Joint optimization of hardware and network systems

Multiple combinations of hardware and network components can be selected to design an information technology (IT) infrastructure that satisfies requirements. The professional criterion to deal with these degrees of freedom is cost minimization. However, a scientific approach has been rarely applied to cost minimization, especially for the joint optimization of hardware and network systems. This paper provides an algorithm combining hardware and network design issues in a single cost-minimization problem. The algorithm is empirically verified with a database of costs that has also been built as part of this research. Results show how a joint cost-minimization approach provides significant cost reductions with respect to the separate optimization of hardware and network sub systems. This indicates that the generally adopted divide et impera professional principle can be cost inefficient with respect to a rigorous scientific approach. Sensitivity and scalability analyses show that the algorithm's results are also robust and do not involve cost disadvantages over time.