Infiniti Consulting Group
EA with a Focus on the Big Picture

Often, companies treat EA (Enterprise Architecture) as a standalone IT practice rather than a critical strategic tool. Scott Sanders, President and CEO of Infiniti Consulting Group, feels this is a common mistake, since “enterprise architecture is about planning for the future and providing a roadmap to get there. So, our motto is ‘plan the work, work the plan.’” The most common challenge in the EA landscape is catering to the evolving needs of CIOs, who want to embed new intuitive, responsive technologies into legacy systems such as mainframes with COBOL. They want to ride the wave of cloud computing and big data, but are faced with an experienced mainframe workforce that is now reaching retirement age. In the wake of these changes, companies need to have a deep understanding of business requirements and tread with caution rather than embrace every trend without understanding their imperatives.

Sanders’ firm, Infiniti Consulting Group, provides unique EA solutions that add a constant value to clients' businesses. The company, headquartered in Folsom, CA, offers solutions in the areas of business consulting services, network implementation, and strategic planning, among a host of other solutions in conjunction to its EA offerings. Sanders states, “We don’t try to implement the latest technology, just for the sake of doing it.”

Infiniti threads its solution keeping in mind the unique business needs of its clientele. “However, we also know the value of architectural and design patterns along with the reuse of software that has been proven to work elsewhere,” explains Sanders. In instances where customers ask for tailor-made solutions, Infiniti counsels them about the intricacies of running that system. Often, those customers decide to go for a packaged solution instead. The company provides in-depth analysis regarding modifications to those package solutions, catering to the clients’ needs. Sanders adds, “We guide our clients through the buy versus build decision.”

According to John Gray, Infiniti’s CTO, what separates Infiniti from its competitors is its approach.

“We take time to understand the business of the enterprise, allowing us to develop the EA according to strategic direction.” Infiniti treats every EA implementation as a separate project even within the same organization-allocating a project manager in order to ensure that best practices are implemented. For large customers who want a second opinion, Infiniti facilitates that second source of validation. The company’s benchmarked testing procedures for software and hardware ensures effective and successful deployments. This modus operandi has brought Infiniti unparalleled success in its sector, with a long list of satisfied clients.

One of the company’s clients in the insurance business needed a complete EA revamp as its current system was homegrown and still prone to bugs after five years in production. Infiniti got rid of the high-priority bugs with its unique expertise and created an ad-hoc, stabilized technological environment. Gray adds, “We then helped the client put together a road map to further sustain the existing system while identifying, procuring, and implementing a new commercial system.”

We take time to understand the business of the enterprise, allowing us to develop the EA according to strategic direction

Infiniti has a formidable growth rate of 20 percent per annum in this niche. On the innovation side, the company is focusing more on managed services as most clients are moving into the cloud. Infiniti has a strong interest in the Integration Architecture space, as well. “At the moment, we are working on a toolbox of reusable components that will allow us to deliver at a rapid pace, once we’ve diagnosed the client’s problem,” concludes Sanders.