Eradicating Change Management Outages with Pure Professional Services

Executives who invest in Pure Storage technologies don’t do so just for the advanced features—they’re also looking for the assurance of uninterrupted operations. Our bold statement to “Eradicate change management outages forever” embodies our commitment to achieving this goal. 

Let’s explore how Pure Storage technology along with Pure Professional Services can make this a reality, transforming executive aspirations into tangible operational outcomes.

What Are Change Management Outages? Understanding the Challenge

Change management outages are disruptions caused by modifications in IT systems, whether it’s implementing new hardware, updating software, or integrating different technologies. These outages can result in significant downtime, data loss, and financial setbacks, undermining the confidence of stakeholders and customers alike.

How Non-disruptive Upgrades (NDUs) Eradicate Change Management Outages

“Eradicating change management outages forever” is possible through non-disruptive upgrades (NDUs) and is a game-changer for both technology companies and their executive customers. Investing in technology that includes NDUs is not just about acquiring new features; it’s about ensuring business continuity, enhancing operational efficiency, and future-proofing their organizations in an increasingly cloud-centric world, such as:

• Uninterrupted operations: No change management outages related to storage or associated failures is crucial. When critical operations and services can continue without interruption, enterprises can maintain continuous business operations.
• Enhanced reliability and stability: NDUs contribute to a more reliable and stable IT infrastructure, which is essential to building a resilient business that can withstand the dynamic challenges of the digital world.
• Elimination of tech debt: The ability to avoid the pitfalls of end-of-life technology and tech debt is a significant advantage. It ensures that executives are not bogged down by outdated systems, allowing them to focus on innovation and growth.
• Reduced need for downtime: The requirement for application downtime windows is greatly diminished, removing the need to coordinate extensively with application teams for updates or apologize for outages. This means better internal relationships and enhanced productivity.
• Flexibility across environments: The capability to move up and down the technology stack, whether on premises or in the cloud, in a frictionless manner is invaluable. This flexibility is a critical aspect for executives who are looking to leverage the best of both worlds—on-premises control and cloud scalability.

Impact of Human Error and the Role of Advanced Professional Services

Human error is another significant factor in IT outages, with various studies suggesting that it accounts for anywhere between 20% to 80% of IT outages, depending on the industry and specific IT environment. While the exact figure varies, it’s widely acknowledged that human error is a leading cause of downtime in IT systems. 

Recognizing this, Advanced Professional Services plays a crucial role in mitigating these risks and reducing the human element in change management by offering workshops and training. These not only help in fostering a culture of continuous improvement and risk mitigation but also streamline change management processes by refining and automating processes through a structured approach to system updates and modifications, further reducing the scope of human error.

Proactive Risk Assessment and Planning (Operational Readiness Workshops)

Pure Storage Advanced Services conducts comprehensive workshops that can help identify areas where human error is most likely to occur. By proactively addressing these vulnerabilities, these services can significantly reduce the likelihood of outages.

Implementing Automated Solutions (Automation Workshops)

Automation is key in minimizing human intervention in routine and complex tasks. Pure Storage Advanced Services can implement automated processes for updates, backups, and other critical operations, thereby reducing the potential for human error.

Customized Training and Skill Development (Technical Account Manager [TAM] and Resident Services)

Ensuring that IT staff members are well-trained and knowledgeable about the latest technologies and best practices is another area where Professional Services contributes. Tailored training programs elevate the skill level of personnel, reducing the chances of errors due to lack of knowledge or experience.

Continuous Monitoring and Support (Observability Workshops)

Technical Support Services provides ongoing monitoring and support, ensuring that any potential issues are identified and addressed before they lead to outages. This continuous vigilance is crucial in maintaining system stability and performance.

The Role of Pure Professional Services

In addition to workshops and training, Pure Professional Services offers a multifaceted approach to help eliminate change management outages:

• Proactive planning and risk assessment: Prior to any change implementation, a thorough assessment of the existing infrastructure is conducted. This includes identifying potential risks and devising strategies to mitigate them, ensuring minimal disruption during the transition.
• Seamless integration of technologies: One of the core strengths of Pure Storage Advanced Services is the ability to seamlessly integrate new hardware and software into existing systems. This integration is meticulously planned and executed to ensure compatibility and functionality, reducing the risk of outages.
• Automated testing and deployment: Automation plays a key role in minimizing human error, which is a common cause of change management outages. Automated testing protocols are implemented to ensure all systems are fully functional before, during, and after the change. Automated deployment tools further streamline the transition process.
• Continuous monitoring and support: Post-implementation, continuous monitoring is essential to promptly identify and resolve any issues. Pure Storage Advanced Services offers round-the-clock support and monitoring, ensuring any potential disruptions are quickly addressed.
• Customized solutions: Recognizing that each organization has unique needs, Pure Storage Advanced Services tailors its approach to fit the specific requirements of each client. This customization ensures that the solutions provided are not only effective but also aligned with the organization’s objectives.
• Building a resilient infrastructure: Beyond immediate integration, the services focus on building a resilient and scalable infrastructure that can adapt to future changes with minimal disruptions. This forward-thinking approach is key to eradicating change management outages in the long term.

Stay tuned for our next blog, where we’ll dive into operationalization, its benefits, and how Pure Professional Services can help integrate FlashArray™ and FlashBlade® into an everyday operational framework. Learn more about how Pure Professional Services can help you transform your vision into an operational reality.

This is part one of a two-part series. Click here to continue the story in part two! 

Achieving
IT Agility

How the Pure Storage data management platform delivers tangible outcomes for customers.

Read the Ebook