By Joachim Herschmann, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner
A robust digital immune system protects applications and services from anomalies, such as the effects of software bugs or security issues by making applications more resilient so that they recover quickly from failures. It can reduce business continuity risks created when critical applications and services are severely compromised or stop working altogether.
Enterprises face unprecedented challenges in ensuring resilient operating environments, accelerated digital delivery and the reliable end-user experience. The business expects to have the ability to react to market changes quickly and innovate at a fast rate. End users expect more than sound functionality — they want high performance and their transactions and data to be secure and satisfactory interactions.
A digital immune system combines a range of practices and technologies from software design, development, automation, operations and analytics to create superior user experience (UX) and reduce system failures that impact business performance. A DIS protects applications and services in order to make them more resilient so that they recover quickly from failures.
During a recent Gartner survey about overcoming the barriers to digital execution, nearly half of respondents (48%) stated that the primary objective of their digital investments is to improve the customer experience (CX). DIS will be critical to ensuring that CX isn’t compromised by defects, system failures or anomalies, such as software bugs or security issues.
Gartner expects that by 2025, organizations that invest in building digital immunity will increase customer satisfaction by decreasing downtime by 80%.
When building digital immunity, start with a strong vision statement that helps to align the organization and smooth implementation. Then take account of the following six practices and technologies:
Focus on the optimization of the CX along with mitigating potential risks. Implementing a DIS requires an innovative mindset, but by combining practices and technologies, ensures you can keep complex digital systems running even when they are compromised.