There have been 3,800 publicly publicized data breaches in only the first half of 2019. More than four billion private documents were made public as a result of these breaches.
As the globe grows increasingly digitally connected, data breaches are becoming more frequent. With cyber threats at an all-time high, businesses must take all necessary precautions.
Enhancing your company’s IT infrastructure is the best course of action. A well-designed and protected infrastructure can prevent a large number of breaches.
However, what exactly is IT infrastructure? How can your business help them make theirs better? To learn everything there is to know, keep reading.
What is IT Infrastructure?
Hardware, software, networks, buildings, and other equipment that go into making up an IT network are all included in the IT infrastructure. Any IT service can be created, tested, delivered, monitored, controlled, and supported over these networks.
Despite its complexity, IT infrastructure can be better understood by breaking it down. Gaining knowledge about the functions of specific parts can help you comprehend the system as a whole.
Components of IT Infrastructure
The IT infrastructure of a corporation is made up of numerous parts. While some components may differ from one system to the next, practically all large IT systems have the following components.
Network Switch
Using a local area connection (LAN), the network switch joins devices on the same network. They permit communication between two internal devices without propagating traffic to all other network devices.
There will be multiple ports on a network switch. These establish a physical connection between networked devices. Servers, routers, and other switches are examples of physical components.
Routers
The task of a router is to transfer packets between several networks. A router makes it possible for devices connected to several local area networks to communicate with one another. Finding the subsequent hop needed to get to the information’s destination does this.
Network Servers
Network servers are available in various forms, each with a specific function. A network server is fundamentally just an additional powerful computer.
A central file storage facility is called a file server. A directory server is a centralized information repository that multiple computers can access.
The hypertext transfers protocol (HTTP) is a tool used by web servers to share files with web browsers. Print servers, database servers, and application servers are examples of other server types.
Firewalls
One part of IT architecture that most people are familiar with is a firewall. Both business and consumer computers utilize these. It aids in protecting computers from dangers.
In essence, a firewall is a security device that sits right on the border of networks. By employing a set of established guidelines to keep information within and outsiders out, it functions as a guardian.
A standard set of recommendations is typically included with firewalls. IT support can manually change these configurations to secure digital data within their organization.
Physical Plant
This is your infrastructure’s physical network wiring. It covers all of the wires in your server room and the cables utilized throughout your building. A data centre may be used by larger businesses in place of a server room.
One of the most ignored aspects of IT infrastructure is the physical plant. It consequently produces the weakest link, which is usually the cause of system failures. It’s critical to maintain the physical cabling of your network.
Typically, there are two types of physical network cables. Fibre optic cables and CAT 5/6/7 are examples of this. Certain businesses may employ a mix of the two.
Server Rooms
Larger businesses may have data centres rather than server rooms, as was previously mentioned. The size of the space and the breadth of the network are the only noticeable distinctions between the two. A larger network located in a data centre will require more physical components than a smaller one.
Whatever name you give them, these rooms serve as your network’s command centre. The majority of your servers are situated there. Consequently, this is also the location of the majority of your company’s data.
5 Ways to Improve Your Infrastructure
Businesses should be constantly looking for vulnerabilities in their current IT infrastructure. The risk of data breaches is quite natural. The more commonplace technology gets, the greater the hazard.
The industry your business is in determines how catastrophic a data leak is. At its worst, a breach may result in the loss of critical financial data about the company. This gives hackers access to the bank accounts of your business.
If you work in sales, the financial information of your clients may be in danger due to a data breach. When there is a breach, personal health information (PHI) may be exposed to healthcare organizations.
It is possible to lessen the likelihood of a data leak by continuously enhancing your IT infrastructure. The greatest places to start are the five methods listed below.
1. Analyze Your Cloud
The virtual data of your business is kept on your “cloud.” In the past, clouds might be either public or private.
Internal data is stored in a private cloud and is not accessible by outside parties. Information stored on a public cloud is accessible to users outside of the organisation.
Examine if the cloud option your business has chosen is the right one. Nowadays, the majority of businesses opt for multi-cloud or hybrid cloud solutions.
According to recent reports, hybrid clouds are capable of fulfilling the broadest range of corporate needs. They offer better end-user applications and facilitate a quicker time for products or services to reach the market. They also provide more flexibility and better scalability.
All multi-clouds offer the same core advantages. The method by which data is stored distinguishes a multi-cloud from a hybrid cloud.
Both public and private data will be hosted in the exact location on a hybrid cloud. There will be hosted material that is public and information that is private.
Several clouds do the same action. With the exception of keeping private and public data on different clouds. Between clouds, this information is not exchanged.
2. Make the Switch to Hyperconverged Infrastructure
HPI stands for hyper-converged infrastructure. Compared to conventional three-tier infrastructures, this is a turnkey substitute. Working with HPI is more accessible for many companies.
Intelligent software applications are combined with an x86-based server and storage resources to create HPI. This enables companies to begin small and grow as necessary. This is usually better than having to make initial assumptions about the growth of the business
3. Increase Your WiFi Capabilities
Wireless LANs were first used in conference rooms and other small spaces. Today that isn’t the case. Your wireless LAN may cover your entire campus or organizational complex.
Enhanced Wi-Fi capabilities have several advantages. It boosts workers’ general productivity and improves their capacity for cooperation. It has also been demonstrated to enhance workers’ customer responsiveness.
4. Consider Working with an ADCaaS Company
“Application delivery control as a service” is what ADCaas stands for. This is a cloud-hosted application tool that is available on demand. Because ADCaaS is hosted in the cloud, businesses do not need to own any equipment on-site.
The initial expenditures are cheaper when partnering with an ADCaaS provider. Moreover, it’s simpler to maintain than conventional ADC systems.
While load balancing is ADCaas’ primary function, it can accomplish a great deal more. Several of these consist of:
- Providing access to an application firewall
- Acceleration of application
- Traffic Shaping Caching
- Changing Content
- Combining multiplexing
5. Get Better Security
In a recent survey, 77% of organizations said they had experienced at least one cyberattack. Cyberattacks cause system failures or data breaches. Both are detrimental to a business’s image.
Increasing the security of your IT infrastructure is the best course of action. The most effective security techniques are built into your infrastructure. The less efficient option is to add security as an additional layer afterwards.
Your infrastructure is more resilient to cyberattacks when security is ingrained in it. It will also be capable of self-correction with minimal assistance from staff. The best part is that integrated choices incorporate security criteria at every stage of the development process.
Extra Tips for Improving IT Infrastructure
Although they are not the only options, the five things listed above are the main ways you may enhance your IT infrastructure. A collection of further advice has been collected below.
A portion of these are necessary upkeep to maintain the effective operation of your IT infrastructure. Some are substitutes for the ones you might be utilising right now.
- Set aside some time once a week or once a month to check the actual plant for damage.
- Regularly evaluate your transformation objectives and understand the state of your company.
- Increase automation to prevent needless meddling and keep things operating smoothly.
- Look into the most recent possibilities for IT infrastructure to determine if there is one that works best for your business.
- Keep up with news regarding the most recent cyber threats and data breaches so you can draw lessons from them.
- Think about putting wide area networks (WANs) in place.
- Keep records of every aspect of your infrastructure.
- Deal only with dependable IT professionals who are adept at managing your infrastructure.
- Have regular meetings with your IT personnel to discuss updates and assess the various components of your infrastructure.
- Entities handling sensitive information ought to mandate authorization before granting access to their data centre.
The IT infrastructure of your business may constantly be improved. You don’t want to become stagnant as the rest of the world develops and grows. That’s not conducive to business.