Is a Lack of Innovation Holding You Back?

In today’s dynamic business landscape where innovation is the key to continual growth and staying ahead of the competition, one area can sometimes be missed. The area in question is IT Infrastructure.

Innovation within your IT infrastructure is not to be taken lightly, as it has far-reaching implications for businesses across industries.

Imagine going a day without being able to access your core network services. Or your emails. Not only would it be frustrating, but unplanned downtime comes at a significant cost to a business’ bottom line. Unplanned downtime is one risk that you can’t afford to take.

From sustainability to business continuity, operating legacy IT without innovation can have lasting impacts on your business.

To help you understand how innovation in your IT infrastructure can make your business more effective and efficient, Advanced Power Technology, as experts in the field, is here to guide you through.

The Role of IT Infrastructure

To fully appreciate the impact of innovation in IT infrastructure, we must first understand its fundamental role in the modern business ecosystem.

Think of IT infrastructure as the digital heart that drives your organisation’s digital operations. It’s the invisible force that connects employees through email, supports your working processes, and holds all your data and information through file storage, all of which enables seamless operations.

While you may not think twice about using shared networks and storing key files in the company drive, when these systems let you down, it’s hugely disruptive.

Without a robust and adaptable IT infrastructure, businesses risk losing precious time through system outages, wasting money on slow and unsustainable systems or even risk complete breakdowns if their Data Centres aren’t properly monitored and managed.

The Need for Innovation in IT Infrastructure

The digital world is in a constant state of evolution, as are data centres and IT infrastructures.

Everyday brings new technological advancements, making it imperative for IT infrastructure to remain agile and adaptable.

Innovations in IT infrastructure aren’t just about keeping up; they also offer environmentally conscious solutions. For example, optimising data centres for efficiency can significantly reduce energy consumption, aligning your business with sustainability goals.

Moreover, customised IT infrastructure solutions tailored to your business’s unique needs provide a distinct competitive advantage. They’re more reliable, well suited to your specific requirements as a business, and can be managed to ensure minimal, if any disruption.

When maintained by experts like the team at Advanced Power Technology, these solutions ensure maximum uptime, security, and performance.

Surveying the Current Landscape

The need for innovation in IT infrastructure is not a conjecture but a well-substantiated fact.

In a recent report commissioned by Schneider, it has become clear that innovation and sustainability in IT Infrastructure is now recognised as key priorities for almost all businesses surveyed.

Furthermore, innovation and modernisation has been reported as improving the efficiency of operations by a substantial 25% and sustainability by an impressive 70% according to another recent report.

So, compared to legacy systems, the reports suggest, newer, modernised and innovative systems can offer a more sustainable, safer and more efficient way of competing in this digital age

This emphasises the necessity for companies to reassess and improve their IT infrastructure in order to maintain competitiveness, sustainability, and relevance when compared to their rivals.

Barriers to Innovation

So, what’s stopping businesses?

While the advantages of innovation are clear, there are obstacles that can limit the uptake of system refreshes.

Financial limitations frequently take the lead, as companies understandably exercise caution when allocating resources to enhance their infrastructure.

Moreover, resistance to change and reluctance to adopt new technologies can pose formidable barriers, deterring businesses from embracing innovative solutions.

Despite these two key barriers, the promised long-term cost savings and operational efficiency can very quickly outweigh the concerns. If you’d like to discuss the benefits with an expert, get in touch with a team member from Advanced Power Technologies today.

Overcoming Challenges

The good news is that these challenges are not insurmountable. Advanced Power Technology has a rich portfolio of success stories that illustrate how organisations have effectively navigated budget constraints, overcome resistance to change, and enthusiastically adopted innovative IT solutions.

This real-world example from Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust demonstrates the tangible benefits and positive impacts of innovation in IT infrastructure.

Their legacy system was outdated, and no longer provided the resilience it needed to deliver the Trust’s core services . When you consider this IT system is required to deliver optimal care to 140,000 people in Birmingham, it’s essential they have a system that’s reliable, efficient, sustainable and well managed.

As such, we worked with the Foundation Trust to implement EcoStruxure IT Expert from Schneider Electric, their next-generation data centre infrastructure management software (DCIM) to monitor and manage their distributed IT Estate of over 100 rooms.

They now have a system and management solution in place that updates the status of their whole estate, every five minutes. Therefore, thanks to the hard work of the team here at Advanced Power Technologies, any issues can be identified and addressed immediately, before they become a serious problem.

Read the full case study and find more examples of our success stories right here.

Future-Proofing Through Innovation

Future-proofing your IT infrastructure is not merely a buzzword but a strategic imperative.

As we’ve highlighted in the above case study, increasing demand on businesses and organisations mean there is increasing pressure to remain agile and adaptable to change.

Innovative solutions such as those highlighted in the above example ensure that your infrastructure evolves in tandem with your business objectives and the latest technological trends.

You’ve got increased reliability, time to act on any weaknesses, improved sustainability and a far more efficient system in place.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, the role of innovation in IT infrastructure cannot be overstated.

It is not a luxury reserved for the few, but a necessity for businesses of all sizes and in all industries.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve and all businesses continue to rely on IT infrastructures in order to perform essential tasks, those who embrace innovation will not only survive but thrive.

Advanced Power Technology is your trusted partner in this transformational journey, ready to assist your business in unlocking its full potential.

Connect with our experts right here to discuss inquiries or consultations regarding optimising your IT infrastructure for innovation and achieving lasting success.