The organizational model that I will use for this analysis is one with a centralized information technology organizational structure. In this case, all if not almost all information technology services are consolidated to one single office, site, or location in an organization. Such computer centers hold the backbone and the infrastructure. In addition, information technology leadership, the strategic alignment, budgeting, and support activities are undertaken centrally (Gitman & McDaniel, p. 189). In such an environment, the consolidation or relocation of servers results in different pros and cons.
The consolidation of servers in an organization with a centralized information technology organizational model, several benefits can be realized. These include the increased efficiency in use of server resources, which implies a cost reduction benefit. This is possible through the reducing of the number of servers needed and the locational and logical resources that such servers demand (Stallings, p. 402). For large organizations, the server consolidation is important in realizing return on investment as fewer resources are wasted or underutilized (Missbach & Hoffmann p. 69). To the information technology industry server relocation is important in curbing server sprawl. The relocation of servers presents the opportunity for organizations with a central information technology model to find better and more suitable venues to host or locate their server. This is in lieu of the safety, security, appropriateness, and conduciveness of location, and the ease of access to the premises by personnel among other crucial requirements of servers.
The cons of server consolidation and relocation include the increase of risks to the servers because if safety or security of one server is compromised, the whole lot of servers’ safety and security is compromised too. Server consolidation could also require complex configurations for not only data but also applications and data for the average user. The relocation of servers presents the physical risk of damage to the servers in the course of transit (Gregory, 161).
Such an organization would make huge savings and ensure the consolidation and relocation of the servers is successful if they outsource such services. This is because relocation companies have personnel who are specialized in the relocation frontier. This is in the form of procedures, requirements, executions, tests and evaluations of the equipment upon arrival at the new site (Gregory, 162). In addition, such companies have insurance covers for such procedures should anything fail to happen as expected. This protects the organization from unforeseen events (Kendrick, 2009).
References
Gitman, L. J., & McDaniel, C. D. (2008). The future of business: The essentials. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
Gregory, P. H. (2008). IT disaster recovery planning for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub.
Kendrick, R. (2009). Outsourcing IT: A Governance Guide. Ely: IT Governance Pub.
Missbach, M., & Hoffmann, U. M. (2001). SAP hardware solutions: Servers, storage, and networks for mySAP.com. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Stallings, W. (2012). Business data communications. Harlow: Pearson Education.
