The Intersection of Conflict and Technology
The world is witnessing another armed conflict, this time with Ukraine’s invasion by Russia. A conflict of this scale doesn’t merely reverberate on the political stage; it sends shockwaves through the world of IT services and technology as well.
The Need for Hybrid Infrastructure
From an information availability and security perspective, the situation brings to the forefront the need for a hybrid infrastructure. Imagine a customer with all their key services either in the cloud or on-premise; if their infrastructure gets affected by the conflict, their business could suffer significant setbacks.
For instance, from a Russian perspective, sanctions may hinder major cloud vendors from transacting and providing cloud services. The impact on USD billing further complicates the matter, as trading in USD may become unfeasible.
What’s alarming is the global nature of these challenges. An event occurring in a remote location on the world stage can send ripples through your business, affecting your bottom line.
Strategic Considerations for CIOs
CIOs must now think beyond traditional technical aspects when planning their IT infrastructure, especially when adopting a cloud strategy. Some critical non-technical elements to consider include:
- Privacy: Impact of privacy regulations on the organization, country, and hosting destination.
- Currency: Implications of cloud billing and variations in the USD, including the ability to conduct USD transactions.
- Geopolitical Factors: Trade bans, sanctions, and other global challenges that can sway the technology landscape.
Unfortunately, technology development is often tightly integrated, making it difficult to escape these challenges. For instance, organizations adopting SaaS or PaaS solutions may find it nearly impossible to switch providers due to the complex interconnectedness of these services.
Embracing a Hybrid Approach
Global events such as war and pandemics highlight the importance of flexibility in IT infrastructure. A cloud-first approach may seem appealing, but the recent impact on IT services favors a hybrid approach.
With a hybrid strategy, businesses can move critical workloads to the most suitable infrastructure, avoiding downtime and navigating the turbulent waters of global challenges.
Conclusion
War’s impact on technology is a stark reminder of how interconnected our world has become. From cloud strategies to privacy considerations, the recent conflict in Ukraine has shed light on the intricate web of factors that CIOs must navigate.
