Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery
There are very few IT infrastructure components you should be housing internally – outsource everything else.
- Outsourcing infrastructure through co-location, managed services, and IaaS has become extremely popular in the past few years:
- The growing expectations for constant availability from customers call for a higher level of capabilities than the internal IT infrastructure can cost-effectively provide.
- There are more IT infrastructure outsourcing options available now than there ever have been before – there is a suitable option for every organization.
- Almost every organization is outsourcing a part of their IT infrastructure.
- However, only 42% of Info-Tech’s clients receive the benefits they expect to in the first year of IT infrastructure outsourcing.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
Success results from making the right outsourcing choices and building a strong partnership with your service providers.
- Decide what to outsource based on criticality of applications and risk factors involved.
- Cost and strategic fit should both be factors in the deployment model decision.
- Develop an RFP based on both your current and future requirements.
- Treat your vendor as a partner – collaboration works much better than penalties do.
Impact and Result
Maximize your chances of success by following these steps below:
- Conduct due diligence when deciding what to outsource.
- Evaluate and select the most appropriate deployment method.
- Identify infrastructure requirements before developing an RFP.
- Assess and select the most appropriate provider for the organization’s needs.
- Manage the transition and vendor relationship.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
8.0/10
Overall Impact
$2,519
Average $ Saved
10
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
Guided Implementation
8/10
$2,519
10
The Suddath Companies
Guided Implementation
10/10
$10,193
20
Workshop: Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Assess the infrastructure outsourcing profile
The Purpose
- Assess whether the organization is ready to outsource its IT infrastructure.
- Determine what to outsource.
- Select an outsourcing deployment model.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Understanding of whether now is the right time to outsource your IT infrastructure.
- Defined list of infrastructure components that are appropriate for outsourcing.
- Selected deployment model that is most cost effective and suitable for your organization.
Activities
Outputs
Assess the organizational readiness to outsource.
- Readiness to outsource.
Understand the criticality of your applications.
Assess the risk of outsourcing each application.
Decide what not to outsource.
- List of infrastructure components to outsource.
Calculate the cost of operating your in-house IT infrastructure.
Conduct a strategic fit assessment in addition to your cost analysis to help you select the right deployment model.
- Selection of the most cost-effective deployment model.
Select your deployment model based on a cost comparison and strategic fit analysis.
- Selection of a deployment model that aligns with the organizational risk posture, competitive landscape, and rapidity of growth.
Module 2: Structure the project
The Purpose
- Define project goals.
- Clarify project roles and responsibilities.
- Develop a business case to achieve management buy-in.
- Develop metrics to measure success.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Defined project goals, responsibilities, scope, and success metrics which will result in more successful project management.
Activities
Outputs
Brainstorm your IT outsourcing goals.
- A list of your organization’s IT outsourcing goals.
Clarify project roles and responsibilities.
- The division of project roles and responsibilities.
Develop your IT outsourcing business case.
- A completed outsourcing business case.
Develop success metrics.
- A set of project success metrics.
Module 3: Identify the requirements and develop an RFP
The Purpose
- Develop an RFP that reflects your short term and long term requirements.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Defined short term and long term requirements which reduce your risk of outgrowing your vendor.
- A well-defined RFP which will increase your chances of outsourcing success.
Activities
Outputs
Define your short term and long term requirements.
- A list of your organization’s short term and long term requirements.
Develop an RFP.
- An understanding of how to approach a service level agreement (SLA).
- A completed request for proposal (RFP).
Module 4: Evaluate RFP responses
The Purpose
- Select the best vendor for your needs.
Key Benefits Achieved
- An understanding of how to approach the RFP response evaluation process.
- Selection of the most appropriate vendor for your needs.
- Reduced risk of buyer’s remorse.
Activities
Outputs
Evaluate your RFP responses.
- An understanding of the service provider market and favorable characteristics to look for when evaluating vendors.
- Scored RFP responses to help you select a vendor.
Module 5: Manage the transition and vendor relationship
The Purpose
- Plan for a smooth transition to outsourcing.
- Build a collaborative on-going vendor relationship.
- Measure your project success.
Key Benefits Achieved
- A smooth transition and collaborative vendor relationship will lead to greater outsourcing success.
Activities
Outputs
Plan and visualize your changes to people, processes, and technology.
Develop a communication plan and governance structure.
Understand how to build a collaborative partnership with the vendor.
- Understanding of how to transition and build a collaborative vendor relationship.
Examine the process for switching and exiting service engagements early.
Track your project success.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 5 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
- Call 1: Assess your outsourcing profile
1a) Receive current market pricing for each deployment model and compare the costs to your current IT infrastructure costs. Discuss the strategic fit of each outsourcing deployment model for your organization.
1b) Review the components that you’re outsourcing and your organizational readiness to outsource with an Info-Tech Analyst.
- Call 2: Structure your project
Review your business case and project success metrics. Receive tips for achieving buy-in for the project.
- Call 3: Develop the RFP
Review your infrastructure requirements and completed RFP to ensure it is comprehensive and accurately conveys your requirements.
- Call 4: Evaluate your RFP responses and review the contract
4a) Create a shortlist of candidates.
4b) Review your contract in detail and receive tips on contract negotiation.
- Call 5: Manage the vendor relationship and measure value
Discuss ways to overcome your vendor management issues and ways to maintain a collaborative partnership with the provider. Formulate an exit strategy if necessary.
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