Introduction to IT

In today’s world, nearly every part of a business depends on technology.

IT organizations play a crucial role in making sure that systems, applications, and data work together to support daily operations. But what exactly do IT teams do, and how do they manage the many systems, platforms, and tools that make everything run?

This IT Handbook explains all of this using an intuitive structure that helps readers understand both what IT organizations do and how they are organized.

This structure breaks IT work down into seven primary Functions, twenty-six Core Layers, and about two hundred recurring IT Concepts, which together describe the whole landscape of IT responsibilities. This approach enables anyone, regardless of their technical background, to understand how IT components work together as a system.

At the highest level, IT work can be viewed as having seven primary responsibilities, which we refer to as IT Functions. They represent the broad categories of work that every IT organization performs, no matter its size or structure, including:

• IT Management – Manages the organization, implements standard processes, plans projects, and sets priorities to guide all the IT activities. 
• Solution Delivery – Uses structured approaches to analyze business needs and then design, build, test, and implement new IT solutions.
• Security Solutions – Ensure that systems are protected and only authorized users can access them, thereby maintaining the integrity, privacy, and safety of data and systems.
• Business Solutions – The “live production” applications and platforms that support users and manage all the data that is involved in running the business. 
• Infrastructure – All the cloud platforms, servers, network components, and operating systems that the Business Solutions actually run on. 
• Physical Facilities – The datacenters and all the other environments that are part of the business, where physical IT components reside and must be managed.
• Support Services – The teams that help users with any system issues and specialists who maintain system availability and performance.

These seven functions serve as the major categories for IT work. Even if an organization uses different names or divides them differently, these responsibilities always exist somewhere within the IT group.

Each of the seven primary functions can be further divided into twenty-six Core Layers, which are essentially their sub-functions. These describe the specific areas of expertise or types of work within IT, for example, Software Development, Middleware, or Databases.

These layers provide a clear and organized view of how IT operates behind the scenes. They illustrate how work progresses through the planning, development, and deployment stages, as well as the details of the “tech stack” layers on which the live Business Solutions are built. The twenty-six Core Layers within IT Functions include:

• IT Management – 2
  • Internal IT Management and External IT Management. 
• Solution Delivery – 5
  • Business Analysis, Project Management, Solution Development, Quality Assurance, and Delivery Management.
• Security Solutions – 2
  • Security Management and User Access Management.
• Business Solutions – 5
  • End User, Software Applications, Middleware, Data, and Databases. 
• Infrastructure 6
  • Cloud Platforms, Server Platforms, Operating Systems, Server Hardware, Network, and Data Storage. 
• Physical Facilities – 3
  • Datacenters, Offices, and Field locations.
• Support Services – 3
  • Security Support, System Support, and User Support.

Together, the functions and layers can be referred to as “Function Layers” because both levels work together to describe the whole organization of IT.

We utilize these Function Layers as the framework to organize the IT Topics section, as they provide intuitive navigation for readers and illustrate how different specialties come together to form a comprehensive technology ecosystem. 

Beyond functions and layers, IT work can also be explored through approximately two hundred IT Concepts. These are more granular subject areas, such as Project Management, Access Management, Networking, Programming Languages, or Data Storage, that can also include topics from across multiple functions and layers.

In the IT Handbook, concepts are used as tags to group related topics. Each topic usually includes three or four tags that represent different levels of focus, ranging from narrow to mid-range and broad.

For example, the topic “JavaScript” may be tagged under “Programming Languages” (narrow), “Browsers” (mid-range), “Front-End Technologies” (wide-angle), and “Web Technologies” (broad). 

This tagging method enables readers to explore IT concepts naturally, progressing from specific technologies to broader areas of understanding.

The combination of Functions, Core Layers, and IT Concepts creates a consistent framework that enables the organization of ultimately more than 1,000 IT topics in the Handbook. It connects detailed subjects with the higher-level structure of IT organizations, making it easier for readers to navigate complex ideas.

This multi-level model demonstrates that IT is not random or fragmented but a coordinated system of roles, processes, and technologies that work together.

Readers can start from any point: a function, a layer, or a concept. Each path leads to related areas of learning and provides context for how the pieces of IT fit together to deliver reliable, secure, and valuable digital solutions.

Understanding this structure provides business professionals with a clearer picture of how IT operates. Instead of seeing technology as a mysterious collection of systems, this framework shows it as an organized, interconnected system of people and processes.

As a result, this IT Handbook helps you “see the whole picture” of IT, one layer at a time, and build a stronger foundation for understanding how digital work truly happens.

So, there you have it – a quick Intro to IT and this IT Handbook.

Next, check out the IT Management and related pages to learn more about each major IT Function!