Technology infrastructure
Components of an infrastructure
15 min
Infrastructure = every technology an organization runs plus the people and processes that run it. Analysis means listing the parts and showing how they depend on each other.
| Layer | Includes | Typical problems |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware | Endpoints, servers, storage, printers, mobile devices | Aging devices, no spares, unsupported models |
| Network | LAN, Wi-Fi, WAN links, firewalls, VPN, internet circuits | Single internet link, flat network, no segmentation |
| Software | Operating systems, business applications, SaaS | Unpatched or end-of-life versions, unlicensed copies, overlapping tools |
| Data | Databases, file shares, backups, data flows | Silos, no tested backup, unclear ownership |
| Cloud | IaaS, PaaS, SaaS subscriptions | Shadow IT, uncontrolled spend, unclear shared responsibility |
| Security | Identity and access, MFA, endpoint protection, logging | Shared accounts, no MFA, no monitoring |
| People and processes | IT staff, service desk, vendors, policies, change control | Key-person dependency, no documentation, ad hoc changes |
A list of parts is not an analysis. State how components relate: the ERP depends on the database server, which depends on one switch and one UPS.
Word bank
All definitions →- Infrastructure
- The hardware, software, network, data, cloud services, people and processes that deliver IT services.
- Shadow IT
- Technology adopted by staff without IT approval or oversight.
- Shared responsibility model
- The split of security duties between a cloud provider and its customer; it shifts by service model.
Knowledge check
A clinic's scheduling SaaS, signed up for by the front desk without IT review, is an example of:
Which belongs to the people-and-processes layer?