How To Build A Future-Proof IT Infrastructure 

The digital revolution in the last twenty years has been nothing short of disruptive. It’s astonishing to comprehend that more than half of the Fortune 500 companies that existed at the turn of the millennium are now extinct because they couldn’t or didn’t adapt to the digital landscape.

As digital technologies continue to evolve, businesses also need to keep up with developments. Companies that rely heavily on digital platforms should be looking to future-proof their IT infrastructure.

An efficient IT infrastructure encompasses the glut of IT components and software that keeps your business operational. You need to consider everything from servers, networks, devices, apps, CRM systems and anything else you’ve tacked on.

Whether you need to overhaul a legacy system and start from scratch or build on your existing system by integrating digital components, a modern IT infrastructure must give you the flexibility and agility to continue operations in the future.

Scalable and Secure Solutions

An IT infrastructure should lay the foundations that enable you to scale with your business. No matter whether you are in a position to expand operations, or if you suddenly have to downsize, you need solutions that enable you to scale quickly.

Migrating to the cloud is the number one solution for scalability today. In the future, a multi-cloud solution may be the only option as tech companies gradually prune out-of-the-box software in favour of cloud environments.

The ideal setup for businesses moving forward is to harness the power of a one-cloud solution that delivers all the tools you need to run your business at optimal efficiency.

We’d like to tell you that a single cloud solution exists, but we’d be lying. Whilst some small businesses will be able to access all the tools you need from a cloud provider, another cloud provider may have two or three tools that perform better than your cloud provider.

Microsoft 365 is arguably the closest you will get to a single cloud solution, but even then you may find better solutions from another app.

A future-proofed IT infrastructure that runs at maximum efficiency involves adopting a multi-cloud strategy so you can take advantage of the “best of breed” solutions.

Run The Apps You Need

Given businesses will probably need to integrate a number of third-party apps, it’s important the apps work well together. This is not always the case.

Conflicting apps can slow your system down or stop it from running altogether. You may have also encountered issues with your operating system refusing to download apps. Fortunately, there are solutions that enable developers to navigate ‘app can’t open errors.’

Resolving potential issues with uncompromising apps requires a tiered API (Application programming interfaces) structure that dispenses with silos. APIs are connections that enable apps and data systems to communicate so they are accessible to end-users – your staff and your customers.

API strategies that future-proof your IT infrastructure navigate the complexity of the underlying system by making relevant data available only. In other words, you switch off functions you don’t need and promote the functions that you do need.

The next step is to enable apps to interact with other apps that need to share data. For example, if you use an e-commerce platform, you want it to communicate with your accounts program, marketing tools and your web builder.

To enhance the user experience, APIs can also be used to deliver a seamless journey between research data, browsing, purchase and aftercare. For example, this may mean creating an API that is fluid enough to adapt to the user interface and your backend system.

Automated Solutions

Automated solutions eliminate the need for repetitive actions that can be time-consuming and costly. Ultimately, automation helps firms to improve productivity, increase revenue streams, scale faster and deliver better customer service.

With artificial intelligence and machine learning becoming more efficient, software tools provide pathways that deeply connect IT infrastructures and enable companies to achieve KPIs and SLAs without human intervention.

Agility

There’s no question that today’s businesses need to have an agile IT infrastructure. There’s no single solution we can offer in a blog post. To make an IT infrastructure agile requires a bottom-up review of your existing network.

The process involves evaluating your existing infrastructure, assessing its capabilities and measuring its performance. Some of the solutions will be the future-proof models already mentioned in this article.

Our specialists also look for areas which can give your business a renewed focus. This requires a solid understanding of software tools that will enhance the efficiency of your business operations and your IT network as a whole.

The key points to address are: Is “good enough really good enough”? How quickly can you respond to the market? How easy is it to integrate emerging technologies? How quickly can you scale and more?

Speak to our IT specialists in London to determine how you can make your IT infrastructure more agile.

Data Extraction

Data is central to continuous improvement in performance and the evolution of digitally-reliant companies. Integrating data integration solutions that deliver valuable data insights is becoming increasingly important.

IT infrastructures also perform more efficiently when IT professionals have relevant data to hand. Today’s data extraction tools enable us to avoid potential errors and significantly minimise downtime.

Solutions also exist that enable you to filter out flawed data in your raft of applications, operating systems, analytics, projections and governance. Once you establish a set of rules, data extraction software manages the data throughout its life cycle.

Enhance Cybersecurity

The growing number of cyberattacks on IT infrastructure poses a threat to business continuity. Lincoln College in the United States – an institution with a standing of 157 years – was recently forced to close down following a ransomware attack.

Effective cybersecurity defences are integral to future-proofing your IT infrastructure. The evolution will be a continuous strategy and requires a solid foundation.

Starting with a Risk Mitigation and Incident Response report, a business network should protect its boundaries and carry out continuous monitoring to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Cloud technologies have advanced security measures which include access protocols, isolating assets, streamlining patch management, secure endpoints and enhancing user identity.

IT Support Services in London

Our IT support professionals in London have years of experience in the design, development and management of IT infrastructure. With our knowledge and experience, we are confident any IT infrastructure can be remodelled to ensure your business runs at optimal performance and maintain maximum efficiency in the future.