IT and managed IT services are the leading force in business and spread across every industry. IT lifecycle management helps businesses to their goals, reduce risk, and stay ahead of competitors by resolving IT challenges before they become problems. Keep reading to find out more about the IT lifecycle and keeping your technology connected.
What is IT lifecycle management?
IT lifecycle management (ITLM) is the process of identifying the health of an IT ecosystem. Looking at each component of your current IT infrastructure to see how long it can optimally maintain its purpose, before planning its retirement, replacement and upgrade. A component is usually a physical asset such as a server, storage or networking equipment yet can also include housing infrastructure that refers to the physical structures that house and support IT equipment.
The IT Management Lifecycle structure
1. Procurement
The first step in IT lifecycle management is procurement. This involves companies selecting and buying the right technology assets from the best supplier, at the right volume, at the right time. This stage includes creating and managing commercial documents including purchase orders, inventory sheets and accounting paperwork.
2. Allocation
Once the right IT assets have been identified and procured, they need to be allocated to their specific roles within the infrastructure. This involves creating optimal routes from inventory to their final place of use. The success of these assets depends on proper allocation. It’s important to record where all IT assets get allocated too, as this improves visibility across your IT asset lifecycle, and supports the critical role of monitoring and maintenance.
3. Deployment
During this stage of the IT lifecycle, the assets are used and evaluated based on their ability to perform specific tasks, contribute to business goals and operate smoothly without issues. Businesses must consider and oversee numerous factors during the implementation phase including appropriate configuration whilst maintaining regulatory compliance. Any compliance mistakes or neglect of risks and regulations can negate its success, no matter how well an asset is implemented.
There are three important steps to ensure successful deployment:
- Survey; remote or on site
- Provisioning and staging
- Installation
4. Monitoring and maintenance
Monitoring and maintenance of IT assets are invaluable in IT management. This is about keeping technology connected. Businesses need to employ advanced monitoring tools and maintenance procedures to maintain the health of their IT assets to ensure optimal on-going performance. Lack of monitoring and maintenance can lead to technology downtime, so a proactive approach helps to minimise downtime and resolve IT challenges before they become problems.
5. Decommissioning
Once the assets have reached the end of life, decommissioning, the final step in IT management can take place. IT teams should anticipate when an asset is nearing its end and plan its removal and ethical disposal in a way that isn’t disruptive. This will help to minimise disruption to business operations.
Any sensitive data attached to the asset needs to be protected, backed up and wiped before disposal. Companies need to pay special attention to ensure that the disposal of hardware is not causing any environmental harm and follow WEEE techniques.
Benefits of IT lifecycle management
Managing your IT assets throughout their lifecycle brings a range of advantages. Below are key benefits that highlight why it’s essential for modern businesses.
Forecasting and budgeting
Effective lifestyle management allows businesses to forecast what is needed and to budget accordingly. IT teams must ensure that their infrastructure can support growth with IT departments rapidly expanding.
Optimised software and hardware
Outdated IT systems can cost your business through slow networks and obsolete software, posing time, money and security risks. These issues can cause complications across your business so effective lifecycle management ensures hardware and software are up to date and work together seamlessly for optimal business performance.
Predicting and preventing failure
Failed technology can be frustrating and can disrupt business performance which can lead to a loss in sales. On large scales this can be catastrophic for your business. For example, if a customer-facing e-commerce platform goes offline due to a severe failure during a peak sales period like Christmas or Black Friday, it could result in thousands of pounds of lost revenue. Not to mention the potential long term damage to the businesses reputation.
Increased security
Old systems are a prime target for hackers and malware, so by tracking your IT across the entire lifecycle, you’ll gain insight into your system and know when your software needs updating. Software updates are essential in minimising security vulnerabilities and should be completed as soon as they are available.
Unlock the full potential of your IT strategy
Ready to elevate your IT strategy and stay ahead of the competition? Explore our resources and expert insights to start optimising your IT lifecycle today. Get in touch to discover how Smart CT can help you achieve seamless IT management and keep your business connected.