February 21 VBJ
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THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL<br />
6 www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com<br />
<strong>February</strong> 20<strong>21</strong><br />
Time to Update IT? Consider This<br />
A growing business will need to<br />
update their IT systems eventually. Most<br />
will look at what compute, storage and<br />
network resources are required to operate<br />
the business efficiently. Compute covers<br />
the processing end that is comprised of<br />
laptops, desktops, mobile devices along<br />
with back end servers. Storage includes<br />
anything from a local hard drive to a<br />
remote data farm for storing and maintaining<br />
key information both current and<br />
historical. Networking devices connect<br />
it together and may include both internal<br />
networks and connecting to the internet.<br />
The correct switches and routers need<br />
to be in place and maintained ensuring<br />
access for both employees and customers.<br />
Consider this when researching new<br />
technology. It’s important to understand<br />
how the new equipment stands up against<br />
three key IT concepts; Scalability, Redundancy<br />
and Environmental Footprint. For<br />
example, scalability looks at how easily<br />
and quickly additional compute power can<br />
be added in case of sudden growth. This<br />
may mean deployment of additional individual<br />
workstations or expanding the use<br />
of mobile devices. Applying scalability to<br />
storage considers how quickly additional<br />
space can be added with the least amount<br />
of service interruption. If the business<br />
were to suddenly see large growth in traffic<br />
to its website, networks must be easily<br />
updatable to handled increased demand.<br />
Large corporations rely on redundant<br />
environments to ensure their business is<br />
available 24x7x365. Whether manufacturing<br />
goods, providing online services<br />
or selling a product, the world-wide<br />
marketplace means someone may need<br />
to access data from your business at any<br />
time. Redundant storage arrays, servers<br />
and networking equipment ensure that if<br />
one piece of hardware fails, another takes<br />
its place seamlessly. Each business owner<br />
large or small has to decide how much<br />
downtime they can risk and purchase<br />
accordingly.<br />
Finally, environmental footprint.<br />
Technology manufacturers today put<br />
a great deal of effort into reducing the<br />
amount of power required for their<br />
compute, storage and network devices.<br />
Purchasing the most efficient for you IT<br />
strategy not only shows environmental<br />
responsibility but can also improve your<br />
bottom line. The expense of power and<br />
cooling can be one of the highest on the<br />
P&L so finding the best solution that<br />
matches your IT environment needs is key.<br />
There are other factors to consider<br />
but let these three be your guide in getting<br />
started. What it cost now in research will<br />
be a good investment by proper purchases<br />
for the future.<br />
Ted Saul is a business coach that assists<br />
with Business Plans and Project Management.<br />
He holds a master certificate in<br />
project management and has earned his<br />
MBA from Regis University. Ted can be<br />
reached on LinkedIn, TedS787 on Twitter<br />
or emailing TedSaulBiz@gmail.com.<br />
by<br />
by<br />
Ted Saul,<br />
Steve Fillingim<br />
Sr. Staff Writer<br />
www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com<br />
www.facebook/thevalleybusinessjournal<br />
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