Normalizing A Cloud-Like Experience for Network Services
Enterprise technology leaders face challenges as workloads shift rapidly to public cloud, driven by user-friendly experiences that enhance service delivery. This trend is projected to grow shared cloud infrastructure spending significantly, according to IDC, while on-premises (on-prem) solutions remain stagnant. IT decision-makers should acknowledge the implications of this shift on their operational strategies.
Infrastructure Service Delivery Challenges
Despite advancements in cloud services, many organizations continue to rely on outdated internal request processes that impede application development. Each multi-ticket system results in delays, limiting revenue potential and overall productivity.
Addressing Legacy Infrastructure Costs
Multiple ticket workflows introduce three primary disadvantages:
- Delays in product launches as compute, security, and network teams work sequentially rather than collaboratively.
- Increased regulatory risk from inadequate tracking of changes, complicating audit preparations.
- High costs associated with data retrieval from the cloud, where egress fees can negate perceived savings.
Executives are increasingly questioning why internal networks cannot replicate cloud-like efficiency without incurring high costs.
Transforming Infrastructure into Product Offerings
To respond effectively, leading organizations are adopting a product-based mindset for infrastructure management. This includes structuring services like products, complete with clear metrics and change management processes.
Standardizing offerings into bundled services can streamline workflows. Effective tracking of infrastructure lifecycle actions promotes accountability, allowing teams to maintain a clear record of changes and compliance.
Stateful Orchestration for Better Governance
Implementing stateful orchestration enhances governance by keeping a detailed record of resources and changes across systems. This approach satisfies executive oversight demands without hindering the agility required for effective service delivery.
Lifecycle Manager for Realizing Product Infrastructure
Itential’s Lifecycle Manager acts as a core tool for integrating existing workflows with product infrastructure models. This framework enables automated provisioning and compliance without the need for complete overhaul of current systems.
Bottom-Line Benefits
- Potentially 30% to 50% faster service delivery by simplifying workflow requests.
- Significant reduction in audit preparation time.
- Cost savings in cloud fees when internal services match the usability of external solutions.
The Lifecycle Manager offers IT leaders greater visibility over how infrastructure investments translate into business capabilities, ensuring alignment between engineering outputs and user demands.
Conclusion
The ongoing digital transformation predicates that businesses must offer experiences akin to cloud services internally. By productizing infrastructure and employing reliable orchestration practices, organizations can prioritize agility and governance, maintaining competitiveness in a shifting landscape.