IT Infrastructure

Definition - What is IT Infrastructure?

IT Infrastructure or Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure consists of the equipment, systems, software, and services used in common across an organization, regardless of mission/program/project. IT Infrastructure also serves as the foundation upon which mission/program/project-specific systems and capabilities are built." from cio.gov ITIL defines infrastructure more like: "All of the components (Configuration Items) that are needed to deliver IT Services to customers. The IT Infrastructure consists of more than just hardware and software." Additionally, for project planning purposes, IT Infrastructure should be subdivided into several components:

• Software Development
• Software Maintenance (corrective perfective, adaptive, block changes)
• Purchased Software (e.g. ERP system)
• IT Infrastructure hardware (e.g. servers, switches)
• IT Services (e.g software setup, help desk, computer administration)

Even though the IT infrastructure has been around for over 60 years, there have been incredible advances in technology in the past 15 years. These advances have meant that IT infrastructure has become an integral component of companies both large and small. Workers used to use desktop computers at the office and technology speed was not great. Nowadays each user connects to the network using multiple devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets. Therefore, the IT infrastructure has to be available 24/7 with fast speed and have enough capacity to support a higher number of devices. The IT Infrastructure is integral to the layers of the OSI Model. Without an IT Infrastructure, IT operations would not be possible. Everything from the physical devices of the end user to the network in which they work as well as the data they consume is not possible without the proper infrastructure in place in all the layers of the OSI model. Specifically, the first three layers are directly involved with IT Infrastructure. The physical layer serves as the fundamental layer for hardware. The second and third layers (Data Link and Network), are essential for communication to and from hardware devices. Without this, networking is not possible. Therefore, in a sense, the internet itself would not be possible.

Components of an IT Infrastructure

IT infrastructure consists of all components that somehow play a role in overall IT and IT-enabled operations. It can be used for internal business operations or developing customer IT or business solutions. Typically, a standard IT infrastructure consists of the following components:

• Hardware: Servers, computers, data centers, switches, hubs, routers, etc.
• Software: Enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), productivity applications and more
• Network: Network enablement, internet connectivity, firewall, and security
• Meatware: Human users, such as network administrators (NA), developers, designers, and generic end users with access to any IT appliance or service are also part of an IT infrastructure, specifically with the advent of user-centric IT service development.

Layers of IT Infrastructure

IT Infrastructure is typically layered:

• Software and applications – The things you use
• Access and devices – the things you connect to the network
• Servers and storage – things that provide services for your devices to consume
• Network and communication – the fabric upon which the above layers communicate
• Professional and managed services – the services you purchase to deliver IT projects or ensure they’re always working

source: Stonegroup UK

Below are some examples of components that may make up the layers in your organization:

• Software
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Content Management System (CMS)
  • Application software
  • Project management
  • Productivity Software
  • Time management
  • Microsoft platforms (OS, office)
  • Design
  • Security
  • Threat detection and antivirus
  • Cloud platforms
  • SAAS
• Access and Devices
  • Desktop PCs
  • Laptops
  • Tablets
  • Printers
  • Scanners
  • Labelling
  • AV
  • Digital signage
  • CCTV
• Servers and storage
  • Servers
  • Storage
  • Security
  • Cloud storage
  • Virtualization
  • Hyperconvergence
• Network and communication:
  • Switches
  • Routers
  • Firewalls
  • Wireless access points
  • Physical cabling (fiber or copper cabling)
• Professional services
  • Flexible support packages
  • Service desk
  • Risk assessments
  • Software/hardware audits
  • Engineer visits
  • Network upgrades
  • Change management
  • Installations and decommissions
  • Migrations
  • Site surveys

When designed well, all components should run smoothly, and communicate freely but securely with limited maintenance or intervention required from IT Services companies. As IT Infrastructure so often underpins the very function of a company – resiliency in design and ensuring there are no single points of failure become incredibly important. With the ever-increasing threat from ever-expanding sources, security is paramount to ensuring your staff, data and IP remains yours, and your Infrastructure continues to function. Balancing security, cost, maintenance, and performance is a complex endeavor requiring a broad range of skillsets and expertise. It’s incredibly easy to waste money on IT; getting the right guidance before, during, and after your major projects and investments is critical.

Types of IT Infrastructure

• Traditional infrastructure: With a traditional infrastructure, the components—like data centers, data storage, and other equipment—are all managed and owned by the business within its own facilities. Traditional infrastructure is often thought of as expensive to run and requires large amounts of hardware, like servers, as well as power and physical space.
• Cloud infrastructure: Cloud infrastructure describes the components and resources needed for cloud computing. You can create a private cloud by building it yourself using resources dedicated solely to you. Or you can use a public cloud by renting cloud infrastructure from a cloud provider like Alibaba, Amazon, Google, IBM, or Microsoft. And by incorporating some degree of workload portability, orchestration, and management across multiple clouds you can create a hybrid cloud.
• Hyperconverged infrastructure: Hyperconverged infrastructure allows you to manage your compute, network, and data storage resources from a single interface. With software-defined compute and data storage bundled together, you can support more modern workloads with scalable architectures on industry-standard hardware.

An optimal IT Infrastructure

IT infrastructure setups vary by business needs and goals, but some goals are universal for every enterprise. The optimal infrastructure will provide a business with high-performance storage, a low-latency network, security, an optimized wide area network (WAN), virtualization, and zero downtime.

• High-performance storage systems store and back up data and include a data recovery system in case of disasters.
• Low-latency networks use enterprise-level infrastructure components to reduce the delay of data flow.
• Secure infrastructures include systems that control information access and data availability. It can also safeguard a business against breaches and cyberattacks wherever the data resides, maintaining the customers’ trust.
• WANs manage the network by prioritizing traffic and giving certain applications more or less bandwidth as needed.
• Virtualization provides faster server provisioning, increases uptime, improves disaster recovery and saves energy.
• Zero downtime aims to reduce disruptions to business operations and eliminates system downtime to keep costs down and profits up.

