New digital technologies like infrastructure as code (IaC) are creating new opportunities for rapid and agile innovation. When infrastructure is optimized for the cloud, businesses have access to greater innovation and agility. Additional benefits happen in the modern workplace. In today’s “work anywhere, anytime” world, many employees associate their employer’s culture with a computer screen. That’s when IT adaptability, innovativeness and responsiveness become differentiators in workplace culture.

Understandably, many organizations feel daunted by the prospect of unwinding their businesses from legacy infrastructure and commercial commitments, even in the face of cloud opportunities. In the worst cases, IT performance can actually deteriorate in the cloud. Why? Because the infrastructure, processes and skills supporting it can’t keep pace with new digital business requirements.

To get the most out of the cloud, companies need to overhaul their traditional IT infrastructure. In the process, they will need to tackle five common barriers:

• Traditional data centers.
  Some organizations made the decision to invest in the purchase, maintenance and management of their own data centers—an expensive, long-term commitment that may no longer align with sustainability objectives.
• Owning hardware assets.
  Asset purchases made with three-to-five-year depreciation cycles and/or contractual leases lock up budget which could be invested to move to cloud.
• Software licenses.
  Many organizations spend 35 to 55 percent of their IT budgets on software, some of which is redundant, especially where the organization is siloed or lacks governance.
• Talent debt.
  Most IT organizations have invested in training and certifications for their people over the years. But with the explosion of digital technologies, many are struggling to continuously upskill and rotate their talent to stay relevant and competitive.
• Mainframe legacy platforms.
  Once the only option for companies with largescale processing needs, mainframe platforms (e.g., Cobol, CICS, DB2) still operate some organizations’ most critical transactions. Cloud is needed to rapidly scale these applications, but significant modernization is required to make it possible.

Traditional approaches to infrastructure are limiting companies’ ability to adapt, innovate and compete. And the longer the delay, the bigger the problem. A new way forward is needed. That means shifting away from “keeping the lights on” approaches. What’s needed instead is an intelligent, software-defined infrastructure focused on continuous innovation, automation and optimization.

Achieving this transformation requires a new approach—and a solid foundation on which to build. That’s true whether your goal is unlocking business value and innovation today or preparing for tomorrow. The key to success? Understanding that every organization has a different starting point on this journey. Each organization needs to define what its own barriers are—and chart its own path to innovation and value.

Accenture uses a stabilize-optimize-transform approach to systematically break down these barriers.

• Stabilize. Introduce automation to increase quality, reduce costs and build the foundation for a multi-speed operating model capable of supporting a hybrid landscape.
• Optimize. Free-up funding and people, and clear a path to full-stack innovation. Begin continually re-engineering the infrastructure landscape to align with strategic business goals.
• Transform. Continue re-engineering the infrastructure landscape while introducing new Cloud Continuum capabilities to accelerate value and unlock innovation.

The best part? The timing of each step is flexible. So, a business can realize the benefits of stability and optimization today—then start a transformation at the time of its choosing.