Top 5 Ways to Cut IT Infrastructure Costs Without Compromising Performance

With global IT spend set to reach £4.22 trillion by 2025, CIOs and CTOs are under intense pressure to cut IT infrastructure costs without sacrificing business performance. With infrastructure typically taking the largest portion of IT budgets, effective cost management can lead directly to better operational results and strategic flexibility. Here are five practical approaches to reduce IT infrastructure costs while maintaining reliability and high performance:

Optimise Cloud Spending

Cloud computing now accounts for over 50% of IT budgets. However, without proper control, these costs can quickly escalate. To avoid overspending, it’s important to regularly track cloud usage, reserve resources at discounted rates, and automatically turn off resources you’re not using. This way, you only pay for what you actually need, keeping your IT infrastructure costs manageable and predictable.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Are you actively reviewing cloud usage to make sure you’re only paying for what you need?
• Do you have clear ownership and accountability for cloud costs across teams?

Also read: Cloud Cost Optimisation Strategies in 2025: What Every CIO, CTO and CFO Needs to Know

Consolidate and Streamline Servers

Many businesses still run outdated or underused servers that quietly drain energy, rack up support costs and take up space. In fact, multiple studies show that up to 30% of servers in typical data centres run idle, consuming energy and resources without delivering value. By combining workloads onto fewer, more efficient systems and removing what’s no longer needed, you can cut IT infrastructure costs and make your setup easier to manage.

Key Questions to Ask:

• When was the last time you reviewed your servers to find ones that are underused or no longer needed?
• Could you reduce costs by simplifying your setup or retiring older infrastructure?

Automate Repetitive Infrastructure Tasks

Manual tasks like installing updates, setting up systems or running backups take up valuable time and often lead to errors. These day-to-day jobs can quietly increase IT infrastructure costs without adding real value. Automation tools help you get things done faster, more accurately and with fewer resources. Additionally, partnering with a trusted managed service provider like Retail Assist can also ensure your infrastructure runs smoothly, without the overhead of managing it all in-house, freeing up your team to focus on more strategic work.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Which regular IT tasks still rely heavily on manual work and could be automated?
• Are your current tools helping your team work efficiently, or are delays and errors slowing things down?

Also read: How to Choose the Right IT Managed Service Provider (MSP)

Improve Network Efficiency

A slow or poorly managed network doesn’t just frustrate users, it also adds to your IT infrastructure costs. Whether it’s paying for more bandwidth than you need or dealing with downtime caused by old equipment, network inefficiencies can quietly drain resources. Regularly reviewing your setup, streamlining traffic and replacing outdated hardware can help reduce costs and improve performance. Even small changes, like prioritising business-critical apps or optimising VPN use, can make a big difference.

Key Questions to Ask:

• When was the last time you reviewed your network performance and bandwidth usage?
• Are there areas where network upgrades or traffic management could reduce costs or improve speed?

Strengthen Infrastructure Security

Security issues can be one of the most expensive consequences of outdated infrastructure. Unpatched systems, unsupported software and ageing hardware make your business more vulnerable to attacks, and the cost of a breach can far exceed the cost of prevention. Regular patching, replacing legacy systems and scanning for vulnerabilities should be part of your routine. A proactive security strategy not only reduces risk but also prevents the unexpected IT expenses that often follow a cyber incident.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Are your systems regularly updated and supported with the latest security patches?
• Do you have the right tools and visibility to find vulnerabilities and fix them before they turn into bigger problems?

Also read: Windows 10 End-of-Life: 5-Step Plan to a Seamless Windows 11 Migration

Take Control of IT Infrastructure Costs

Most IT leaders know their infrastructure carries inefficiencies. Cloud overspend, server sprawl, outdated systems and manual processes are quietly draining budgets and delaying progress. Without action, these gaps will continue to grow, adding unnecessary cost, slowing operations and putting long-term digital goals at risk.

At Retail Assist, we help CIOs and CTOs reduce infrastructure overhead, streamline operations and maximise the value of existing investments, without adding complexity or risk. Book a consultation to uncover where your infrastructure could be costing more than it should.

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