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3 Reasons You Need to Update Your IT Infrastructure



If updating your IT infrastructure is on your business’s to-do list for the new year, you’re in good company. According to the 2019 State of IT report, 82% of businesses are expanding their budgets in 2019 to allow them to update their infrastructures. In fact, the need to upgrade outdated IT infrastructures is the main driver of budget increases in IT.

For businesses both big and small, the need to update infrastructures is universal. While they may have different reasons for needing that update, 2019 appears to be the year when “out with the old, in with the new” applies to IT infrastructures. If you haven’t allocated money toward updating your infrastructure, here’s a closer look at the three main reasons you might want to reconsider.

No. 1: Eliminate Aging and Outdated Hardware

Aging and outdated hardware can lead to a variety of problems. It often causes multiple points of failure within a system’s architecture. Such a failure can result in huge direct and indirect monetary losses. Downtime is expensive, and there is a decrease in productivity while replacements are found or fixes are made.

When hardware is aging or outdated, the parts are often difficult to find and often costly. If parts can’t be located, you may need to look for a short-term “band-aid” that lets you continue operations. However, this could end up costing more in the long run than simply replacing the hardware entirely.

Scalability is also a common challenge when it comes to outdated hardware. As new and advanced equipment is introduced to the infrastructure, the old hardware may not always be compatible. As data center operations increase, the hardware could become more of a liability that slows down operations than an asset that improves them.

No. 2: Improve Security

As hardware nears the end of its life, the updates required to keep it functioning at an optimum level are reduced or even eliminated. When security updates and fixes are no longer available, the entire infrastructure becomes vulnerable to security risks. If not addressed, this can ultimately leave the company’s networks susceptible to (and defenseless against) malicious cyber attacks.

But it’s not just outdated or aging hardware that puts your company’s security on the line. Outdated software is also an invitation for cyberattacks, so making sure that both your technology and your tools are up to date is crucial. Conducting a thorough audit of your network might reveal that you’re connected to third-party apps that you’re not using and might have even forgotten about. Not only can these pose threats to the security of your operations, but eliminating them and upgrading to new software can reduce the amount of time you’re spending trying to keep up with patches and fixes.

When you upgrade your infrastructure, you can consolidate and streamline the applications and software you’re using, creating fewer opportunities for data breaches.

No. 3: Improve Your Ability to Utilize More Cloud-Based Solutions

The growing array of cloud-based solutions has made it easier for businesses to do more with less. From reducing storage and maintenance costs to creating greater flexibility and ease of use, the cloud has advantages for businesses of all sizes.

With an outdated infrastructure, however, you might not have the kind of access to the cloud that you’re looking for. The majority of older systems that have been in place for a few years are not ready for the cloud and won’t be able to connect to newer cloud-based business applications. This can limit the solutions you’re able to use and can cause frustrating slowdowns in operations.

Updating your infrastructure to allow better access to the cloud will immediately provide you with greater scalability and flexibility. If you’re not already leveraging the benefits of the cloud, you’ll now be able to start taking advantage of what it has to offer, and you can decide how heavily you want to rely on cloud computing. You can consider a hybrid solution of a cloud and on-site storage, which allows you to keep certain sensitive information in-house, or can use the cloud as your main source of storage.

Whichever model you choose to use for your business is going to depend on an up-to-date infrastructure and secure software.

Knowing When to Upgrade Your System

The decision to update your company’s IT infrastructure is one that takes careful consideration, but if yours is showing signs of age and vulnerability, it’s better to do it sooner rather than later.

If you’re spending time and money trying to keep your existing system from crashing — or repairing it after a crash — that’s a pretty good sign that you might need to upgrade. But you also want to look at what software you’re using and how close it is to its end of life, as well as how compatible your current configuration is with cloud computing.

Investing in a new infrastructure now could pay off in improved productivity, fewer system slow-downs or breakdowns and greater flexibility for cloud applications. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, there are infrastructure solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Aventis Systems can help you find the right hardware and software solutions for 2019 and beyond. As you look at cloud solutions, we can answer your questions and help you choose the cloud service provider for your business’s needs. Contact us today at 1-855-AVENTIS to learn more, or visit us online.

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