One truth that applies to technology is that it constantly changes. The short lifecycles of hardware and software and the constant disruption caused by innovative solutions make working in the technology space fun and challenging.
And when you run an IT organization, advancements and disruptions in technology force you and your team to find solutions to new issues and problems that are inevitably created.
So what started out as desktop deployment is now endpoint deployment, which includes new mobile and IOT devices. And what started out as password management, is now identity management because the same user is now logging in from multiple physical and virtual systems, with different passwords for a variety of applications.
As each new challenge arises, IT has to respond quickly.
The typical response is to bolt on one new solution that address this one specific new problem. You end up with multiple individual solutions.
Each new solution adds overhead to IT. You spend valuable time and money to build the skillset to support the new solution and you have to spend time and money on new licensing and management.
Now you must address these issues and problems. But wouldn’t it be better to take a step back and define what you want from your IT systems.
Think about the ideal outcome you would like. If the outcome you want is endpoint management build a list of what that means to you. Does it mean all endpoints including IOT? Do you want to push out policies and patches across devices from a central console? Should the IT team manage all user access or do you want some user self-service tools?
Create a checklist for your ideal solution and determine if a 50, 75 or 100% match is a requirement before you move forward.
Be intentional and design the systems you want running in your organization from a holistic perspective. In short be a more proactive leader.
