According to Gartner, worldwide enterprise IT spending will reach $3.8 trillion in 2021, a 4 percent rise from 2020. In the digital era, technology is a critical KPI in any business sector. That’s why entrepreneurs are willing to pay top dollar for next-gen IT devices, software, and services. The question is, are you doing the same?
Does your enterprise run on outdated legacy systems as the world moves on to more advanced technologies? If so, you’re not only falling behind on popular trends but also putting your business performance and security at great risk. Read on to learn how cloud migration saves you the constant headache of keeping up with rapidly changing technologies. And also, find out why a majority of enterprise workloads are quickly shifting to the cloud.
Signs it’s time to upgrade your IT infrastructure
Many entrepreneurs struggle to find enough reasons to upgrade their IT systems because they’re unaware of how their IT performance affects their work processes, customer experience, and business productivity. The truth is, just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t or shouldn’t be improved. Look out for these signs that your systems need an upgrade:
- Hardware and software crash all the time, leading to frequent IT downtime.
- IT speed and performance figures are dropping.
- Your employees are using multiple systems to complete a single task.
- Energy and IT expenses are going up.
- Your systems reject new software applications and end-user devices.
- Employees are complaining about complicated procedures and workflows.
- You can’t remember the last time you upgraded.
- You’re not using cloud services.
The risks of running legacy systems
Besides slower digital processes and frequent downtimes, there are also many other downsides to running outdated IT equipment. You expose your business, customers, and staff to so many risks by holding on to legacy systems. Some of the most significant risks are jeopardized data security and non-compliance with data protection standards. Older systems are more vulnerable to cyberattacks since they lack the latest and most advanced cybersecurity defenses, patches, and fixes. As experts put it, legacy IT systems are often the gateway to cyber breaches.
Outdated systems also limit your workflow processes and business opportunities. For instance, many workplace systems from a decade ago can barely support the flexibility, unlimited access, and mobility afforded by modern unified communications and cloud systems. You also can’t take advantage of advanced business tools such as AI analytics, data backup and recovery, and data-centric ERPs and CRMs, stunting your digital and business growth.
The problem with upgrading IT systems
If you are not already experiencing problems with your old tech, you’re only buying time until you inevitably have to upgrade to newer systems. Admittedly, upgrading digital systems has its challenges, chief among which is the cost. IT systems are not exactly cheap. The cost of frequent IT overhauls can be prohibitively high, especially for small businesses.
Another challenge is keeping up with new tech as it emerges. You also have to decide on the right updates to make while considering your current system’s unique setup and the business’s present and future tech needs.
In short, entrepreneurs are not entirely to blame for not making the necessary IT upgrades on time. But why concern yourself with IT upgrades at all when you can easily avoid running outdated systems altogether with cloud migration?
Use the cloud and forget falling behind on tech
In the modern age of unlimited connectivity, cloud migration is the only IT upgrade your business may ever need. Adopting the cloud breaks you free from the expensive upgrade cycle. The cloud provider takes care of all the hardware and software updates to ensure your business runs on the latest digital infrastructures at all times. And since you don’t own the computing resources in a cloud environment, you don’t incur any upgrade, maintenance, and servicing costs. In a nutshell, you get access to immense computing power, right at your fingertips, without all the associated baggage. Reach out to RedNight today to learn more.