Keeping up with the latest technology trends can be a daunting task for businesses. Leaders in IT can be drawn in by attractive vendor sales pitches, but these solutions are sometimes not appropriate for their organization and more often than not, turn out to be a solution looking for a problem. Promises of the potential to give you a competitive advantage and maintain that edge diminish very fast. Searching out the latest tech trends can be a dangerous bet, often stressing an already aged and unsteady infrastructure that is unable to cope with the added pressure.

The term “Putting pearls on a pig” is how we used to say it in North Carolina.

The success of any tech stack rests on its foundation, and companies that try to “get by” with aged equipment risk serious issues like extended outages or lengthy diagnosis processes. The foundational infrastructure that can’t be ignored consists of the core items like servers, networks, and databases as well as the accompanying software frameworks which underpin the entire system. With a weak or outdated foundation, tech stacks may be subject to system failure, data loss, security vulnerabilities and more.

A recent report from Forrester Research uncovered that many organizations have difficulty sustaining a stable tech stack because of persistent budget constraints and making investments in the wrong areas… The survey discovered that 44% of companies experience regular system downtime, whilst 35% are having a hard time providing the necessary resources to maintain their infrastructure. This is creating a great challenge for businesses as these issues can cause considerable detriment to productivity, customer satisfaction, and ultimately profits. You just can’t build a skyscraper on a bed of wet sand.

To avoid the pitfalls of an unstable technology stack, businesses should focus on stability over shiny new features. Maintaining a stable and up-to-date foundation for their technology stack is far more important than constantly chasing the latest technology trends. To keep the tech stack running smoothly, infrastructure and software must be updated and upgraded regularly, system performance must be monitored, and resources must be invested in

There is no doubt that updating and upgrading infrastructure and software can be a complex and time-consuming process, and many businesses have difficulty finding the resources to accomplish this task. In the long run, a stable tech stack far outweighs the short-term costs. At some point the technical debt must be paid. Businesses can ensure that their tech stack is reliable, secure, and scalable by prioritizing stability, which will allow them to grow and succeed.