5 ways for platforms to reduce shadow IT

Shadow IT, often arising from developers circumventing slow central IT processes, leads to the creation of an "invisible architecture" that consumes company resources without adding value. This results in fragmented IT management, with orphaned resources and manual adjustments, dubbed the "Hidden Factory." Modern platform engineering, like Upsun, addresses this by making compliance the default through "Policy as Code," which automates governance and reduces manual errors. By centralizing the data layer and automating service provisioning via YAML configurations, platforms like Upsun eliminate shadow databases and improve security by ensuring consistent policies across environments. These platforms also facilitate quicker onboarding and reduce cognitive load through standardized "Golden Paths," allowing developers to self-service infrastructure needs without increasing risk. Upsun's approach, compared to DIY internal developer platforms, offers automated security updates and compliance, enhancing scalability and reducing maintenance burdens, ultimately dismantling the Hidden Factory and improving developer productivity.

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