Every year, the IT Trends Study Research Team provides a SIM IT Trends Study which polls 3,971 members to provide information about top IT trends. One of the sections of this survey includes ranking the top concerns companies face in IT infrastructure management.
In this article, we discuss the IT infrastructure management concerns addressed by organizations participating in this study as well as the trends we’ve seen in our clients’ priorities.
Top 6 IT Infrastructure Management Concerns
Like many previous years, security, alignment with business, and data analytics and management top the list of most important IT infrastructure management concerns. However, as businesses become more tech-savvy and reliant on technology to improve their company, we’re seeing more and more companies focusing on innovation, agility, and flexibility as well.
1. Security & Privacy
As cybersecurity threats continue to adapt at an alarming pace, it’s becoming increasingly important for companies to improve their network security. This is especially true as technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) create more advanced and efficient security threats. Staying on top of the latest security threats can be difficult for overworked or inflexible IT teams, which is why many companies are outsourcing their cybersecurity to managed IT services companies.
2. Alignment with Business
As more technology options become available, businesses see an opportunity to ensure their IT infrastructure choices are more aligned with their company’s needs. Companies are taking more time to assess their company’s specific challenges, goals, and internal systems to better determine which IT infrastructure will best support them. Many times, companies may not have the internal staff to do a skillful, thorough IT audit. In these cases, the company will often hire an IT consultant to address opportunities and challenges.
3. Data Analytics & Management
Business intelligence is becoming a higher priority for businesses of all sizes. While business intelligence (BI) used to include expensive systems and infrastructure reserved for large corporations, data analytics are becoming more accessible and affordable regardless of business size. This is in part largely due to a greater variety of data management options, especially those options on the cloud. This advancement of data management technology means greater opportunities for up-to-the-minute data analytics and business intelligence.
4. Innovation
Where many companies used to work to facilitate their needs within the confinements of their existing systems, more and more companies are thinking outside the box. Companies are seeing IT as a means for innovation, progressing their product offerings, systems, infrastructure, and more.
5. Agility/Flexibility
Companies have been making a push to be more agile, responding to internal and external needs without having to rework their entire systems. This means businesses are seeing a priority in having IT infrastructure that is flexible and adaptable.
6. Disaster Recovery
Included in data management is an increased focus on data backup and recovery in case of disaster. While cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and adapt, the threats are also increasing, focusing not only on large corporations but small companies as well.
Trends have shown that nearly 50% of all small- to mid-sized businesses face a cybersecurity attack. On average, these attacks cost $149,000 in repair costs, data recovery, ransom payments, lost revenue, downtime, and more. In addition, 93% of businesses that face major data loss—whether due to a cyberattack or other threat or failure go out of business within 5 years.
For these reasons, disaster recovery has also become an important IT infrastructure management concern for companies of all sizes. With the proper disaster recovery (DR) plan and systems in place, most companies can recover data and systems within hours instead of days, weeks, or never.
How Can We Help?
Network Coverage is an outsourced IT services firm providing IT consulting, managed IT services, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, business intelligence systems, and more. Learn more about our services or schedule a free consultation today.