A business that requires an infrastructure plan, is usually going to be a medium or large business. It will usually be done in some kind of office building, maybe a dedicated short building or a high-rise where you own a couple or floors. It might even be your very own large HQ where you have hundreds of offices and do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to design, producing, testing, etc. So you need to design an infrastructure that will last. Chances are you will be in the present location for a few decades so you should always keep in mind a module design that allows for your business to update it’s hardware and expand to different rooms as or when you choose to do so. It should also be ready to accommodate new features such as cardless entry to areas, using facial recognition, but also, new items on the menu at your cafeteria.
The architecture design
Things to note for the architectural design of your IT infrastructure is how long and far it needs to go. It’s not wise to have long wires going across the room, but rather, having them stop off at checkpoints and be given more support. So if you plan on running wires under the floor or on top of the ceiling tiles and lights, then consider what might get in the way of them. Pillars, support columns, desks, lighting, sprinklers and more, all need to be used and avoided depending on their role. A support column might be used to run wires up it and into the next floor rather than through the corners of the room.
A detailed map needs to depict where the network devices are. So this will include things like
- Servers. The location of servers is vital so maintenance can be done without hassle.
- You also need to lay out all your cables. So if there is a fault with a specific wire or machine, then fixing crews can find it and replace it if need be.
- Not to mention, you also need a map of the routers. If there is an internet issue you need to clearly indicate where a wireless router is housed
- Where are all your security devices? This goes for metal detectors, lasers, keycards, security cameras, etc. they all need to be labeled so they can be accessed in the event of an issue.
Maintaining networks
Usually, you won’t want to have a business that solely runs on one network. You want to have a couple so that if one goes down or is attacked, you can jump onto the sister network and carry on. Working with a managed service provider is going to help you set up a new network to work alongside your main network and also maintain your infrastructure. This could be to test and check up on access points, converged solutions, servers, firewalls and cloud systems. Maintaining firewalls is done by continually testing against a mock attack. The firewall will be tested to see if it can recognize a disguised malware attack, viruses, spyware and suspicious activity from an internal source.
How much maintenance is required?
IT infrastructures are usually happy to hum along and not require a lot of active work to keep them running. However this is only going to be something that occurs in well kept high-rise office buildings. If you are in your own headquarters or you are sharing a building of sorts, the maintenance package is not something you are going to be gifted most of the time.
So you should try to commission an audit. An audit simply investigates the quality, lifespan, usage, patterns and trends, and materials used for your infrastructure. Audits are super useful because they give you an unbiased view of your hardware and software, which is maybe not something that your own IT department could do. If you don’t have an audit function in your company, you can always hire external auditors. They will be running along with the rules and regulations but you can hold yourself to a higher degree if you wish. Just set this vision out with the auditors and they will set their measuring metrics in accordance with your standards.
If you think your IT infrastructure will take care of itself, then you need to think again. Making sure your infrastructure lasts is the key to solving so many problems. Here now, you should have some tips you can utilize.
