What are the Most Important Components of IT Infrastructure?
Your IT infrastructure encompasses all of the technical systems your business utilizes to deliver products or services, communicate with clients, collaborate with colleagues, and maintain efficient operations overall.
But setting up a solid IT infrastructure and keeping it at its best demands a lot of work. You need to understand what the most important components are, how they work, and how they interact for the best results.
In this post, we’ll look at six of those components and explore why professional IT infrastructure support may be the right option for your business.
Six of the most important IT infrastructure components
Network Switch
Network connectivity is the most fundamental part of any IT infrastructure.
You and your employees will depend on a variety of services on a daily basis. These include everything from sending emails to clients and accessing project management tools to videoconferencing with colleagues all over the world.
You need a strong network connection that provides you with continuous stability. Your business may appear unprofessional to customers if your connection keeps dropping during phone or video calls. In some cases, interruptions in service or frequent sound issues could make all the difference between securing a sale and losing out to a competitor.
And to have a network, you need a network switch.
This is the control panel for your whole infrastructure, enabling various devices to connect and communicate. A network switch forms your business network, linking the servers, phones, routers, and more devices you rely on across your site (on a Local Area Network or LAN).
A good network switch is vital to ensure reliable service and minimize the danger of dropped connections.
Servers
The server is the program providing various devices on its network with the required functionality. You may utilize an on-site or off-site server, depending on the size of your company and the facilities available within your premises.
Servers enable multiple (often many) users to access programs at the same time. Companies providing resources to a large audience must consider their server setup carefully. A poor server choice may have a negative effect on your IT infrastructure.
For instance, too much traffic can cause servers to crash and prevent it from handling all of the requests. This can be incredibly frustrating for anyone trying to access a specific website or platform — especially if they’re paying for the privilege.
Various types of servers are available. Web servers, for example, utilize Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to bring files to users via a browser (e.g. Chrome, Firefox, etc.).
Firewalls
A great firewall is absolutely one of the most important components of your IT infrastructure. You can think of these as a vigilant protector of your network, always ready to defend it.
A firewall monitors your traffic and decides what will be let through or blocked. It operates on fixed rules to suit different setups and objectives.
However, setting up those rules and defining what traffic should be restricted can be incredibly challenging if you’re new to it. And if you fail to configure yours properly, you may leave your network exposed to risks.
Data Center
A data center is a facility for storing servers and other key IT infrastructure components. Generally, data centers house servers and hardware for numerous companies, rather than just one. These sites can be vast, depending on the number of clients they serve.
Data centers must be carefully monitored to ensure the hardware remains at the right temperature and in optimal condition. Any physical damage could cause severe disruptions for many businesses, with wide-reaching consequences. Security is also a key concern with data centers.
Check your data center’s location and reputation to ensure it’s trustworthy.
Routers
Routers are the hardware responsible for linking your local network to others or the Internet, by moving packets. Your network may connect to devices within your premises well enough, but you’ll need a good router for online access.
As you might expect, a router can have a significant impact on the quality of your connections. Make sure you’re provided with one that’s capable of doing what you need it to, to a standard you expect.
Software
Your infrastructure software is designed to help you undertake standard tasks, covering everything from online transactions to internal processes. Quality software will provide your workforce with the functionality it needs to perform at its best.
It should be capable of performing all the tasks you need it to while maintaining reliable security for your peace of mind.
Common types of infrastructure software include:
- security programs/applications
- operating systems
- firewalls
- databases
- data processing
- content delivery
- firmware
Implementing the right software is crucial. Expert advice can make choosing the right ones for your company much easier.
What do professional IT infrastructure services involve?
GenX Solutions is committed to helping your business implement, upgrade, and maintain an efficient IT infrastructure.
Our services encompass a vast range of solutions, given the diverse technical aspects involved in IT infrastructure. These include:
Updating your hardware
We’ll update the hardware in your IT back office to provide your team with the right tools for their work. Relying on outdated technology could be affecting their performance more than you realize.
Expanding your company’s storage capabilities
GenX will increase your disk size and enable you to boost your storage capacity to a much higher level.
Installation of virtual environments
By installing virtual environments, we’ll help you boost efficiency and implement redundancy backup solutions.
Helping with relocations
Relocating to a new office? We’ll assist with moving and setting up your IT equipment in a new environment.
Enhancing existing infrastructure
We’ll improve your current IT infrastructure in accordance with the Government of Ontario Information Technology standards.
Full installation of hardware and software
This is a one-time, on-site setup for maximum efficiency and convenience. Get the equipment and programs/applications you need to achieve your best.
Want to discuss your IT infrastructure and find out how we can improve it? Contact GenX Solutions now!