I.T. infrastructure has various range of technologies to support components, such as software, middleware, hardware and network tech.
Each piece of technology bought at different times to address different issues. Investment made can be quite significant.
Any upgrade/changes to existing tech needs to be considered in terms of the investment already made and the potential investment.
Reasons that tech represents significant investment:
- Purchase and licence costs
- Implementation and maintenance costs
- Business processes designed around technologies
- Technology-based skills and knowledge within organisation
- Data stored & processed by technologies
Organisations have to make same decisions as individuals when looking to upgrade or replace a technology e.g. television or car.
- how much was invested in the original tech?
- how much will the replacement cost?
- what are the running costs?
- how long will it be kept for?
- how long will it remain relevant?