Organisations often face a critical decision: should they invest in new technology or focus on fixing and optimising their existing IT infrastructure? Both approaches have their merits and challenges, and the right choice depends on various factors, including budget, business desired outcomes, in-house staff capability and the current state of the IT infrastructure.
We’ve explored the pros and cons of both strategies to help you make an informed decision.
The Appeal of New Technology
Pros
- Advanced Features: New technologies often come with cutting-edge features and capabilities that can significantly enhance productivity, security, and efficiency.
- Improved Performance: Modern systems typically offer better performance, faster processing speeds, and increased reliability compared to older counterparts.
- Future-Proofing: Investing in the latest technology can help ensure that your IT infrastructure remains relevant and capable of supporting future business needs.
Cons
- High Costs: Upgrading to new technology can be expensive, involving not just the cost of new hardware and software but also implementation and training expenses.
- Disruption: Migrating to new systems can cause temporary disruptions to business operations, impacting productivity.
- Learning Curve: Adopting new technology often requires training staff, which can be time-consuming and costly.
The Case for Improving Existing IT Infrastructure
Pros
- Cost-Effective: Repairing and optimising existing systems is generally more budget-friendly than purchasing new technology.
- Minimal Disruption: Enhancing current infrastructure typically causes less disruption compared to implementing entirely new systems.
- Proven Reliability: Existing systems that have been in use for years are often well-understood by the IT team, making it easier to manage and maintain.
Cons
- Limited Capabilities: Older systems will more than likely lack the advanced features and capabilities of newer technology, potentially limiting business growth and innovation.
- Maintenance Challenges: Aging infrastructure becomes increasingly difficult to manage and costly to maintain over time, especially as components become obsolete. End of support and security updates is often a key driver for replacement.
- Security Risks: Older systems are more vulnerable to security threats if they are not regularly updated and patched.
Finding the Right Balance
- Start by evaluating your organisation’s specific needs and goals.
- Consider how current systems are performing and whether they meet your operational requirements.
- Determine if new technology would offer significant improvements or if existing systems can be optimised to achieve the desired outcomes.
Nine23 and Infratech Digital can provide valuable technology advisory services to help you make an informed decision. We work together to ensure efficient and secure configuration of existing technology investment and the successful adoption of Secure by Design principles into the inceptions phase of new digital programmes.
We will assess your current infrastructure, recommend optimisation gains, and develop cyber security strategies to have well architected, highly secure and dependable services; balancing the cost effectiveness and where the most significant impacts can be made within budget.
