Integrating Service-Oriented IT and Infrastructure as a Service

Now that applications developers and IT operations have embraced service-oriented delivery, the next IT area ripe for a service-orientated overhaul is infrastructure, including equipment, facilities and management systems. Traditionally, integration between these elements has been limited, as the form factor for computing has remained mostly static. But if IT infrastructure elements could be integrated and the functions of those elements could be delivered over a network connection, the result would be enterprise IT functions that are more responsive, cost-effective, manageable, reliable, secure and compliant. This is possible today because of the maturation of virtualization technology, integrated functional management systems and best practices architectures and frameworks. The IT infrastructure as a service model presents a compelling alternative to conventional approaches such as "do-it-yourself," which often requires high up-front capital expenditures and long lead times, and traditional outsourcing, which can be difficult to manage and scale.

Learn more about infrastructure as a service:
- read the column at CIO