The most important thing in brief:
Introduction: Why an IT infrastructure as-is analysis is essential
In an increasingly digital world, the IT infrastructure the backbone of every company. But many organizations only know their own IT landscape in a superficial way or do not have a complete, up-to-date picture of their systems. This is exactly where the”IT infrastructure as-is analysis” on — a structured process that helps to create transparency, identify weak points and make strategic decisions.
Whether introducing new technologies, preparing for audits or implementing security measures — without a well-founded analysis of the current situation, the necessary basis is missing.
What does “IT infrastructure as-is analysis” mean?
Die IS analysis of the IT infrastructure (also known as IT infrastructure analysis or IT infrastructure analysis) is a systematic inventory of all IT components of a company. This includes:
- hardware (servers, clients, network devices)
- Software and licenses
- network topology
- Users and permissions
- Interfaces and dependencies
- Security and backup concepts
The aim of this analysis is to create a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the existing IT landscape — both from a technical and organizational perspective.
Why is an IT infrastructure analysis so important?
- Visibility and control
Efficient management is hardly possible without detailed knowledge of your own IT environment. The analysis provides clarity and helps to identify redundancies, unused resources or safety-critical gaps. - Basis for IT projects and decisions
Regardless of whether it's cloud migration, IT consolidation or modernization — well-founded decisions require a solid database. Eine IST analysis of the IT infrastructure provides exactly this basis. - Compliance and audit preparation
Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements. With a documented analysis, internal and external audits can be efficiently prepared and passed. - safety management
Security gaps are often caused by ignorance of existing systems or access rights. The analysis uncovers weak points and helps set up a secure IT operation.
How does infrastructure analysis by an external service provider work?
Many companies choose to use the IT infrastructure analysis to be carried out by an external service provider — whether due to a lack of internal capacity or because of a desire for objective expertise.
The process usually looks like this:
- Initial briefing: Clarification of objectives, scope and specific requirements.
- Data collection: Using automated tools (such as Docusnap), the existing infrastructure is scanned and documented.
- Data analysis: The information collected is evaluated in a structured way — e.g. according to security gaps, licensing situation or network topology.
- Report & recommendations for action: The service provider submits a final report with specific recommendations — often supplemented by visualizations, vulnerability analyses and project suggestions.
An experienced service provider not only brings methodological knowledge, but also best practices and market comparisons. Using professional tools such as Docusnap for IT analysis significantly speeds up and clarifies the process.
IT infrastructure analysis: effort and goals
How complex is the analysis of the IT infrastructure really?
The effort depends heavily on the size and complexity of the IT landscape. Small and medium-sized companies can usually complete an initial analysis within a few days — especially with a tool such as Docusnap, which automates many steps.
Typical objectives of the IS analysis:
- Identify unused resources
- Optimizing license usage
- Improving network security
- Identification of outdated or redundant systems
- Preparation for migration or consolidation projects
The important thing is that analysis is not an end in itself. It should help well-founded decisions to meet — operationally and strategically.
What happens if you don't do an infrastructure analysis?
Companies that rely on a regular IT infrastructure analysis Abandon, risk:
- Vulnerabilities: Undocumented systems are often not protected.
- Cost traps: Licenses are paid twice, hardware is purchased unnecessarily or is underutilized.
- Inefficient processes: Without transparency, redundancies, unclear responsibilities and error-prone workarounds arise.
- Failing projects: IT migrations or cloud projects without a solid starting point run the risk of breaking the budget and time frame.
In short: Without an as-is analysis, the foundation for any form of IT optimization is missing.
Docusnap: The intelligent assistant for your IT infrastructure analysis
The manual collection and documentation of an entire IT landscape is complex and prone to errors. This is where Docusnap comes in: The software automates the recording of your IT infrastructure and creates detailed evaluations at the push of a button. Please also read our blog article”Visualize IT infrastructure: Make complexity visible and manageable“.
Benefits of Docusnap when analyzing the current situation:
- Automated inventory of hardware and software
- Visualization of network topology and dependencies
- Clear reports and charts, e.g. to Active Directory, Exchange, or VMware
- Access analyses and Authorization evaluations
- Easy compliance with Compliance requirements thru structured documentation
Next steps: How to start your IS analysis with Docusnap
- Clarify the objective: What is to be achieved? (e.g. transparency, security, license optimization)
- Use Docusnap or hire partners: Decide whether you want to carry out the analysis internally or work with a Docusnap partner.
- Start automatic inventory: Docusnap recognizes your systems, scans networks, and creates reports automatically.
- Evaluate results and act: Use the evaluations as a basis for specific measures.
To get started, the free Docusnap trial version to — or taking part in a free Webinar for beginners.
AS-IS vs. SHOULD: Identifying the gap — and closing it in a targeted manner
The as-is analysis depicts the current reality of your IT infrastructure — what actually exists and is active. In contrast, the describes TARGET state the desired target architecture: more efficient, more secure, more scalable. It is only when the two conditions are compared that it becomes clear Where action is needed — for example, with outdated hardware, unused licenses, lack of security measures or inefficient authorization structures.
Docusnap not only helps you to precisely record the current status, but also provides valuable foundations for defining and planning your target status through reports, authorization evaluations and topology diagrams. In this way, you create a solid basis for targeted IT optimization and strategic development.
Conclusion
Die IS analysis of the IT infrastructure is not a “nice-to-have” but an essential part of professional IT work. Companies that know their IT can plan better, minimize risks and use their resources in a targeted manner. With a solution such as Docusnap This process is not only made easier, but also more sustainable — through continuous updating and comprehensive documentation.
The next steps:
If you want to analyze your IT landscape efficiently, Docusnap offers the ideal support — from automatic inventory and network visualization to rights and license analysis. In this way, you quickly get a complete picture of your infrastructure and create the basis for well-founded decisions.
Try it now for free!