IT Infrastructure Management

IT organizations have already developed methodologies and frameworks for managing IT infrastructure. There are three primary practices to discuss — ITOM, ITSM, and ITAM.

• IT Operational Management or ITOM: ITOM refers to the set of tools and processes that help maintain IT infrastructure. This practice also ensures that the chosen IT infrastructure is available, reliable, and effective on behalf of the business. ITOM has various functions like network asset discovery, operational intelligence and data collection, network event management, orchestration, and cloud management.
• IT Service Management or ITSM: ITSM refers to all the activities involved in designing, creating, delivering, supporting, and managing the lifecycle of IT services. IT service management is intended to enable and maintain optimal deployment, operation, and management of every single IT resource for every user in the extended enterprise.
• IT Asset Management or ITAM: ITAM is responsible for lifecycle management for IT infrastructure, both hardware and software. It usually consists of three parts:
  • Financial. The primary goal of ITAM is to optimize IT expenses. It means implementing cost-effective IT infrastructure, ensuring that new investments are required and cost-justified.
  • Inventory. It means that managers control and oversight IT infrastructure. As a result, it’s possible to make thoughtful decisions when investing in IT infrastructure.
  • Contractual. Managers oversee software license agreements, cloud service agreements, and other contracts related to IT infrastructure.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

One of the main barriers to the establishment of IT infrastructure is the cost associated with purchasing new equipment. For businesses that rely on IT infrastructure for their core functions, it is expensive to expand IT infrastructure by leasing a data center, purchasing physical hardware such as servers and network endpoints, and configuring and maintaining a network.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a model of cloud service delivery where IT organizations can purchase virtualized computing resources from a third-party provider and access them over the internet. These resources typically include networking, storage space, servers, and virtual computing environments where the customer can deploy applications or run workloads of their choosing.

Rather than purchasing, configuring, and maintaining the IT infrastructure needed to support a workload, a business can lease the required IT infrastructure from a cloud services provider on an on-demand, pay-as-you-go basis. Infrastructure-as-a-Service is enabling more companies to access more computing power at a lower price point than ever before. Some of the best-known cloud service providers that offer IaaS include Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Rackspace Open Cloud, and Digital Ocean.

Benefits of IT Infrastructure Transformation

As digital initiatives and technology have become more prominent, a high-performing IT infrastructure has become more important. The infrastructure’s strength has an enormous bearing on corporate results—from back-end capabilities and customer-facing advances such as in-store Wi-Fi to internal employee enhancements such as access to social collaboration tools, bring-your-own-device initiatives, and the growing use of cloud services. Most of these capabilities are outsourced with a market value of hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

The benefits of getting an IT infrastructure transformation right are huge, with a wealth of opportunities for savings and process improvements and the potential to create an advantage by having a competitive and flexible technology environment. Companies that reassess their infrastructure consistently tap into a variety of benefits (see figure below).

source: Kearney

• Transparent and reduced costs. In many vendor relationships, costs go up for reasons that are difficult to pinpoint. The transformation process creates visibility into what is being spent on IT infrastructure and points to places where the company can pay less for the same or better service. Advanced technology can provide huge benefits by delivering more computing power at lower costs, and alternative delivery models that shift staff locations or move to the cloud can cut costs even more.
• Improved service levels. IT infrastructure services are operating well when no one notices them at all. Best-in-class service levels ensure that the infrastructure is always available, responsive, and high quality. Service levels affect not only customers but also employees. With a superior IT infrastructure, support tickets are resolved faster, and network and system availability is reliable.
• Greater flexibility and faster time to market for new services. A transformation offers an opportunity to increase computing power and storage. Servers and other hardware can be provisioned faster, and storage can be increased or decreased on demand using pay-as-you-go models. By incorporating a new contract with accelerated tech refresh cycles, more advanced technology can get into users hands faster.
• Innovation. Outdated legacy environments require constant attention and can drain valuable staff time on critical incidents and unplanned outages. A refreshed environment that is running smoothly allows companies to focus less on putting out fires and more on finding innovative ways to partner with business counterparts to provide tools that will support revenue growth.
• Bolstered network security. Security tools have become more advanced in their ability to identify real-time threats, detect potential data leaks, and reduce the spread of viruses. Advanced tools can improve network security and reduce unplanned outages.

IT infrastructure, the backbone of any contemporary enterprise, stands intricately connected to the role and vision of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Rather than just a collection of servers, networks, and software, IT infrastructure serves as the conduit for data movement, communication, and critical business operations. It's the CIO, with their holistic perspective of the organization, who ensures that this foundation is not only sturdy but also aligns seamlessly with the broader company objectives. In an era where the boundaries between IT and core business operations are increasingly fluid, the success of IT infrastructure is often mirrored by the foresight and strategies of the CIO. Their decisions—whether it's a choice between cloud and on-premises, prioritizing cybersecurity, or driving digital transformation—shape and refine the infrastructure, making it a pivotal element in the enterprise's overarching strategy.

See Also

• Enterprise Architecture
• IT Strategy
• IT Organization
• IT Architecture
• IT Services (Information Technology Services)
• IT Operations
• IT Sourcing
• IT Transformation
• Open Systems Interconnection Model (OSI Model)

Further Reading

• IT Policy: An Essential Element of IT Infrastructure
• 11 things to explain what IT infrastructure is about
• Next Generation IT Infrastructure
• The Importance of Managed IT Infrastructure for the Business
• What Is IT Infrastructure? Definition, Building Blocks, and Management Best Practices
• What is IT Infrastructure all about?