A technology stack can have a significant impact on your business. It allows you to focus on your business goals while your technology runs seamlessly in the background. Maintaining a well-planned-out and up to date stack can be the difference between your business’ success or failure.
We are constantly evaluating our own technology stack and our clients' to ensure all IT environments perform at a high level. Usherwood finds it critical to choose the tools in our technology stack strategically. To help you better understand, we'll use our industry insight to share what a technology stack is and why it's essential to your business's success.
What is a Technology Stack?
A technology stack is a collection of different technologies that work together within your IT environment. It comprises hardware, software, applications, and helpful tools that work together to make your systems run smoothly. Many different front-end and back-end technologies can go into a technology stack. All the software, hardware, and tools you choose to configure your IT environment must work in sync with each other to create a fully optimized environment.
What should a Technology Stack Consist Of?
Technology stacks will involve hardware, software, and applications in the server environment, infrastructure, security, user devices, and the cloud. Each piece of technology must be chosen carefully so your domain functions at the highest quality. Below is an example of what a typical technology stack includes:
Server Environment
- Server - A computer or computer program that manages access to a resource or service in the network. There are many different types of servers, including print, file, network, and database.
- Drives - Stores files and programs used on your computer. Drives ensure information is safely stored when a device is turned off.
- Virtualization - A virtual machine runs on virtual hardware. Virtualization lets you create virtual hard drives, switches, and several other virtual devices, all of which can be added to virtual machines.
Infrastructure
- Firewall - A security device that helps protect your network. This is by filtering and blocking incoming or outgoing traffic that doesn't meet security standards.
- Switching - Manages the flow of data across a network. IT will direct a signal or data to a particular destination. Various types of switching are used to move data from one network to another.
- Wireless Access Points - A piece of hardware that connects wireless-enabled devices to a network. They allow employees to work from anywhere in your office and remain connected.
- Network Cabling -The medium through which information moves between computers, routers, switches, and storage area networks.
- Power Protection - Provides backup power and surge protection to control and protect business electronics.
Security
- DNS-based Security - DNS Protection measures that involve DNS (Domain Name System) protocol. A DNS connects users to websites or internet-enabled applications.
- Firewall - A security device that helps protect your network by filtering and blocking traffic. The firewall is implemented through either hardware or software.
- Managed Detection and Response - A managed cybersecurity service that monitors and detects threats to remediate them quickly.
- User Authentication - Allows a device to verify the identity of someone who connects to a network resource. Only users who pass the authentication will connect.
- Cybersecurity Training - Simulated phishing campaigns and cybersecurity awareness training campaigns.
- Vulnerability Management - Identify, evaluate, and remediate vulnerabilities.
User Devices
- Desktop
- Laptop
- Tablet Operating System - Software that interfaces between computer hardware components and the user.
- Microsoft
- Printers
- Voice Over Internet Protocol - Group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks.
- Security Surveillance Systems – A system of numerous security devices such as cameras, card readers, sound and motion detectors, environment and temperature sensors, overview systems, etc.
Cloud
- Server - A virtual server running in a cloud computing environment. Cloud servers perform application and information processing storage.
- Backup - Stores copies of your computer files. If your computer is damaged, your files are still securely stored on a remote server.
- Email/Microsoft 365 - Microsoft 365 provides a variety of mail accounts for different purposes. All emails in a web-based service are stored on servers.
- Communications - Cloud communications include voice, email, chat, and video. It's an internet-based communication that streamlines and manages all communication channels.
How Should a Technology Stack Be Chosen?
When choosing your technology stack, it's essential to ensure the stack can support your business infrastructure. You should consider the need for your technology in your business model. Once this is determined, you'll want to investigate the best technology to fit those needs. It's safest to go with established technology and look into how many years they have been providing their technology.
This will help you determine that the tools have a good reputation and will be successful in your environment. It can also be helpful to research what type of industries use certain brands and models of particular technology.
If you find industries like yours, you typically use specific tools that may help you determine which will be helpful for your business. It's essential to evaluate what type of tools you currently have in your stack when choosing new devices, as you want to ensure they're compatible with the ones you already have in place. This will help you avoid reworking your entire existing infrastructure.
Scalability and security are also crucial to the technology stack you choose. Find tools to add more processes and hardware to improve overall performance. Security should always be a top priority. Ensure the tools you put in your stack prevent data breaches and loss from keeping your business secure.
Why Does a Technology Stack Matter?
Having a solid technology stack can help your business run more efficiently. It's essential to strategically map out your technology stack to ensure your systems aren't running slow or failing. You don't want a stack to fail on you constantly. Your technology stack can give your business a better user experience for your employees and clients. Investing in the right tools can seem daunting and expensive, but your technological choices will further benefit you if chosen strategically.
How to Find an MSP with a Quality Technology Stack for Your Business
MSPs typically have a technology stack they present to their clients. For this reason, it's essential to ensure your MSP places substantial value on what they put in their stack. You want to avoid random tools put into your critical environment.
Your MSP should provide you with the reason for how and why they chose their technology stack. The technology stack they provide for your business should have been vetted and selected to ensure that the products and technology complement each other and are the best fit for your specific business.
An MSP should intricately explain their process of building the stack and how it has proven successful with their current or past clients. This ensures their credibility and will help assure your business their stack will run efficiently and work together to enhance your IT environment.
Usherwood Can Build Your Technology Stack
Having a reliable technology stack is critical to your business's success. If your company doesn't have a stack of equipment working well together, this can cause systems to run less efficiently than they're capable of. When you have a solid technology stack that's been tested and verified, it will complement each other, and you'll have an optimized environment.
If you're interested in learning more about MSPs and how to ensure you are choosing the right one to support your business, check out our other article, "10 Questions To Ask Before Committing to a Managed Service Provider," or reach out to Usherwood today to receive a tech evaluation to see what technology stack we can offer your business.
