Building A Resilient IT Infrastructure

As organizations embark on digital transformation journeys, they inevitably encounter the concept of building a resilient IT infrastructure. In simple terms, a resilient IT infrastructure refers to a system’s ability to adapt, recover, and maintain effective functionality in the face of disruptions, challenges, or unexpected events. IT resilience is paramount to ensuring that technology systems can endure and recover from various issues, ranging from hardware failures and software glitches to cyberattacks, natural disasters, and unforeseen incidents.

During the inaugural panel of the 15th edition of the CIO100 Symposium & Awards, industry experts delved into the essential components of modern IT resilience. Jeremiah Chunge, CTO, Co-Founder & Director of Etica Capital Ltd; Kalpesh Devmurari, Senior Sales Engineer at Sophos; Shadrack Anyuo, Senior Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services; and Moses Okundi, CTO of Absa Bank Kenya, discussed strategies and technologies that organizations can adopt to build robust and adaptable IT systems capable of withstanding disruptions and supporting future growth. The panel was moderated by Kevin Kariuki, Sales Manager at Relational FS.

According to the experts, organizations aiming to build resilient IT infrastructure need to consider the following key points:

Cybersecurity strategy: The goal for any organization is seamless business operations without interruptions. Cybersecurity issues pose a constant threat, and lapses can disrupt operations. The panel emphasized the importance of having a clear cybersecurity strategy, including a secure-by-design approach and an architecture that can handle disruptions from security breaches to overloads.

Budget constraints: Building resilience often requires substantial investments in redundant hardware, software, and cybersecurity measures. Acknowledging budget constraints, organizations were advised to start small and gradually expand their IT infrastructure, ensuring a pragmatic and sustainable approach.

Skill gaps: Resilience planning and implementation demand specialized skills and expertise. Organizations may face challenges in finding and retaining personnel with the necessary knowledge in areas such as cybersecurity, disaster recovery, and system architecture. Addressing skill gaps is crucial for effective resilience.

Third-party dependencies: Many organizations rely on third-party vendors for critical services, introducing complexities in ensuring the resilience of these external dependencies. The experts advised organizations to carefully choose vendors capable of monitoring third-party solutions to enhance overall resilience. In navigating the complexities of modern IT resilience, the experts encouraged organisations to adopt a proactive and strategic approach, considering the ever-evolving landscape of technology and cybersecurity.

In navigating the complexities of modern IT resilience, the experts encouraged organizations to adopt a proactive and strategic approach, considering the ever-evolving landscape of technology and cybersecurity.