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Infrastructure Optimization

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Introduction

 

Along with the growth of any organization, its IT infrastructure also grows, becoming more complex, and difficult to maintain. In order to control and manage this growth, some guidelines or pathway is needed. “Infrastructure Optimization” (or IO) refers to the optimization of IT infrastructure of any organization to support and improve its business i.e. turning its IT Infrastructure from ’cost center’ to ‘business center’ for the organization.

Microsoft in IO

In 2010, Microsoft had released details about 3 models as guidelines for Infrastructure Optimization of any organization:

1)     Core Infrastructure Optimization Model

2)     Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization Model

3)     Application Platform Optimization Model

Each of these models focuses on different set of IT attributes (called Capabilities) used within the organization, depending on level of use of IT made by the organization. These capabilities provide guidelines for scaling and optimizing the IT infrastructure of the organization. In any organization, all the three models will be applied simultaneously. Details of these models are provided in a section in this document.

Note:* The organization implementing the IO model should have a basic setup of IT department and good number of staff to maintain it. Also, the level of optimization achieved (basic, standardized, rationalized or dynamic) also depends on organization policies and convincing capabilities of salesperson.

Competitors in IO

IBM: IBM offers IBM Infrastructure Optimization Services with cloud computing, which focuses on addressing the testing of current infrastructure for efficiency and determining its capacity for change and responsiveness. Through its Testing Center of Excellence, test plans for introducing technologies such as service-oriented architectures can be made, and user can perform integration, performance and scalability testing. These services can help speed implementation and time to value with reduced risk, helping them build an infrastructure that is designed to Support business flexibility, improve resource utilization and thus help reduce overall IT costs and lower complexity.

Benefits of implementing IO Models

These IO Models helps its customers understand, scale and gradually improve the current state of their IT infrastructures in terms of cost, security, risk, and operational agility. Dramatic cost savings can be realized by moving from an unmanaged environment (i.e. ‘Basic’ level) toward an environment of fully automated management and dynamic resource usage (i.e. ‘Dynamic’ level). Security improves from highly vulnerable in a Basic infrastructure to dynamically proactive in a more optimized infrastructure. IT infrastructure management changes from highly manual and reactive to highly automated and proactive. Thus it results in an overall benefit to the organization.

Bibliography

  1. ‘Infrastructure Optimization at Microsoft’, available at http://www.microsoft.com/optimization/about/overview.mspx.
  2. ‘Infrastructure optimization services’, available at http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offerfamily/gts/a1027697.
  3. ‘Infrastructure Optimization’, available at http://www.tcs.com/offerings/consulting/infrastructure-optimization/Pages/default.aspx
  4. 'Offerings: Infrastructure Optimization' available at http://www.infosys.com/microsoft/offerings/pages/infrastructure-optimization.aspx