WITH 2024 SHOWING NO RESPITE FROM THE TOUGH MACRO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT PREVAILED IN 2023 , HOW SHOULD AFRICAN CIOS AND IT MANAGERS REVIEW THEIR ANNUAL SPENDING PLANS ? IS THERE A TRADE-OFF GAMEPLAN ?
EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
WITH 2024 SHOWING NO RESPITE FROM THE TOUGH MACRO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT PREVAILED IN 2023 , HOW SHOULD AFRICAN CIOS AND IT MANAGERS REVIEW THEIR ANNUAL SPENDING PLANS ? IS THERE A TRADE-OFF GAMEPLAN ?
Key industry executives from Fortinet , ManageEngine , Palo Alto Networks , Cloud Box , share their suggestions on how African CIOs and IT decision makers need to relook at their annual and quarterly spending plans across hardware , software , security , cloud , and IT operations . risk of human error . IT leaders can secure everything , everywhere , faster than ever with automation .
In addition , by leveraging cloud-based services , IT leaders can also reduce their infrastructure and maintenance costs along with greater flexibility and scalability .
To effectively reduce the cost of IT operations , African CIOs and IT decision-makers need to adopt a strategic approach that involves a combination of optimising resources , automating routine tasks , and promoting cost transparency and accountability .
IT leaders must also be able to identify the right approach for cybersecurity and promote cost transparency and accountability . The total cost of ownership can increase when cybersecurity tools are thrown into an environment without understanding the need .
IT leaders can optimise technology resources by regularly evaluating , repurposing , or upgrading their technology to ensure they are leveraging the latest and most cost-effective solutions .
A key approach that African CIOs and IT decision makers need to adopt is to focus on simplifying IT infrastructure .
Automating routine tasks is an effective way to reduce IT operational costs , such as system monitoring . With time being our most valuable and powerful resource , automating these tasks can free up IT staff to focus on more strategic initiatives while also reducing the
A key approach that African CIOs and IT decision makers need to adopt is to focus on simplifying IT infrastructure . This can be achieved by consolidating hardware and software , reducing the number of systems and applications in use , and standardising processes and workflows . By simplifying IT infrastructure , organisations can reduce complexity of their IT operations , which in turn can lead to cost savings .
Another important approach is to adopt a strategic approach to IT procurement . This involves a clear understanding of the organisation ’ s current and future IT needs . Organisations can identify the most cost-effective solutions that meet their specific requirements , rather than simply selecting the lowest-cost option . These responses were previously published in the June 2023 edition .
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