Author: Owen Miles, VP Solutions Engineering EMEA for Restrata
Date: 23 Oct 2025
Blog Series: ‘Miles to Go’ – Exploring the foundations of resilience & continuity
#9 – Fragmented Systems and the Risk of Vendor Lock-In
Fragmented Systems and the Risk of Vendor Lock-In
One of the most persistent challenges I’ve seen in resilience planning is fragmentation. Organizations often rely on a patchwork of systems – one for incident management, another for asset tracking, another for communications, and yet another for personnel safety. Each system may work well in isolation, but when a crisis hits, the lack of integration becomes a liability.
Fragmented systems slow everything down. Data has to be manually reconciled. Teams operate in silos. Decision-makers struggle to get a clear, unified picture of what’s happening. And in the moments that matter most, time is lost – not because people aren’t working hard, but because the systems aren’t working together.
This isn’t just a technical issue – it’s a strategic one. Fragmentation creates friction, confusion, and delay. It undermines confidence and increases the risk of missteps. And it often leads to duplicated effort, inconsistent messaging, and missed opportunities to contain or de-escalate a situation early.
But there’s another risk that’s less visible and more long-term: vendor lock-in.
When organizations invest heavily in a platform that doesn’t scale, doesn’t integrate, or doesn’t evolve with their needs, they become trapped. Switching providers becomes costly – not just financially, but operationally. Teams are trained, processes are built, data is embedded. The inertia sets in.
Choosing the wrong technology partner can limit flexibility, stifle innovation, and make it harder to adapt to new threats or organizational changes. And in a field like resilience – where agility is everything – that’s a serious risk.
The solution isn’t just to buy “more tech.” It’s to choose systems that are open, interoperable, and built for integration. Platforms that support – not dictate – your resilience strategy. And partners who understand that resilience is a journey, not a one-time deployment.
Because in resilience, speed matters. Clarity matters. And so does the freedom to evolve.
Call to Action: Audit your current systems. Are they integrated, scalable, and adaptable? If not, consider whether your technology choices are enabling resilience – or limiting it.
Next Week: We’ll talk about the language of continuity – and why clarity in a crisis starts with the words you use.