NFRASTRUCTURE MODERNIZATION REVIEW
Analyze the issues
Hardware
Over-running volume of data is a problem that should be addressed by data management and storage management. Data is being constantly collected but poorly analyzed which leads to excessive amounts of data occupying storage and delay in operations which inevitably affect production, sales and profits. If this remains unresolved, current data may have to be moved to external storage and recovered if needed. There is also the risk of data not being encoded into computers and thus will remain in manual state. This can be a case of redundant or extraneous data that is not yet cleaned and normalized by operations managers with the guidance of IT. This situation is known as data overload where companies actually use only a fraction of the data they capture and store. Many companies simply hoard data to make sure that they are readily available when they are needed. This negatively impacts the Corporation when assessing data relevance, accuracies and timeliness (Marr, 2016).
Software
The Largo Corporation (LC) seems to running on an enterprise resource planning system that is probably as long as 20 years old. Initially, LC has had success with the old system because they were able to establish themselves in various industries such as healthcare, media, government, etc. But due to various concerns, the Corporation is currently running on an outdated system because it is unable to provide services that keeps the Corporation a float. The LC is losing revenue and customers. Complete data without analysis is invaluable because, no information and insights can be produced that will support decisions. Customer data should lead to the best marketing and sales campaigns. The Corporation needs to recognize its weaknesses and implement changes to their software by incorporating funding for a new system that is reliable, secure, and has the ability to run on integrated systems; all of which will streamline data organization and analysis for the enterprise. (Rouse, n.d).
Network/Telecommunications
The network that was built in the 1980's has become slow and unreliable affecting business operations. The problems caused by the old network are; lack of integration and communication between departments affecting the work flow, supply vs. demand, and inability to analyze data to carry out these operations. The Corporation should have taken into consideration the growth of the company by expanding and upgrading their networks along with their services. They should also take into consideration the number of departments, the number of users and their skill level, storage and bandwidth, and budget (Rasmussen, 2011). The current network does not allow employees to connect on their mobile devices which restricts flexibility and places limitations on productivity and portability.
Management
The responses of both IT and the business group are both juxtaposed against each other which suggest a stark misunderstanding of each other's roles and needs. Both need to come to a middle ground and this could only happen through cross-education an effective mediation by top management. This is strategic as the effectiveness of IT will never be realized if there is a serious disconnect between the IT enablers and the IT users. On an operational level, there is also a management issue on the delivery of IT support services through the help desk. The IT environment is both a productive agent for the whole enterprise but because of its heavy workload is also subject to malfunctions and under service. This is why the help desk and its adjacent technical support function is crucial in maintaining a working IT environment. A critical hardware like hard disks or software like operating systems, the help desk is a critical service. In Largo's case, it's either that the help desk personnel are not competent enough or their IT facilities are inadequate. Tracking software is necessary for effective help desk service. The best framework guiding help desks right now is Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) which covers four areas: Knowledge Management, Problem Management, Access Management and Service Catalog. (Mackey, n.d.)
Security
Largo corporation is so extensive in their dealings that even they are vulnerable to security and privacy concerns. The extensive use of the internet along with the proliferation of portable storage devices has exposed the company's IT systems to viruses, malware and intrusions. The current version of security software is so outdated that even the younger generation of workers find it easy to bypass the security protocols; so imagine what a professional hacker could accomplish by accessing the government subsidiary powered by Largo Corporation. Data encryption is a major tool but is not being used. Newer security tools and a re-orientation on security protocols are necessary to get back on the right track. Security issues can never be overestimated and can occur at any time. Data loss can lead to financial losses and affect profitability goals. Data theft can give advantages to competition and goals on market share can be compromised. 60% of organizations have suffered breaches and a strong defense nowadays based on the Zero Trust Model can be expensive with the need for more granular inspections of data which will generation more security data (Banafa, 2014).
Summary Table
Technology Debriefing
In order for the business to maintain a competitive advantage over its competitors, an organization should examine its business processes. Information Technology plays a crucial role in the transformation of any business. On examining Largo corporation, many inefficiencies were identified which prompted the Chief Executive Officer to Chief Technology Officer to modernize the IT team.
