All IT departments require personnel that are trained and focused on providing technical support to all departments in the event of technical failures and IT issues.

An optimal service desk is one that is focused on problem-solving, and has the ability to quickly and e􀆸ciently fix issues as they arise, including providing maintenance to IT systems, and helping to prevent future technical problems.

The four core operations carried out by managers are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Within that scope, IT governance requires program/project managers, vendor managers, and IT financial analysts. Within an IT infrastructure, services and projects are based on the specific components of said IT infrastructure. Typically, an IT infrastructure is composed of hardware systems, enterprise systems, software systems, network systems, and database systems.

In order for an IT infrastructure to be utilized effectively, IT sub-departments should include teams for projects/programs, teams associated with technical contracts/vendors, and teams associated with fine-tuning and managing the IT department’s finances in order to provide the requisite resources that are needed by each IT sub-department/team.

Each of the above should be managed effectively by skilled professionals, and should include an integrative approach that allows the different, aforementioned teams to work together in a cohesive manner.

Enterprise Architecture (EA), with regard to IT systems/departments, focuses on the fulfillment of business strategies using IT systems, based on enterprise analysis, design and strategic planning. EA requires a comprehensive, detailed alignment strategy that seeks to translate business goals/needs into pertinent IT solutions and services.

Additionally, Enterprise Architecture aims to assess changes within an enterprise’s industry/operations in order to produce appropriate application portfolios and roadmaps.

In the initial stages of an enterprise’s development, and as a business grows, the dynamic nature of workplace operations translates to a requirement for constant maintenance of IT systems, along with the initial planning, installation, testing, and deployment of IT components.

Maintenance workflows may include simple technical fixes, or large system upgrades, along with security patches, updates, and recovery operations

One of the most critical aspects of any modern IT infrastructure is the function associated with an enterprise’s internal network, along with a business’s overall network (including all LAN/WAN, wireless, and Internet access).

In conjunction with network security, network and systems administration includes database storage/cloud system utilization, installation of security controls (i.e. firewalls, web application firewalls, intrusion detection systems), a functional and secure network architecture, and constant scanning, testing and traffic monitoring of all network operations.

Additionally, network administration workflows include the effective management of all network operating systems and monitoring systems.

With regard to an enterprise’s web services (e.g. web hosting services for a company website), the setting up of a demilitarized zone for the web server, and the use of security controls, is also of importance in order for the business’s external-facing networks (associated with the public Internet) to operate efficiently and in a secure mann

The development and evolution of very specific, functional departments within enterprises has often given rise to departmental silos, which sometimes operate as completely separate, distinct micro-organizations within a business that may or may not effectively communicate and/or work together.

In order for modern businesses to continue to offer value in an increasingly technology-dominated world, business departments have sought to integrate different departmental workflows in order to increase communications, productivity and operational efficiency.

One significant example is with DevOps, which integrates software development practices with automated testing and IT production operations. Essentially, DevOps combines workflows – and consequently departmental operations – from the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and IT operations (including testing and security) in order to deliver products in a more e􀆸cient manner, while breaking down the barriers of departmental silos within software development firms.

Application Management is a critical function within any IT department, and includes both Software Development – and the optimal management of an application’s Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) – and the patching, updating and maintenance of all operational business applications within an enterprise.

Application management is necessary in order to ensure that all back-end IT software systems (applications) operate at peak performance.

Every IT department should include a skilled, trained team of cybersecurity analysts, engineers, and security testers, to ensure that all attack surfaces are covered, and that the security posture of the hardware, software and networking IT infrastructure is solid.

In an age of increasing data breaches, having security specialists to conduct passive and active vulnerability scans/penetration tests, is an important step in maintaining data security, while the installation of security controls (e.g. Unified Threat Management, Web Application Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems, Next-Generation Firewalls, etc.) and the routine completion of security analyses (e.g. threat modeling, security scanning, security administration, malware analysis, secure database management/encryption of private data, etc.) are critical.

These steps not only help to protect a company’s customers, but also ensures due diligence to protect the company since many U.S. legislations and compliance standards – such as Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, PCI-DSS – require due diligence on the part of companies to ensure complete data security.

Additionally, having adequate security management – in the form of a Chief Information Security O􀆸cer (CISO) – is an important step to ensure that all IT security operations are carried out effectively.

ITIL offers a comprehensive guide to best practices associated with the establishment of an optimal IT department, and the effective execution of IT departmental operations.

The ITIL framework o􀆷ers five core processes that can be used to align all business goals with the IT infrastructure, and by extension, the overarching structure of the IT department: Service Strategy: Aligning the critical business goals/model with the components and services of the enterprise’s IT nfrastructure.

Service Design: The IT services that the IT systems oer in order to support the business’s operations. Service Transition: The transition from a planning/developmental phase to an operational/management phase. Service Operation: Operating all services according to the service-level agreements in place. Continual Service Improvement: Analyzing and o􀆷ering improvements for each service in order to increase service quality

One of the most important aspects of a strategic IT departmental structure is understanding the need for flexibility. Companies grow and expand, while technology changes and products/services – and even business goals – are dynamic. Thus, the established structure of a growing business must include a future projected growth rate, with a plan to optimize – and/or alter the structure of – the IT department, which may include the creation of new sub-departments/teams to solve new problems as they arise.

Thus, a scalable IT infrastructure, along with a scalable IT strategic plan and IT structural plan, is critical in a growing business, in order to effectively and strategically leverage an enterprise’s IT infrastructure/department, which can ultimately increase the bottom and top lines of the business organization.