D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S stone needed to get to a pure-cloud world ( which is realistically still many years away ).
Hybrid IT offers the benefits of affordable mass storage , through hyperscaler clouds , such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure , as well as a place for huge amounts of unstructured data – so-called data lakes – to be analysed using Machine Learning ( ML ) tools to find patterns or trends in your data .
Data transport : networking
Networks always seem to have simple beginnings , yet sooner rather than later they become more complex than envisioned . Initially , networking was all about computer data , but quickly moved to voice and video and it now incorporates IoT and of course IoMT devices as well . And each of these network services ultimately needs to execute one goal : moving data between humans . There are numerous steps in between , from databases and web servers to financial systems , operational systems and the cloud .
The networks inevitably need to connect local systems inside a hospital as much as they need to link up hospitals to administrative offices . This means that where we have become used to using cables and data points , we now need Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity .
Thus , the network , in whichever form you use it , becomes the measure of your data experience . Your cloud experience is as good as your network connection to the cloud and users ’ experience is as good as the Wi-Fi , 5G or LTE signal to which they are connected .
Pervasive security
Gone are the days of a central firewall at the head office or employing a network security specialist , who holds the keys to the front door . Data has moved out of the head office and off the hospital premises , out to the far corners of people ’ s homes , their notebooks and USB drives , to the cloud and to the odd hotel where an executive overnights while travelling .
Data is on the move , and there is no stopping it . At the same time , many people want access to your data , be it IoMT data ,
DATA NEEDS TO BE HOSTED IN THE RIGHT PLACE , BUT THIS IN ITSELF CAN BECOME A COMPLEX PROCESS .
financial data or patient data . Therefore no strategy is complete without addressing data security .
Security now lives on your network , as well as in the cloud . It has become about identity management , where all correctly identified users may have access , based on their security profile and privileges .
The term used currently is SASE ( Secure Access Service Edge ), which means your network service indirectly reaches as far as people ’ s homes and overseas hotels .
This is the edge of your network and the only way that it can be secured is by giving users access by means of their identity . Practically , this means that network access to your services is based on Zero Trust – no access unless the users can correctly identify themselves .
Making the case for hybrid IT
I think it is poignant to note that Sherlock Holmes had already verbalised the importance of data back in 1900 , saying that ‘ it is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data ’.
By accessing and understanding data in realtime , the healthcare sector will be able to improve user experience , increase revenue , decrease costs and drive efficiencies . This is why a hybrid IT approach – one that begins with a data-first strategy and provides an ‘ as a service ’ experience – is so critical .
The right hybrid IT partner will be able to assist with a data-centric strategy that includes the fundamental pillars of the ideal data hosting environment , reliable data transport and connectivity and far-reaching data security . �
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