IT Infrastructure

Infrastructure Building Blocks

and Concepts

Introduction to IT Infrastructure
(chapter 1)
 Introduction
• IT Infrastructure
– mean all hardware and system software
components needed to run IT applications
 Introduction
• IT Infrastructure
– IT infrastructure is defined as the collection of
hardware, software, network systems, facilities,
and frameworks that enable IT services delivery to
different business units and help maintain its
digital presence
 Introduction

Fundamental Blocks of IT Infrastructure

 Introduction
• Hardware refers to all the physical parts, components, and
equipment that goes into maintaining an organization’s IT
infrastructure
• The sub-components of IT hardware include the following: 
– Standalone servers 
– Personal computers and workstations, such as laptops and
points of sale 
– Physical router equipment 
– Headphones, printers, collaboration devices, and other
peripherals 
– Data centers or server rooms 
 Introduction
• Software is any infrastructure component that requires
additional hardware as a host environment
• Software components have increasingly become central to IT
operations, replacing a lot of the traditional hardware
components
• For instance, it is now possible to have software-based
network routers, OTT-deployed applications instead of
physical drives or CDs, and next-generation firewalls (NGFW)
rather than a hardware appliance
 Introduction
• The sub-components of IT software include
– Operating system (OS) variants and distributions 
– Third-party apps for productivity, testing, security, etc. 
– SaaS apps (desktop-based and web-based) and perpetual
license software 
– In-house built software applications, marketplaces, and
services 
– Application building, hosting, and production environments
like the cloud or containers 
– Software-based utilities such as NGFW, routers, ANC
software, connectors, APIs, etc. 
 Introduction
• Networks comprise both hardware and software components and
the configurations you set up to control and manage network access
for various users
• The sub-components of a network include: 
– Different types of cables for private and public internet connectivity (CAT
5/6/7, fiber optics, etc.) 
– Networking appliances like firewalls, routers, and switches 
– Software components like software-based firewalls, SDN infrastructure,
etc. 
– Application interfaces to configure the network 
– Application interfaces to manage user access, network security,
bandwidth allocation, etc. 
– Web servers to act as a connecting hub for networked IT activities 
 Introduction
• IT infrastructures become more complicated
– New types of applications:
• Big data
• The Internet of Thing
• Mobility
• Cloud computing
• Most current infrastructure landscapes are
complex
– The result of a history of application implementation
projects
– Specialized hardware and infrastructure components
 Introduction
• Agile adaptations require infrastructure:
– Solid
– Scalable
– Modular
• Architecture is crucial to control the
infrastructure when it is designed, in use, and
when it is changed.
 The definition of IT infrastructure
• In literature, many definitions of IT infrastructure are described
• Examples:
– IT infrastructure consists of the equipment, systems, software, and services
used in common across an organization, regardless of
mission/program/project. IT Infrastructure also serves as the foundation upon
which mission/program/project-specific systems and capabilities are built
– All of the hardware, software, networks, facilities, etc., that are required to
develop, test, deliver, monitor, control, or support IT services. The term IT
Infrastructure includes all of the Information Technology but not the
associated people, Processes and documentation
– Infrastructure is the shared and reliable services that provide the foundation
for the enterprise IT portfolio. The implementation of an architecture includes
the processors, software, databases, electronic links, and datacenters as well
as the standards that ensure the components work together, the skills for
managing the operation, etc.
 The definition of IT infrastructure
• What infrastructure comprises dependents on:
– Who you ask
– What their point of view is

• For most people, infrastructure is invisible and taken for

granted