The organisation will need to implement technology and practises that isolates the core systems in the IT environment. These core systems can be wrapped as interoperable nodes that interact with other business system nodes, to deliver functions that are vital to the operation of the business.

Although this may not seem to be too different to the IT environment that it has today, it has created untapped potential waiting to be exploited to the benefit of the organisation and its stakeholders.

There is value in the nodes. But even more value in the network that connects these nodes within the organisation. A core network provides a clean and secure gateway for connecting nodes within the organisations and external nodes or services external to the organisation. This allows internal teams, as well as chosen third parties, to innovate and implement new ways of working.

As with Metcalfe’s Law, the more nodes isolated within the IT environment, the greater the potential value to the organisation. This facilitates the flow of data, rather than restricting it to islands of information at the edges. For example, by generating new business insights from data in flight through the network, with data-at-rest in the core nodes you can provide, monitor, and action events at the heart of your business.

Exploiting the potential of the core and core network requires a new set of skills, management and governance. Combinations and intersections become more important than single data points.

The enterprise should clearly consider its technology and information management operating model by considering what capability is needed to:

• Build and maintain the core and core network?
• Maintain the nodes in the core network?
• Work with the business to exploit the potential value?