Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
effort, and expense in acquiring alternatives that fit within the identi-
fied platform—assuming that such an alternative exists. Application
virtualization systems are often tied to the fundamental architecture
of the network itself, relying on the authentication and access con-
trol system to control application package assignment, deployment,
and updating. The architect can address this issue by carefully iden-
tifying all such dependencies before beginning enterprise reconfigu-
ration actions, so as to avoid mid-upgrade loss or instability of key
services that can stall or terminate enterprise-wide projects.
• Replacement of existing, working systems may be beyond the bud-
geting ability of many organizations and business units. While there
are times when a functional but expensive enterprise solution may
be tossed out in favor of an alternative (a scenario we will examine
later in this topic), the majority of businesses must enact incremental
evolutionary change rather than outright revolutionary change sim-
ply because the cost of replacing everything outweighs the benefits
of immediate standardization. An architect's knowledge and under-
standing of existing revenue streams and any constraints on stream
allocations are critical to understanding and successfully planning
the scope and pace of enterprise-transforming projects.
• Changes in technology standards, development of new offerings,
and the constant evolution of network threats can often outrun an
established platform specification. By the time an organization can
transition its technologies to meet the new standard; several new ver-
sions of an identified platform option might have been developed to
add new features or close vulnerabilities not identified at the time of
the original assessment. This is particularly true when dealing with
governmental agencies, educational systems, and organizations with
complex bureaucracies, because of the lag between specification and
purchase. An identified best-in-breed at the time of original product
evaluation might be woefully inadequate compared to later entries
into the same application space by the time the new fiscal year rolls
around and funds are available for acquisition. The architect must
consta ntly review emerging technologies a nd keep abrea st of cha nges
in common technology devices, configurations, and uses.
• The scale of need and expertise may vary widely within an organi-
zation, creating a requirement for different levels of operational
capability that may not be reflected by a one-size-fits-all platform