Based on the analysis, the following technological advancements aid Largo Corporation to remain competitive.
Cloud Computing
Modernizing the existing technology platform involves moving to a more agile computing infrastructure. Introduction of cloud computing environment assist in ensuring an agile platform and transfer to a modern value oriented infrastructure. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines Cloud Computing as a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. There are many characteristics of cloud computing such as, on-demand self-service, measured service, broad network access, resource pooling, location independence, and elasticity.
The on-demand self-service allows the consumer to use IT function as per use or is provided like a utility service. It is a pay as you go model where in usage can be monitored, controlled and reported. It can be accessed from anywhere in the world, from any device with a network access. Cloud computing uses a multi-tenancy model to pool resources. Cloud computing has the capabilities to scale up and down as the consumer demands vary.
Virtualization
Virtualization allows to centralize and prepare for an organization's IT initiatives. Virtualization minimizes energy consumption and in turn reduce maintenance and cost. Scalability feature of VM enables load balancing and hence ensures maximum performance of IT infrastructure.
Virtualization technique is used to build a virtualization layer called a hypervisor to create multiple virtual machines where each runs its own Operating System. Virtualization usually has a key role in an enterprise's discovery plan.
Big Data
Big Data is disrupting the business environment. Businesses are recognizing how Big data analytics is transforming the business operations by enabling educated decisions with the right information at the right time. Identifying the opportunities of Big Data helps a business to sustain a competitive edge. Big data aids in better business outcomes, improve customer satisfaction and control cost. Big data analytics platform helps in real time analysis for data driven decision-making, better operational efficiency and thereby targeting improved customer experience.
Mobile Network Access
Mobile Computing allows the transmission of voice, video, and data through wireless enabled devices or computers without the need to be connected to a fixed physical link (Tutorials Point, 2016). Mobile computing uses wireless systems to access the internet and company intranets. Mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops can be used by employees to access the services and network of Largo Corporation. The employees can access email, review documents, load documents, and send order information to name a few capabilities that would be provided. Using mobile devices increase productivity of all employees. It allows field personnel to transmit sales data, information on technical issues, and access key product information quickly. Mobile computing increases communication efficiency. Critical information that needs to be disseminated to all employees or move up the chain of command can be sent in multiple ways on the different mobile devices. This provides increased awareness company wide and reduces reaction time to opportunities or issues that need immediate attention. Mobile computing also provides flexibility. Employees are able to work and be productive from anywhere at any time as long as the network is available allowing more options to accomplish work responsibilities.
Other contemporary IT cross-functional approaches
Other IT systems can also be used to modernize Largo Corporation's IT equipment, systems, and networks. Compliance Systems are used to manage regulatory requirements that apply to corporations. These systems can be used to automate and synchronize business processes, interact with suppliers, and provide visibility into key performance indicators which provide efficiencies gains and compliance cost savings (Sparta Systems, 2016).
Another IT system that could be used to modernize Largo Corporation's network are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. ERPs connect a company's internal applications and support its external business processes using modules that are integrated with each other to expand capabilities (Turban, Volonino, Wood, &Sipior, 2013). ERPs integrate information from different business areas and departments within the enterprise to help increase business awareness. ERPs can increase productivity, efficiency, reduces redundant information, and reduces opportunities for data entry errors in multiple systems that are not interoperable.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems can also be used for the modernization of Largo Corporation. CRMs allow companies to track and analyze interactions with customers. CRMs store customer interaction data in one place and are capable of integrating with ERPs (Turban, Volonino, Wood, &Sipior, 2013). CRMs are used to build customer loyalty, acquire new customers, minimize waste of advertising funding, reduce customer loss, and increase revenues. CRM can also be used to capture customer interactions on social media using tools to monitor conversations about products, popular brands, and help determine target audience for advertising (Rouse, 2014, para. 14).
The IT systems described are capable of benefiting Largo Corporation. These systems can increase productivity, reduce data entry errors, manage regulatory requirements, and increase customer loyalty. Those benefits ultimately will result in increased revenue and provide a competitive advantage to Largo Corporation.
Please provide:
Overall Recommendations/Management Solutions
Identify the appropriate management Solutions to address identified issues (20%)
1000 words with references