The term provisioning is used in a variety of ways in IT software, but it generally means to make something available for use.
Provisioning is an early step in the deployment process and should not be confused with configuration. Once resources like servers, network components, applications or devices are provisioned, they are then configured according to organizational or user specifications, deployed, managed and maintained over their lifecycle.
Provisioning provides equipment, software, or services to customers, users, employees or IT personnel. The process of removing an IT resource from a system is called de-provisioning.
Understanding the concept of provisioning
In the context of IT and software computing, provisioning refers to the process of setting up IT infrastructure and providing access to authorized users to the various resources that are part of the infrastructure. The term is used in a variety of contexts in IT, including grid computing, servers, storage, applications and network components.
Generally speaking, provisioning simply means providing or making something available to something or someone. In enterprise IT settings, the someone represents authorized users who need to access one or more hardware or software resources, such as servers, applications, storage devices, edge devices and so forth. Before these resources can be deployed and used, they must first be provisioned.
This is why provisioning is one of the first steps in the IT deployment process.
Once a system or device has been provisioned, it is configured per a user’s or organization’s requirements. It is important to note that provisioning and configuration are not the same thing and both steps are required to deploy an IT resource to make it accessible and usable.
Post-provisioning and post-deployment, resources are maintained over their lifetime to ensure they remain useful and functional and perform as expected by the organization.
Types of provisioning in IT software
Modern enterprise IT environments might be extensive and complex with scores of components, many of which are interconnected. For IT environments to function well, all facets must interoperate seamlessly. Proper provisioning plays a large role in this endeavor’s success.
To ensure the environment is properly set up, numerous elements must be properly provisioned, requiring the following types of provisioning.
Server provisioning
This is the process of setting up physical or virtual servers with the resources they need to perform their function. There are many different types of servers—file servers, web servers, application servers, proxy servers and policy servers, for example—each with their own job. Businesses will also have their own distinct server requirements.
Server provisioning includes determining how a server, whether cloud-based or on-premises, will be used and what that requires. It also involves setting up the hardware, installing software like operating systems and applications, and any other steps needed to create a new machine in that desired state.
The provisioning team also collects information about the server’s intended use and defines its desired state per business requirements. They connect each server to the required network and storage components to make it operational and business-ready.
Network provisioning
This refers to the setting up of the components that comprise an enterprise network, like routers, switches, hubs and firewalls, to create a functioning networking that authorized users, devices and servers can access.
In the network provisioning process, IT teams assign IP addresses and define which devices and user identities can access the network (and the hardware and devices it connects). They also implement network security measures to help keep the network secure.
The provisioning staff will also allocate IP addresses, and set up access to devices and servers for authorized users. They also set up security systems for access control and to protect the network. As part of the provisioning process, they might also perform operational health checks.
User provisioning
User provisioning, or account provisioning, is a type of identity management responsible for creating, modifying or deleting user accounts and profiles. It is usually handled between HR and IT teams.
In user provisioning, access permissions and privileges are established, and authentication is granted, often using role-based access control (RBAC). RBAC grants a user access to specific resources based on their role and work requirements.
User provisioning usually occurs during the onboarding of a new employee, or when someone takes on a new role within the organization. The opposite process, de-provisioning, occurs when an employee is leaving the company or offboarding.
These processes ensure that users have access to the resources and tools they need to do their jobs. They can also help protect the integrity of the IT environment by verifying that access to IT resources is appropriately assigned.
Identity and access management is a crucial component of cybersecurity.
Application provisioning
Application provisioning and service provisioning encompass the setup of enterprise applications and services that users need to do their jobs. This includes setting up user accounts and access credentials and granting access rights to SaaS platforms, applications, data and other resources.
It even provisions customized application configurations to more accurately suit different users and roles.
In addition to provisioning the apps, the IT team also monitors the apps, manages app-related data and looks for ways to optimize their performance. Furthermore, they will set up user accounts and credentials and deploy custom configurations as required by users and the business.
Device provisioning
Device provisioning is the setup of IT equipment like phones and computers. It is often used to manage devices within the Internet of Things (IoT).
It is performed before giving an employee a device to make sure that the device operates seamlessly within the IT environment and is set up with access and resources appropriate for the end user to which it is assigned.
Cloud provisioning
This is the process of creating the infrastructure that supports a cloud environment. It involves setting up the foundational hardware, virtualization, storage and networking components necessary for cloud computing. It also involves the cloud-based resources, apps and services that users will need to access.
Organizations that migrate either partially or completely to cloud computing must properly provision cloud resources and data to ensure that cloud-based resources are accessible and usable for the right users. During provisioning, the cloud infrastructure is set up, along with the various resources, services and applications users will need to access.
Automated provisioning in IT software
As IT environments expand and resource needs change, manual provisioning can be a cumbersome and time-consuming endeavor for IT teams, especially because many steps must be repeated. Automation provides a more efficient and faster way to provision infrastructure using predefined templates and procedures. Little or no human intervention is required.
Infrastructure as code (IaC) is one way to leverage the benefits of automated provisioning. With IaC, all infrastructure provisioning requirements and specifications are stored in configuration files. Codifying these requirements means the required environment can be easily provisioned by running a script.
Moreover, the same environment will be provisioned every time, since the configuration files will function as a reusable template.
Codifying infrastructure makes the provisioning process faster and more efficient. It also prevents anyone from provisioning resources in an ad-hoc or non-transparent manner — a situation that can create policy issues or serious security vulnerabilities in the IT environment.
Benefits of automated provisioning in IT software
Automated provisioning solutions can help organizations save time and money, and improve the security of their IT environment in several ways:
Boost productivity
Automated provisioning can deliver significant productivity gains across an organization by helping streamline processes and optimize how employees spend their time. It benefits IT teams who, freed from the burden of repetitive manual provisioning, can focus their efforts on higher-level strategic work.
Automated provisioning helps developers deliver new applications and services faster, as the environments they need to do so are automatically and consistently provisioned. It also helps ensure that end users companywide have access to the resources they need to do their job, when they need them. This eliminates workflow slowdowns and similar drags on productivity.
Enhance compliance
Automated provisioning allows you to better maintain compliance because it enables you to centralize standards and governance. You can also implement those policies and procedures consistently across the entire IT ecosystem. When changes need to be made, they can be rolled out automatically (and uniformly) across all resources.
Scale more easily
As your business grows, so will your provisioning needs. Automated provisioning allows you to scale efficiently—and with confidence—knowing that servers, network components, devices and other resources are being provided and accessed as intended.
Reduce errors
Like all things human-powered, manual provision is susceptible to human error. With automated provisioning, resources (and access to them) are consistently provisioned to predefined standards.
Also, an automatic audit trail is maintained that shows how access was defined, and authentication granted, what resources were accessed, and when.
In this way, automated provisioning reduces misconfiguration. It also reduces the time it takes to troubleshoot and correct them, and the security perils that accompany such errors.
Difference between provisioning and configuration
Provisioning and configuration are important, distinct operations in the deployment process. Before a resource—device, server, network or otherwise—can be configured, it must be provisioned, or “provided,” in the general sense of the word.
Once made available through provisioning, IT infrastructure resources are configured. The components and settings are arranged to meet the specific requirements of the business.
Just as there are many different types of provisioning, there are many types of configuration. For instance, configuring the firewall, access or connectivity settings on a network, configuring a database on a server, or configuring an application’s settings.
Both provisioning and configuration can be improved through automation.
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