Converged infrastructure provides multiple communication services on a single platform, saving costs and simplifying management. Companies can gradually migrate to the new platform to minimize disruption and ensure backup systems are in place. IT teams oversee development and tailor infrastructure methods to the company’s needs.
A converged infrastructure is a type of platform that involves the provision of different types of communication services on the same basic platform. A basic infrastructure that converges would create an Internet Protocol (IP) platform capable of providing the efficient transmission of voice, data and video over that network. The converged infrastructure solution offers many benefits, including easier management of communications services, as well as significant cost savings for the business.
Because a converged infrastructure involves the use of unified computing strategies to build and use the platform more efficiently, a company just starting out will want to consider this option very closely. This prevents the need to purchase the necessary hardware and software to build self-contained solutions more in line with previous techniques. By being able to handle everything from telephone services to data transfers between departments and employees working off-site without the need for a lot of hardware, the company can save a great deal of money, control communications through the single conduit, and even establish more efficient backup processes than would otherwise be possible.
While a converged infrastructure saves money, it can be quite costly to migrate from an older platform to a new unified platform at the same time. For this reason, many established companies adopt a model of progressively moving certain communication processes to the new IP platform as and when it becomes prudent to do so. For example, a company might start the platform just for data transmission, then add voice communications to the platform when the older hardware starts to fail and needs to be replaced. Over time, each of the communication tools is loaded onto the IP platform and integrated with the other tools previously associated with the network. This approach also helps minimize disruption, sometimes with a transition so simple that employees using communication tools are unaware of the migration.
The development of a converged infrastructure is typically overseen by the information technology team, who use IT infrastructure methods tailored to the company’s unique circumstances. Effective IT management will help ensure that platform downtime is kept to a minimum and that backup systems are in place and ready to go should the main or main platform suffer some sort of catastrophic failure. When designed correctly, a converged infrastructure offers a high level of efficiency at a relatively low cost, which is very attractive for any size or type of business.
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