more about whether the tools are compatible with your infrastructure and can help you manage it.
- Think about the scalability: Then, think about the scalability capabilities of the tools by evaluating your growth requirements, considering whether the tools have a flexible architecture, or looking at tools that facilitate automated scaling. Aligning the scalability capabilities with the growth requirements will help you determine whether the tools are ideal for your IT infrastructure management processes.
- Look at the security capabilities: Consider whether the tools offer encryption and access control, and look to check if the tools offer intrusion detection so that you can monitor for suspicious activities.
- Find out if they are easy to use: Look into the tools in terms of how difficult they are to use. Check whether the interface is user-friendly, if customization is available, and whether integration is easy to complete before you choose one. You might also need to consider if the tools offer support services and frequent updates.
Choose Tech Masters for Your IT Infrastructure Management Needs
If you aim to make sure that each component in your infrastructure is optimized, but are unsure where to begin, we can help. Tech Masters has the experience and specialized knowledge required to help with your IT infrastructure management, ensure your systems management, network management, and operating systems enhance the efficiency of your company’s output, and ensure business continuity.
Our managed IT solutions can help with long-term support services, efficient data storage and storage management, and assist with maintaining hardware. Contact Tech Masters today to find out how we can help you. Optimize your IT infrastructure with support from our expert team today!
