From the course: Introduction to IT Architecture
IT architecture overview
From the course: Introduction to IT Architecture
IT architecture overview
- [Instructor] So let's kick things off by talking just a little bit about the general idea of IT architecture and different things about it. So the first thing you really need to understand is that designing a computer and network system for your business can be very costly. In fact, it wouldn't be that hard to spend tens of thousands of dollars, even in a small business. So if you're going to spend that kind of money, then you want to make sure that you know what you're doing. Well, that's where the IT architect comes into play. This is an employee which will be the guiding hand behind all of your various computer systems. They'll design every part of your business' network, and this allows you to get on with your other business needs so you can be profitable. But what exactly does the job of an IT architect entail? I mean, does every business really need an IT architect? And what kind of IT architects are there? Let's talk a little bit about this. Now, when we think of an architect, not necessarily in computers, just an architect, we think of somebody who designs buildings, right? Meaning, growing up, if someone said, "What does your dad do?" He's an architect. Okay, well, he's somebody who designs buildings. So the IT architect is also a designer, but they are going to design your computer systems. So there are three main types of IT architects that are out there, and they do very different things for your business. The first is the enterprise architect. This is a kind of architect that is less computer science oriented. Instead, they'll focus on making IT work for your business. They'll often have technical backgrounds, but they're not the same as like IT support. See, these employees will work on making your IT systems fit your business goals, and they will look at your business strategy and find IT solutions to make it work. So an enterprise architect needs to be able to understand both IT and business at a high level. Then we have the software architect. Now, software architecture is a specific subset of the overall IT architecture, and it is made up of people who are exceptionally technical and are less concerned with the day-to-day running of the business. Software architects will know how to code and will help you find cost-effective software solutions. They will act as a relay between the software development team and the business, acting like a leader to make sure that your needs are met. And then we have the infrastructure architect. Now, this particular role is responsible for keeping your business running smoothly. If you're planning to expand into a new market, they will be the ones to create solutions to handle the increased demand. They'll keep your business mobile apps and back ends running smoothly, and they'll also handle data security for your sensitive data. Without an infrastructure architect, your business' IT systems will truly struggle. Now, overall, let's kind of go back to kind of the main question. What is IT architecture? Well, IT architecture is the overall design of the computer systems which keep your business running smoothly. Okay, just to kind of put it into a nutshell.
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