Cutting IT Costs
We all hate to hear these words, but if you’ve been around IT for any length of time, like a minute, you’ve probably heard it before. In this context, I’m not talking about the strategic discussion around doing more with less. (You know THAT discussion that comes up every year, coincidentally around budget time.) In fact, I’m referencing the occasions where the phrase “cutting IT cost” comes up with very little warning. What’s worse is that the cutting usually has to happen very quickly without a lot of time to study the problem, analyze the best solutions, or develop a plan and implement that plan to perfection.
Gartner has published an interesting article, 25 Ways to Cut IT Costs. These are tactical tips across 4 categories: IT management, enterprise software, enterprise infrastructure and telecom. There are many useful tips here, and I would recommend that you review the article to see if there are any you can take advantage of.
One tip that caught my attention was #8, Eliminate unused software/modules. The idea here is that you should understand who is using what and why. Gartner describes this as “lots of closet cleaning”. And just like cleaning your closets (or in my case, cleaning my garage), it’s really easy to put off to another day. I don’t think anyone would suggest this isn’t important, but I would also venture a guess that many of you have applications in use where you cannot answer these questions.
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Gartner has published an interesting article, 25 Ways to Cut IT Costs. These are tactical tips across 4 categories: IT management, enterprise software, enterprise infrastructure and telecom. There are many useful tips here, and I would recommend that you review the article to see if there are any you can take advantage of.
One tip that caught my attention was #8, Eliminate unused software/modules. The idea here is that you should understand who is using what and why. Gartner describes this as “lots of closet cleaning”. And just like cleaning your closets (or in my case, cleaning my garage), it’s really easy to put off to another day. I don’t think anyone would suggest this isn’t important, but I would also venture a guess that many of you have applications in use where you cannot answer these questions.
(read more)
Sure, answering these questions is likely to save money. Server consolidation, domain consolidation and more efficient management of your applications are all practical ways to save money immediately. But finding out what applications are used, why, and by who can also provide other benefits.
Examples:
- Internal Policy. Most companies have policies that dictate that you document who has access--and what type of access--to all your applications. Some companies even require audits to prove it.
- Law. Depending on your industry and your applications, you may even be required by law to prove you know who has access to what. Yes, (just a bit of sarcasm here…) what a great way to manage risk. You may not be able to guarantee that a hacker won’t get access to your applications, but at least you can prove it’s not someone you accidentally granted access to!
- Support for the Business. This is also a great way to create a tighter partnership with your users. In learning, or relearning which applications are being used and why you can better address future needs more quickly and proactively.
Category IT Trends Cutting IT Costs
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