1. Back to basics: The importance of physical IT infrastructure as the number of devices on the network increases

The number of IoT devices is growing rapidly. It is expected that there will be 207 billion connected devices by the end of 2024. For this reason, more and more companies are realizing the importance of better visibility and greater control over their IT infrastructures. Custom solutions will therefore become increasingly important in the near future as the IoT landscape changes rapidly.

In today’s age of constant technological innovation, it is impossible to keep up with every new product launch. We are easily swept up in the latest trends and there is a risk that we lose sight of the first principles. While cloud-first strategies are sensible and attractive, we should not ignore the basics, namely the physical IT infrastructure.

Connecting to the cloud still requires a cable and a box. Cloud migration therefore ensures that physical IT infrastructure becomes even more important than before. Today, it is no longer enough to look at IT systems and their components in isolation. Therefore, the importance of this basic infrastructure cannot be overemphasized, as everything in IT starts at this level.

2. Cyber ​​threats: An ever-growing attack surface requires a zero-trust approach

As IoT devices expand into the network, the risk of cyberattacks also increases. Now that all of these devices are connected to one network, companies have no choice but to further secure their systems.

In the coming year, cyberattacks are likely to grow in both volume and complexity, making it more important than ever to act quickly and efficiently. Many companies are adopting a zero-trust approach, where trust in the products implemented is critical. If you want to implement a zero-trust strategy, you need to ensure that the products you plan to deploy are working and functioning properly. This will be especially important in the coming year as companies continue to increasingly focus on talent retention and developing hybrid working models.

As IT plays an increasingly important role, the amount of data generated and processed also increases, leading to increasingly complex and vulnerable IT landscapes.

That’s why it’s important to extend the zero-trust approach to the products used, because do they really do what they promise? It’s no longer enough for IT managers to simply implement software and trust it blindly. IT managers need to have a bird’s eye view of their legacy infrastructure, cloud systems and OT environment to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and increase transparency for greater security. Measuring means knowing, especially in a complex, more unpredictable environment. That’s why I’m convinced that all tools used must be thoroughly tested and proven.

3. ESG: Pioneering reporting

Companies are increasingly subject to ESG audits and reports and therefore need to be able to answer the question: What are the environmental costs of each business process?

As the IoT network continues to grow, this reporting is becoming more complex. Companies are looking for ways to look at their systems in more detail to find a balance between performance and functionality. Monitoring is a valuable tool that can help answer these questions. It allows companies to understand exactly how much each resource is consuming, what benefits it provides, and where savings can be made.

By using snapshots of systems and reform points, it is even easier for IT managers to identify the CO²– to provide insight into the footprint of each process. Through monitoring, they can identify the right categories for data backup and ensure that the right metrics are applied in all cases.

4. How “observability” improves the customer experience

Many IT managers already use predictive monitoring software, and many companies will add observability to this in the coming year. This method gives IT managers the ability to dive deeper into the relationships between systems and not only monitor known problems, but also identify unforeseen challenges. Monitoring and observability complement each other well, as monitoring gives us insight into potential problems in known areas, while observability gives us insight into the unknown.

This deeper insight and proactive approach not only increases efficiency but also contributes to greater transparency within organizations. Transparency will be a key competitive differentiator in the future, as it provides a complete view of customer communications like never before. A transparent IT team is more likely to share insights with non-technical people so that they can in turn use them for self-service.

IoT is everywhere: This brings opportunities, but also new challenges. That’s why IT managers who focus on expanding existing system capabilities despite all the daily challenges ultimately have a competitive advantage.

This is a submitted article by Martin Hodgson, Director Northern Europe at Pässler AG.