Technology experts recommend conducting a current state assessment of your data infrastructure at least once per year. But with more workforces relying on virtual platforms to manage day-to-day business, you may want to conduct multiple assessments more often. Assessments are a great way to ensure you understand what’s happening with your data so that you can make informed decisions about the future of your business.
There’s no single correct way to conduct a current state assessment, however, you must gather enough information to identify roadblocks, vulnerabilities, possibilities, and pathways to improvement. Your assessment also can include technical audits, application inventories, case studies, org charts, process maps, and so on.
At the end of the day, what drives any successful assessment are probing questions about your business. When it comes to assessing digital infrastructure, two questions should be at the top of your list: Is your data secure, and is your infrastructure scalable?
Is your data secure?
Employees working at home create unique cybersecurity challenges. These challenges are surmountable, but every current state assessment has to factor in the processes, policies, and technology your company deploys to protect sensitive information. Klik Solutions, a managed IT services provider, offers some helpful tips for keeping your remote work safe, especially when employees are working off their personal devices. Among other areas of concern, they recommend a “clear procedure for lost or stolen devices” that might have access to your business systems. “It is imperative that companies review their IT environment and create comprehensive security & business continuity plans. Following support, maintenance, cyber, backup and disaster recovery best practices are critical good cyber hygiene,” says Arthur Olshansky, CEO, Klik Solutions.
It’s taken for granted among IT professionals that some risk will always exist, but that good policies will minimize the damage to your business if systems are breached. That’s why prevention is only one aspect of good IT policy. Businesses also need well-considered disaster recovery plans in place to ensure continuity if something goes wrong. A disaster recovery plan is one of the five critical IT policies to implement according to Klik Solutions.
Is your infrastructure scalable?
As your business grows and evolves, so do your IT infrastructure needs. Current state assessments can give an early warning if your business needs don’t align with your technology infrastructure. In periods of anticipated growth, for instance, you may need additional resources to keep up with application development, maintenance, cybersecurity initiatives, and so on.
Fortunately, technology itself can help you operate with flexibility and adaptability. For example, cloud technologies allow you to choose the capacity you need at the time you need it. Similarly, colocation services like DataBridge Sites free your resources by staffing and managing in-house server rooms on your behalf, so you no longer worry about day-to-day maintenance or making capital investments for adequate redundancy. “During these uncertain times, companies are transitioning even more aggressively to digital operations and the ability to always be available for their customers and employees is of even greater concern than ever before.” “As companies are reassessing their office environments, we are seeing them move their single rack and multi-rack office technical environments to our Data Center for security, connectivity, and peace of mind,” said Corey Blanton, Chief Operating Officer, DataBridge Sites.
If you’re looking to learn more and would like the opportunity to connect with JK, Klik, and DataBridge sites, we would appreciate the opportunity to get to know you. Join us for an upcoming webinar that dives into more detail about how to make your next current state assessment a success.