IT Operations Vs. IT Infrastructure, What's the Relationship Between the Two?

IT Operations vs IT Infrastructure, what's the relationship between the two concepts? IT operations and IT infrastructure are two sections within a company's information technology (IT) department. Each of these plays an important role in ensuring that technology operates effectively and meets a company's evolving demands. You may decide if a career in any of these disciplines is right for you by learning more about each of them. In this post, we will look at the definitions and roles of IT operations and IT infrastructure, as well as the differences and similarities between them.

What exactly are IT operations?

IT operations refers to the services and administration of a company's IT department, responsible for all functions of technology in a firm's IT infrastructure, including software and device support. These operations might involve the IT personnel hierarchy as well as the procedures and different types of IT services that keep a firm running efficiently. IT operations' essential components include:

     • Resolving failures: IT operations usually entail implementing solutions to fix problems and ensure that operational technology and support services fulfill the desired objectives. This may entail repairing various technological systems and services so that all programs and technologies function properly.
     • Managing IT infrastructure: IT operations serve to manage the operation of a company's hardware, software, and devices. This can also include monitoring technological performance, such as speed, memory capacity, and inventories.
     • Managing configurations: It involves ensuring that all technical equipment and infrastructure function together so that users may easily operate them. It can also entail entering comparable data fields across applications, such as usernames and passwords, to enable easy access across multiple devices.
     • Developing infrastructure: This means constantly upgrading software and equipment to suit new technological demands. It can also include upgrading systems or applying security updates in order to fulfill new business needs from firm stakeholders.
     • Risks management: IT operations ensure that various software has safety mechanisms activated in order to secure both user and corporate information. This includes preparing employees to tackle security concerns such as server maintenance.
     • Governing operations: This involves overseeing how a team performs each component of IT operations. For example, analyzing staff organizational charts and processes to identify opportunities for improvement.

What Exactly is IT Infrastructure?

IT infrastructure is the technology that serves as the foundation for a company's IT services. This includes business equipment such as laptops and desktop computers, as well as databases, software, and servers. There are several forms of IT infrastructure, such as:

     • Hardware equipment like computers, desktops, tablets, laptops, routers, phones, modems, and physical storage devices.
     • Software resources like content management structures, databases, ticketing systems, and OSs.
     • Facilities and the actual locations where you connect devices and solve technological issues.
     • Servers, both hardware or software, that enables other computers and devices to function.
     • Networks, that are simply collections of computers or devices that connect and exchange crucial data.
     • Storage systems which include physical- and cloud-based storage as well as, database storage and server-based file storage.
     • Datacenters, which are physical places where real servers and storage systems can be accessed.

IT Operations Vs. IT Infrastructure

IT operations and IT infrastructure differ in the following fundamental areas:

Organization of employees

Because IT infrastructure is part of IT operations, an organization's infrastructure may have several infrastructure engineers and technical support staff working on it. Companies can organize their IT services in this manner or separate the two. Network technicians and database administrators, for example, may report to a services manager who inspects all operations in some companies. Other companies may have a network support, database support, and software development department, while IT operations may be an independent department.

Relationship

Because IT operations has a higher-level view of an organization's infrastructure and processes, their leadership policy and workflow frequently dictate how staff support and interact with IT infrastructure. Infrastructure, on the other hand, may require IT operations to perform specific roles or processes. For example, a company may decide to use a content management system that better meets its business needs than its current system, so operations staff must plan how to design and maintain this new system.

Careers

If you want to work in IT operations, look for job titles like IT operations manager or IT operations engineers. In such positions, you can manage a team of technicians, oversee a firm's IT infrastructure, monitor servers, review current processes and systems, negotiate vendor contracts, and create new technology policies. However, IT infrastructure roles may be more technical and specific. Infrastructure engineers, for example, may update hardware, perform software maintenance, address connection issues, and troubleshoot user issues.

Salaries

The annual salary for an IT operations technician is $94,986. On the other hand, the average annual salary for an IT infrastructure technician is $110,896. Salaries for roles in IT operations and IT infrastructure can vary depending on location, industry, and level of experience.

Skills

Both IT operations and IT infrastructure roles require time management, problem-solving, and communication skills. Because these professionals frequently work with the company's stakeholders and leadership to ensure processes and systems run smoothly, IT operations roles may need additional skills such as project planning, delegation, management, and leadership. IT infrastructure teams frequently have more technical skills that they can use to design and maintain a company's technology. They may also be knowledgeable about local-area or wide-area networks, cloud storage, firewalls, and programming.