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Many growing companies run into the same issue. You’ve got a talented development team, and your product vision is clearly defined. But somewhere along the way, from writing code to serving customers, progress slows down.
The actual issue might be that your current setup was made for what you needed then, not what you need now.
This is exactly when DevOps architecture consulting makes the difference. Whether you’re building a product from scratch or already have an MVP, you can benefit from proper architecture planning.
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Request demoWhat Is Architecture Consulting?
Architecture consulting lets you create the right technical foundation for your software. It involves assessing your whole system, from how you deploy your code to how different services communicate, and coming up with a plan that can help you take the right direction and scale successfully as your needs expand.
Some of the questions architecture planning addresses are:
- Will costs become unmanageable if you expand globally?
- How do you handle latency issues with global expansion?
- Should you move to on-premise servers from the cloud or vice versa?
- Can your applications work with one database, or do you need separate databases in each country?
- How do you manage different compliance requirements across regions?
- What specific compliance requirements does each country have for your product type?
But who is the one responsible for figuring out the best answers to these questions?
The Solution Architect: Your Technical Leader
A solution architect is the technical leader responsible for designing and overseeing the entire technology strategy of your project. Their expertise spans development, DevOps, and testing, which allows them to make informed decisions about how all these areas work together to achieve your business goals.
Once they understand the ins and outs of your project and the challenges your business faces, they decide what the development team should focus on, what the DevOps teams need to prioritize, and how to align everything with your business goals. They keep the big picture in mind while also paying attention to the technical details.
For example, they know that PHP can be a great option for e-commerce projects, but if you’re venturing into AI, Python might be the smarter choice. If your developers estimate a project will take six months, but your business team needs it done in two, the solution architect can help you find a realistic middle ground.
Who Needs Architecture Consulting?
The best time to start is right when you just have an idea, before you even write a single line of code. Bringing in an expert helps you build your product the right way from the beginning. A solution architect will guide you in choosing the right technology so you’re not locked into decisions that could limit your options later on.
Even if you’ve already developed an MVP, these services can still help. The difference is that you’ll need a current infrastructure audit first. It evaluates what you have now, what you want to achieve, and then you’ll be able to define what you’ll need to get there.
Benefits of Architecture Consulting
The biggest advantage of working with an architecture consultant is having someone who sees the whole picture from the outset. Rather than making decisions piece by piece, you receive a carefully coordinated plan that covers all the technical aspects. Here are more details on why architecture planning is so valuable:
- Faster time to market. When your architecture is planned upfront, your development and DevOps teams aren’t constantly solving integration problems. They can focus on building features instead of fixing system conflicts.
- Confidence in technical decisions. You have clear, straight answers to key questions like: Can we support ten times our current user base? What will it cost to expand internationally? How fast can we roll out new products? Architecture consulting gives you the data to make smarter strategic choices.
- Better financial management with FinOps. Part of the consulting includes planning your cloud spend and costs for growth. You’ll get accurate budgets for different scenarios and strategies to save money.
- Reduced business risk. You avoid the business impact of technical failures. You don’t lose customers because your system can’t handle growth or miss out on new market opportunities because your technology isn’t ready for quick feature releases.
How IT Outposts Provided an Expansion Plan for Geobuyer
Geobuyer is a smart shopping app that aggregates promotions from various stores, helping users find discounts while giving retailers a platform to showcase offers. Their goal is to expand into European markets and beyond.
One of the biggest tasks was figuring out how to build an architecture that keeps core services running smoothly across different countries. Because when the app is deployed in Europe and then would start to serve clients from the US or Singapore, latency can become a major problem.
While we were focusing on launching the app, our team also kept future growth in mind. Our current setup on DigitalOcean works for current goals, but it has some limits when it comes to scaling globally, especially since DigitalOcean doesn’t have data centers in regions like Africa or Latin America.
To get ready, we first conducted an infrastructure audit. And here’s how a current Geobuyer’s infrastructure scheme looks:
Then, we mapped out growth stages, with specific needs and costs for reaching 5,000, 30,000, and 100,000 users. We also put together a plan to move from cloud hosting to on-premise servers whenever needed, including details about equipment, timelines, and costs.
Now, Geobuyer has a clear plan for expanding, especially if cloud costs start getting too high as it grows.
Build Your DevOps Foundation the Right Way
Growing businesses often face a tough decision: should you lay a strong technical foundation from the start or spend much more time and money fixing problems later?
Working with an architecture consultant offers you the advantage of making smart tech choices early on, so you avoid costly obstacles down the road.
That’s why we built AMICSS (Auto-scalable, Migration-ready, Integrated, Cost-efficient, Secure, and Stable)—our ready-to-go infrastructure. It embeds the same strategic thinking we use in consulting.
AMICSS is designed to grow with you automatically, uses trusted tools that work smoothly together, and keeps security and stability top priorities, all based on lessons learned from over 50 projects.
Get in touch to learn how AMICSS can accelerate your growth and deploy your infrastructure in just one week.
I am an IT professional with over 10 years of experience. My career trajectory is closely tied to strategic business development, sales expansion, and the structuring of marketing strategies.
Throughout my journey, I have successfully executed and applied numerous strategic approaches that have driven business growth and fortified competitive positions. An integral part of my experience lies in effective business process management, which, in turn, facilitated the adept coordination of cross-functional teams and the attainment of remarkable outcomes.
I take pride in my contributions to the IT sector’s advancement and look forward to exchanging experiences and ideas with professionals who share my passion for innovation and success.