Challenges for data center users are everywhere. Companies evaluating their IT infrastructure strategy face the burden of creating an infrastructure roadmap expected to meet the company’s needs today and provide flexibility for the future. Sounds easy, right?

In our latest podcast, Hawk Podcast #13, we discussed six challenges companies experience with data center infrastructure projects and how to overcome them to ensure a successful outcome.

• Internal infrastructure audits are hard

It’s hard to know where you are going as a company if you can’t find the starting line. In order to effectively map your IT infrastructure, it takes a time consuming process and demands the right people’s attention from the organization. The short term up front work to build your framework benefit you over the long term.

• Knowing which teams to include

Infrastructure project success happens with the right people. Making sure the appropriate team members are part of the process is critical for success. For most companies, these initiatives are led by IT teams. The secret to a successful project is ensuring important team members are involved at the right time. Finance, procurement, real estate, and legal are several of the groups worth involving if you want to get it right.

• The future is unknown

The future is hard to predict. Upcoming development applications, technology refresh, business expansion and contraction are all challenges most companies experience. Having both a short and long term strategy to ensure your plan can meet today’s needs and the future is key to building a successful IT infrastructure strategy.

• All data center operators are not the same

A data center operator is much more than the power and space they provide. The landscape has changed significantly over the last several years and data center operators now offer increasingly valuable services to customers. Knowing the differences and how to utilize these services is important when making these decisions.

• Data center cost comparison doesn’t always add up

Apples to apples assessments are challenging for data center projects and the most inexpensive solutions are not necessarily the best. Truly understanding how cloud factors into cost comparison can trip companies up as well. And this complexity is one of the reasons companies struggle to evaluate multiple solutions and revert to the easiest path. Take the time to truly understand the best solution for the business - regardless of cost.

• Data center location impacts cost and strategy

Understanding how geography impacts a company’s infrastructure strategy is crucial for project success - and not easy. Thinking through how geography specific components - like rental rate, power cost, tax incentives, cloud availability zones, and growth options are ways data center users can make sure they are set to handle the needs of today and tomorrow.