The practice of remote infrastructure management (RIM) is becoming more and more common for organizations of all sizes in a wide variety of industries. This increase in popularity is because of how RIM can add value to IT systems, as well as reducing costs, increasing efficiencies and improving service availability. In general it includes remote monitoring, network monitoring and management, security services, database administration, desktop and server administration.
There are many reasons for the rise of RIM. Some of the contributing factors include evolution of technology and developments in vendor capabilities. These developments are why the infrastructure management industry (IMS) accounts for more than $524 billion, or a quarter of overall IT spending. More businesses than ever are moving toward the remote model, in which services are delivered by vendors from low-cost locations.
Understanding the importance of remote infrastructure management is key because it allows you to maximize the benefits it can offer you.
Changes in Technology and IT Architecture
RIM tools used to include only point tools for device management. Today however, it encompasses a variety of integrated options that support end-to-end IT management. This is why IT leaders are increasingly focused on managing labor costs and productivity rather than infrastructure itself. This shift in focus is due to a decline in hardware processes, the integration of new IT management tools and the consolidation of remote location data centers.
Developments in the Offshore Environment and Supply
Another reason that RIM is becoming common practice is because it’s more accessible than ever. There are a wide variety of offerings, tools and delivery techniques to manage remote teams efficiently. More tech professionals are choosing to specialize in RIM as well, meaning that the supply side of things is both sophisticated and well developed. Recent positive trends related to this accessibility include:
- Flexibility of vendors on technology and architectural control issues
- Investment in lean offshore operations to increase productivity and labor efficiency
- Creation of streamlined software tools to develop process excellence
These factors are causing more smart business stakeholders to adopt RIM.
Benefits to You
The cost savings of RIM is two-fold, and comes from both direct savings (lower cost of skilled resources available) and increased efficiency due to improved reliability and availability of the IT infrastructure. In fact, the right approach to RIM can yield over 25 percent savings from total infrastructure spend budgets. Other key benefits, identified by NetMagic, include:
- Enhanced productivity and efficiency
- Improved business-critical service availability
- Measured service quality through well-defined service level agreements
- Focused energy on innovation rather than daily operations
- Reduction in overall risk
- Increased flexibility and capacity for future business needs
- Access to skilled resources to scale up or down based on business demands
- Increased application availability
- Improved business stakeholder satisfaction
With a trusted partner, you can enhance the value of your network and unlock these benefits through RIM. Look for companies that have expertise in managing daily IT operations like server monitoring, network devices, and workstations. Consider global vendors with full-time teams that can complete these services, allowing you to focus on core business processes while reaping the benefits of RIM.
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