I have over the years seen a lot of money wasted by companies getting their IT infrastructure and systems wrong. You rarely see anyone admit it though. There are a few simple rules for making sure that you are on the right track to getting that system right. Here are a few of them.

Understand What It Is That You Need:

This is usually the point at which it all goes horribly wrong in my experience. I have seen deals done on the golf course for millions which have then been ditched years later when it became obvious that actually what we had was not what we actually needed. This needs to be properly project managed from the start and a number of experienced and independent people need to be involved in the planning. Understanding the needs of the company from an IT perspective includes platforms to allow staff to perform their jobs and infrastructure which can support that. It is a complex subject to get a grasp of and people from all areas of the business should be involved at the start. Proper planning might prove to be helpful in understanding the needs of a system and fix the budget accordingly.

Be Wary of Being a Guinea Pig:

You will find that you are offered discounts by companies wanting you to wave the flag for them and promote their new software to like-minded companies. Be careful of this. The problem with new software is that it often has teething problems and you will be the ones who have to cope with the issues caused whilst these are fixed. Always keep in mind that the deals which sounds either too good or, too bad are bound to be fake and can destroy money as well as reputation. This is also something to consider when you are considering buying software from a company abroad who are trying to get into the UK market. It is no fun when you buy software aimed at a particular country and you have to spend time changing things like address formats.

Make Sure Your Infrastructure Supports Your Plans:

It is very easy to see and be tempted by flashy new systems which appear to have all of the bells and whistles. Always remember to check that your existing infrastructure can support such technologies before you go rushing headlong into buying it. Many such systems went down in the recent years, which failed to deliver what they promised. Therefore, it is quite important to plan at first and then, design the infrastructure. This will not only help a system in easy implementation of their services, but also help it remain safe and secure. Have an infrastructure which enables you to deliver the analytics and business decisions required to make these choices such as that provided by the SAP HANA on Cisco UCS. Do your research and take advice as the wrong move can cost a company a large chunk of cash. Talk to the experts and listen to what they tell you can be done.

Finally, do not make rash decisions in order to avoid any unpleasant situations in future. It is better to wait for some time and enjoy the fruits rather than taking a decision in haste. Do not be swayed by the sales pitch, go away and do your own digging. Talk to other people who have the same system and get their advice. Compare how they use it to how you need to use it, and see if it will still work for you. Getting it right will make all the difference.

Author Bio:

Simon hopes are a highly proficient author writing articles on IT management system, including SEO, Internet Marketing etc. Through his posts he has provided an exhaustive list of the preferred SAP HANA on Cisco UCS.