It’s not enough to have a state-of-the-art IT environment. If you’re seeking long-term business growth, your IT systems also need to be scalable. Having a scalable infrastructure gives your business a lot of flexibility and enables you to adapt to changing market demands. If there’s a sudden surge in demand for computing power and storage, a scalable infrastructure can handle it without crashing your systems OR accommodate the increase without causing disruptions or slowdowns. Alternatively, if your business is downsizing, you can scale down your IT operations to reduce costs without sacrificing functionality.
However, building a scalable IT infrastructure that can meet your business needs is easier said than done. That’s why we’ve compiled this brief guide to help you achieve a truly scalable IT infrastructure.
Horizontal vs. Vertical scalability
Before jumping into your new scalability strategy, determine whether your business requires a horizontal or vertical scalability approach.
- Horizontal scalability involves adding more identical resources to the system in parallel. For instance, if your business workload increases, then you may choose to add more servers to distribute it across multiple machines. This is also known as “scaling out.”
- Vertical scalability refers to increasing the capacity and capability of your existing IT infrastructure. A common example is upgrading hardware components such as processors, memory, or storage.
Depending on your company’s needs, you may benefit from implementing both approaches to achieve optimal performance and flexibility.
How to build a scalable IT infrastructure
Step 1: Align your infrastructure with your business goals
The first step to building a scalable IT infrastructure is to identify your business goals and the technology you need to attain them. This allows you to build scalable systems that support your company’s growth and operations effectively. If part of your goals is to improve customer service, for example, then your IT infrastructure should prioritize systems that enhance communication channels and data access for your support teams (e.g., CRM software, self-service portals, ticketing systems, etc.).
At this stage, you should collaborate with IT leaders and business stakeholders to identify strategic priorities. Doing so will help you map out IT capabilities necessary to achieve these, making it easier to pinpoint required tools, resources, and personnel.
Step 2: Invest in virtualization and cloud computing
When it comes to scalability, virtualization is key. The process lets you create multiple virtual instances of servers, storage, or networks on a single physical machine. This means you can run multiple applications and operating systems simultaneously without having to spend on additional equipment.
Cloud computing takes virtualization a step further, offering access to scalable computing resources over the internet. Instead of managing physical servers and infrastructure, you can leverage the cloud to rapidly deploy and expand applications based on business demand.
Whether you choose to invest in virtualization, cloud computing, or both, these technologies allow you to adapt to changing company needs without hefty upfront expenses. Both methods also enable automated data backups and replication, ensuring business continuity in case of cyberattacks, natural disasters, and other business disruptions.
Step 3: Consider a modular approach
A modular approach involves designing and deploying IT systems as independent components that can be added, removed, or replaced without affecting the rest of the infrastructure. This contrasts with the traditional monolithic approach wherein all aspects of a system are tightly integrated into a single unit. Going modular can help your business respond swiftly to evolving demands and technologies, making for a much more scalable IT environment.
The approach also simplifies the introduction of new technologies and upgrades. In time, you may need to incorporate more advanced analytics tools, AI-augmented applications, or cybersecurity solutions to keep pace with the latest trends. A modular system seamlessly facilitates this while reducing significant upfront costs by allowing your business to invest incrementally.
Step 4: Continuously monitor, update, and adapt
Constantly reviewing your IT infrastructure can help you maintain its effectiveness, security, and scalability over time. Consider investing in round-the-clock monitoring tools to keep track of your system performance, identifying any potential issues or bottlenecks before they escalate into larger problems. These programs can also provide valuable insights on how to better optimize resources and ensure smooth operations.
Moreover, regularly updating your infrastructure is crucial for defending against ever-evolving cyberthreats. By continuously updating your systems with the latest patches, software updates, and advanced technologies, you can mitigate the risk of data breaches and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
One of the best ways to achieve scalable IT infrastructure is to partner with a managed IT services provider. Our teams at predictiveIT can guide you through our extensive catalog of customizable IT solutions to ensure you invest in the tech services that best meet your changing needs. Book an appointment with us today and achieve business growth and innovation for the long term.
