Technology is marching on. As new working practices shape the business world, few things are as important as data centre modernisation. IT is about more than keeping the lights on – it’s an opportunity for innovation and evolution. Your business can’t step into the future if your technology ties it to the past.

‘By 2020, 67 percent of enterprise IT infrastructure and software will be for cloud-based offerings,’ according to ICD Directions 2017 

Lack of business buy-in can block IT innovation. Your IT department knows the advantages but the rest of the business wants ROI and IT KPIs. It makes sense; to prove a case, you need evidence.

Here are five IT KPIs that every business needs to monitor, and why it’s important to measure them.

1. Uptime

Uptime is the total length of time a service is operational. If you fail to measure it, you fail to understand the true effects of downtime. It’s normal for some downtime to occur, but if you’re constantly unplugged and offline, it’s likely that your technology is struggling to keep up.

What does this mean for your business? Well, downtime is equal to customer dissatisfaction, increased labour costs and potentially lost data. If it happens during mission-critical periods, the backlash is even greater.

2. Response time

How long does it take for your technology to complete a query? If a human can respond quicker, you need to upgrade your systems. As with uptime, disruptions cause delays in response time and create inefficiencies. What this means for you in long-term: fewer closed deals and smaller steps forward.

3. Resolved support requests

Track. Report. Adjust. Repeat.

First, use your technology to track the number of support requests received. If this number starts to increase, your technology isn’t working hard enough. Second, measure the time taken to resolve these requests.

We can all agree that it doesn’t make good business sense to have your employees twiddling their thumbs while they wait for technical issues to be resolved. After all, time is money, right?

4. Security events

No business is immune to security threats. Yes, not even yours.

If your business is struggling to be reactive, let alone proactive, it’s likely that your infrastructure is not secure. Make sure to monitor security events that your business encounters. How long does it take to deal with them? With this information, you’ll be able to identify the breaking point and take preventative action.

This is one KPI that will light a fire under the business decision-makers. Security events are the wake-up call many CEOs need. Every cloud…

5. Server and infrastructure management cost

From the cost of replacement parts to internal IT labour expenses, prices are always changing. Unsurprisingly, the cost of managing your servers and infrastructure will rise as your business grows, but if these costs are increasing exponentially, you might want to sound the alarm.

A lot of C-level executives view these rising costs as ‘part and parcel’ of running a business. But for more efficiency and reliability, invest the time in researching cheaper alternatives.

How do you monitor all of this?

Of course, knowing what IT KPIs to track is one thing. Knowing how to track them is another story. First, you need the right tools. Software like Microsoft’s Power BI is a suite of analytics tools that not only help you monitor your KPIs but also obtain actionable insight from them.

Second, you need the expertise. There’s a lot you can do internally to keep your business ahead of the game. That said, it’s much easier, more efficient and cost-effective to get third-party help. By working with an IT partner, you can draw on extensive resources and experience to really drive your IT to the next level.

Data centre modernisation for all

Soon, data centre modernisation will be more than just a plan for the future; it will be a necessity for all businesses that want to stay in the game. Knowing the right IT KPIs means you can identify the best time to build a business case and convince the board.

A plan without numbers is just a story; numbers without a plan – well, those emails won’t get opened. Create a strategy. Have a timeline. Book that meeting. Business innovation is more than just a side project, so step up and be the leader within your business that pushes for change.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. Time-poor IT professionals can seek the help of an outsourced IT partner to guide and manage the data centre modernisation journey from start to finish. For more information on how your business can build the foundations of digital transformation, get in touch with us today.