5 Questions To Ask When Getting Started With A Modern Datacenter

Modernizing your data infrastructure is a process. To fully leverage the power and efficiencies of modern datacenters, you should first answer these questions.

1. What are the needs of your employees?

Modern datacenters provide a number of benefits, including increased productivity and efficiency, reduced costs, automation, and more.

Fully leveraging these benefits, however, requires a fundamental understanding of how your employees interact and utilize your data infrastructure.

Take development, for example. Are your developers already versed in DevOps, or are they more comfortable with a waterfall methodology when developing applications? How do developers communicate with those in operations and quality assurance?

Without knowing the answers to questions like these, your company risks breakdowns in workflow and product deployment while transitioning to modern infrastructure.

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2. What processes do you currently have in place?

In addition to what your employees need to effectively do their jobs, you need to understand what processes your company currently has in place to manage both data and digital transformation as a whole.

To do this, take a hard look at how your company develops new products and services. Then, look for ways to potentially streamline the process via modern datacenter capabilities like automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) analytics. Determine ways to break through silos in communication to avoid redundancies.

Until you have a firm grasp on your company’s processes, you’ll be unable to get the most from a modern datacenter. Put another way, your old way of doing business may no longer apply.

3. What tools are critical to your business and how can you marry them with a modern datacenter?

Whether your company relies on tools of your own making or off-the-shelf solutions — or both — it’s crucial to catalog and understand what your company uses and why.

Ask whether your company uses too many or too few tools. Then determine whether your current tools will continue to be effective with the cloud and a modern data infrastructure.

Not knowing this information as you’re getting started with a modern datacenter can create pain points during the transition. It also runs the risk of frustrating employees.

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4. How much are you prepared to spend on modernizing your data infrastructure?

Budget means more than just the amount you’re willing to invest. It means how much momentum — both dollars and energy — you are prepared to commit toward modernization.

Does your company have buy-in from the executive leadership? What about your various teams? Is your company prepared to potentially change how it conducts business in a radical way?

Without a full-on commitment to transform your data infrastructure, many of the benefits of modern datacenters will remain elusive. Don’t dip your toe in, take the dive.

5. What value are you expecting from using a modern datacenter?

There’s a reason you’re investing in modernizing your data infrastructure, so take the time to clarify your expectations.

Do you expect a modern datacenter to mainly help increase productivity? Reduce costs? Open up new lanes of innovation? All of the above?

Drilling down deeper, do you expect modernizing your data infrastructure to help solve a specific business problem? A culture problem?

Until you really understand what you want out of a modern datacenter, you won’t be in a position to fully tap its potential to revolutionize your business.

To learn more about how Redapt can help your company smartly invest in its data infrastructure, reach out and contact us today.

You can also download our eBook: Unlocking the Potential of Modern Datacenters: Five Good Reasons Companies Should Invest in Their Data Infrastructure.