Strategic Technology

This is a little story to demonstrate that IT tasks, usually aren’t ‘IT Tasks’. They are business problems.

This little story started  simply enough; I was sent by my Doctor to a radiology lab for an X-ray.

That is not interesting on its own, but here is where it got interesting. While I was sitting in that radiology waiting room, I overheard what seemed to have been an IT staff member talking to someone else about a technology issue.

OK, now I have to confess that I shamelessly eavesdropped on the little technology bits I heard. (And please – I was sitting in a waiting room about 10 to 15 feet from the speakers – not hiding in a broom closet near their offices!)

It seems they were having an issue where this clinic was required to send X-Ray digital images to some type of  remote facility, I don’t know if that remote location is an office, hospitals, or other Doctors offices as the end destination was never mentioned . What they did mention was that they were apparently soon going to have to do the same with fully digital ultrasound video.

And from what I heard, they had one big problem.

Their Internet network connection was not up to the task of pushing the amount of digital imagery and video they required. From their very frustrated comments, it sounded like their network connections to wherever this remote location or locations are is grinding to an evil halt just with the massive digital X-Ray images – and adding digital video would make traffic congestion worse.

It also seems that the building they were located in did not have newer (and faster) fiber optic based cabling entering the building, only older (and slower) copper wire cabling that they could use for their Internet connectivity. The IT staffer also complained that getting faster fiber optic based Internet speeds would cost 30 Grand because the business would have to pay for the complete tear up of the parking lot to lay the cable.

So that ends the little technology issue that I overheard. First, it paints an interesting story about cost and investment of technology infrastructure from a SME standpoint – and secondly, but more importantly it also opens points to many questions that need to be answered by both IT and business managers. And my goal with this one is to simply demonstrate why business managers and their IT Leadership must ensure open, complete, and accurate communications.

So, as an owner or manager in the small to medium business, lets work through this.

Fact: We don’t know why or to where, but large amounts of digital media are required to be sent remotely

Fact: Current network infrastructure is not able to handle the load

Fact: A minimum cost of $30,000.00 seems to be the price for upgrading that infrastructure.

Now here is where business and IT Managers need to be asking the tough questions. First question – for any IT spend on this issue; is it an expense, or an investment?

If this mandate for circulating massive amounts of this digital media in real time is simply for a head office mandate – it is probably just an expense. However, if this digital media needs to get to hospitals or Doctors offices – that is different from both a revenue generation and health care point of view – we can assume that there is a need to qualify that as an investment.

As an example, if this is just an head office mandate expense? Perhaps all this data real time is not necessary and tools that send out that data over night may be all that is required.

But that won’t work if you need those media objects sent to get paid – or if patients with possibly dangerous illnesses are waiting for that information.

So for this critical business case scenario – we need to look at everything – yes – even perhaps moving!

We don’t know how ‘fast’ their current copper based Internet connection is, we just know that it is not fast enough. Next question – could we get two (or even more) of these copper based Internet connections and have one (or more) dedicated to the video and image transfer requirements? It is possible, however the down side is that modifications to routing hardware will be required – not mention that we are at a minimum doubling our operating expenses for the Internet connection.

We don’t know this information, but depending on how much extra doubling (or tripling) of their OPEX for this Internet connectivity – over what time frame would that extra expense make the $30,000 cost of installing faster fiber optic cabling justified?

And note – we have not even touched whatever penalties or revenue losses they may be looking at with their existing slow network connection.

The SMB Takeaway

We don’t have enough information to help this business to a happy ending. But for managers in the SMB the sole purpose of this post?

To demonstrate that if we aren’t discussing everything, we can’t answer the complex questions that can be needed to effectively use technology within our business.

This story should show you one thing.

A faster Internet connection – sounds like just an IT task or project doesn’t it?

I hope the questions above show you that it far beyond an “IT Task”

It is a business decision based on business requirements with a true understanding of the associated costs and risks of each option.

Photo Credit Aidan Jones via flickr