World news – Digital transformation: 3 ways to get infrastructure updates going again

Few would deny that the COVID-19 pandemic shook businesses to their very foundations. Work-from-Home (WFH) has completely changed the game: Local data center projects have been changed, restricted or postponed. Funds have been diverted, staff have been disrupted, supply chains have been clogged, and management focus has been put to the test.

The good news? Everything indicates that these infrastructure-related digital transformation projects will get underway again in 2021. In a recent Capgemini survey, 60 percent of companies said they had the digital skills and 62 percent said they had the leadership skills needed to transform digitally. But things will be different after the pandemic. The nature of work has evolved, not just for those who work virtually, but for businesses as well.

[Are the user experience front and center in your digital transformation efforts? Read Digital Transformation: 4 Questions to Ask. ]]

Hybrid on-site / off-site solutions are likely to become the new normal, making a reduction in office space inevitable. Many IT organizations change their local strategy when their companies leave large offices. Co-location and public / private cloud not only improve reliability in unplanned emergencies, but also reduce leasing costs, especially in expensive city centers.

The bottom line is that offices are no longer defined by four walls. The need to secure the new perimeter is paramount, with IoT and 5G playing an important role. Some of the hottest developments in transformation include mobility management, backup as a service (BaaS), edge computing, and artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions.

Large infrastructure projects cannot simply be abandoned after months of careful planning and budgeting. In particular, transformation projects for data centers are expected to resume in the second half of 2021. In the meantime, you can reactivate your infrastructure plans related to digital transformation initiatives in any of the following ways: Whether it is a move to a data center provider, updating language technology, implementing advanced security systems, or any other plan Updating and confirming your strategy is an appropriate way to regain momentum. By laying out and documenting your approach, you can pull the layers back and understand what is important and what is required to be successful.

The involvement of your senior executives is also essential. By getting the C-suite to sign plans, you can instruct your implementation staff to do so. Having your top managers in the room also gives you the opportunity to listen to their concerns and document the decisions made.

Perhaps no aspect of the digital future is more important than network security. While security was likely part of your digital transformation agenda before the pandemic, now is the time to move it to Priority 1. Be sure to analyze any possible security problems that might arise from your efforts. Build security into the transform design process and have logs at every step to make sure there are no gaps.

Public or private clouds are a good place to start as they have an impact on data integrity. However, endpoint security is just as important. In this new era, a company’s digital endpoints can be anywhere in the world. To protect your network, consider a strong MDM (Mobile Device Management) or EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) platform.

Also, consider training employees how to identify and avoid phishing scams – the primary means for bad actors to gain access to your data centers. The best strategy to create an effective plan and implement the right security solutions is to take a layered approach to security and conduct ongoing testing, assessment, and training.

[Get exercises and approaches that make different teams stronger do. Read the digital transformation e-book: Transformation takes practice. ]]

Everyone wants to be in the cloud; Some are just not sure what their cloud strategy should include. When I have conversations with people who want to move or expand their infrastructure to the cloud model, the first thing I ask myself is how they define the cloud when it comes to their infrastructure needs.

If you know exactly what your cloud is Strategy, you can execute it effectively. For example, basing your infrastructure on the cloud is a different discussion than finding your business applications there. With the virtual IT infrastructure, clear cost savings can be achieved as long as you plan and invest correctly.

Redefine your cloud strategy in the current context before you start blocked transformation projects. It’s time to pick up your whiteboard markers and create the future of your business in the cloud. Ask questions like: What does cloud mean for us in the new WFH environment? Has our strategy changed? What must be achieved with cloud computing? By asking these questions, you can avoid moving forward with cloud projects that no longer meet your needs.

Digital transformation and moving to the cloud are exciting as they expand the possibilities that organizations are likely to be in their legacy Data centers have withheld. Use that excitement and curiosity to get things moving again.

[Learn more about the hybrid cloud strategy. Get the Free eBooks, Hybrid Cloud Strategy for Dummies, and Multi-Cloud Portability for Dummies. ]]

If the pandemic proved anything in the business world, IT was absolutely essential to business continuity. Day-to-day operations are impossible without smart, reliable digital platforms and smart, reliable people to manage them.

This endorsement of IT value provides IT executives ready to gain momentum with digital transformation projects , organizational tailwind.

[Cultural change is the most difficult part of digital transformation. Get the Digital Transformation eBook: Teaching an Elephant to Dance. ]]

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