Federal IT Networks: Simpler Is Better

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Susan Fourtan�,
User Rank: Author
7/28/2014 | 5:30:38 AM

Simplifying networks

There is a Chinese proverb that says: Simplicity is an advanced course. I tend to agree.

Whenever you want to improve management, make it more efficient, more agile, get better ROI, better use of time, you need to simplify existing patterns. This applies to networks and everything else.

-Susan

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batye,
User Rank: Ninja
7/24/2014 | 9:07:15 PM

Re: Simpler Is Better

way of technology simple is always better... as no one wants complications...

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@mbushong,
User Rank: Strategist
7/24/2014 | 10:26:15 AM

Adding on doesn't always add up

The biggest reason that complexity grows unchecked is that people typically add to their IT infrastructure with a whole lot more frequency than they subtract from it. You end up constantly adding things. Something doesn't work quite right, you add a workaround. Need some new capability, add a new feature. This incremental nature of growth leads to IT sprawl. We need to be removing things as frequently as we add stuff (and arguably more frequently since we have accumulated architectural debt).

Interoperability, by the way, ends up suffering too. Because if you deploy 600 features, even if both solutions support 599 of them, that 600th can prevent the things from working together.

Part of the hope of SDN is that it levels the architectural playing field some. It removes the reliance on these features (when customers deliberately allow it). But this requires a rethinking of architecture and procurement practices. A good first step? That standard RFP that you have? Consider starting from scratch rather than just adding SDN as a new section to an already-overloaded document.

Mike Bushong (@mbushong)

Plexxi

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MDMConsult14,
User Rank: Moderator
7/23/2014 | 6:43:01 PM

Simpler Is Better

Yes. Simpler is better. When you look at the interfaces of a lot of these sites, many are staff or member users. Catering to easier navigaction is an important element. Even with stakeholders, technical sites or networks should be non-complicated to explain or understand.

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Thomas Claburn,
User Rank: Author
7/23/2014 | 2:45:04 PM

walking the walk

>According to the report's findings, 74% of IT execs are currently concerned about the interoperability of their network vendors.

I wonder what % of those execs describe their IT organization as a "Windows shop"? Interoperabiliy and openness are there for those who really pursue it.

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