What is IT infrastructure and what are its components?
The use of technology as an advantage to be more competitive in the market is a necessity for companies. The foundation for ensuring the operation and continuity of their activities is the integration of IT infrastructure.
In this article, we will explain what IT infrastructure is, the different types, its components, and how it benefits an organization.
What is IT infrastructure?
It is the set of technological components that support the operation and delivery of one or more IT services, meaning everything behind an IT service. Its objective is to enable tools that support the organization’s operations and enhance its competitiveness.
What are the types of IT infrastructure?
- Traditional: Companies own their technological components and manage them on-site, primarily relying on hardware.
- Cloud-Based: Based on services, in this model, providers are responsible for managing and administering the infrastructure.
What IT infrastructure Is not
If you’re wondering whether desktop computers, laptops, and monitors are part of the IT infrastructure for a service, the answer is no. A laptop is a means to access or consume an IT service but is not part of the infrastructure components that enable the service.
The services that a company provides to its external and internal clients are a direct function of its infrastructure, and ideally, this infrastructure should support the business strategy.
What are the components of IT infrastructure?
- Facilities
- Links, Telecommunications, and Networks
- Storage
- Servers
- Virtual Machines
- Operating Systems
- Middleware
- Runtime
- Data
- Applications
The components of IT infrastructure are essential for controlling, monitoring, and supporting the services provided by the IT department to the clients and users of an organization.
To achieve this, certain requirements must be met to ensure the optimal operation of a Site or Data Center.
How does IT infrastructure work?
Typically, infrastructure is located in data centers, where it provides extensive networking, storage, and processing capabilities to host applications and technology services.
Organization users can connect to back-end IT systems using client infrastructure through desktops, laptops, and smartphones, which have the capability to access the data center via the network.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Arthur C. Clarke, Author of 2001: A Space Odyssey
Benefits of IT infrastructure for an organization
- Allows for information centralization
- Increases information security
- Minimizes or avoids failure risks
- Reduces operational costs
- Improves labor productivity
- Facilitates remote work and communication
- Enables business expansion into new frontiers
The optimal use and operation of components is key to maximize the benefits of the digital era and ensure the competitiveness of organizations, and in this sense there is no standard, each organization must choose what best suits their needs.
The optimal use and functioning of components are key to maximizing the benefits of the digital age and ensuring organizational competitiveness. There is no one-size-fits-all standard; each organization must choose what best fits its needs.
In conclusion, having the necessary infrastructure components enables the organization to operate efficiently with greater centralization, protect its information, prevent vulnerabilities in the face of disasters, and reduce expenses.
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Originally published on June 10, 2018, by Diego Maldonado, updated on April 26, 2023.
This article has been translated using AI and may include errors.
