Question 1

I scored Level 1 (Initial). Does that mean I'm doing everything wrong?

Accepted Answer

No—it means you're in the same place as 30% of small businesses. Level 1 is common for early-stage startups focused on shipping product. You're not 'wrong,' you're just high risk. The assessment shows you where you are and what to fix first. Most Level 1 companies survive just fine—until they don't. The goal isn't to shame you, it's to show the path forward. Priority from Level 1: get basic monitoring so you know when things break, implement proper backups (3-2-1 rule), document critical access and procedures. That gets you to Level 2 in 3-6 months for €200-500/month.

Question 2

Do I really need to reach Level 5, or is Level 3 good enough?

Accepted Answer

Level 3 is good enough for most businesses. Level 1-2: High risk, reactive, stressful. Level 3: Defined processes, proactive, manageable risk—this is 'good enough' for many companies. Level 4-5: Optimized operations, low stress, high efficiency—worth it if infrastructure is strategic or you're at scale. Don't optimize prematurely. If you're Level 1, focus on getting to Level 2 (reduces catastrophic risks). Then Level 3 (manageable operations). Only pursue Level 4-5 if you're: at significant scale, have dedicated infrastructure team, infrastructure is competitive advantage, aiming for enterprise customers requiring certifications. Most startups should target Level 3, not Level 5.

Question 3

How long does it take to improve one maturity level?

Accepted Answer

Depends on current level and resources. Level 1 to 2: 3-6 months, mostly implementing basic tools and processes (backups, monitoring, documentation). Level 2 to 3: 6-12 months, establishing formal processes and automation. Level 3 to 4: 12-18 months, advanced automation and comprehensive monitoring. Level 4 to 5: 18-24+ months, continuous improvement culture and optimization. These timelines assume: you're actively working on improvement, you have budget for tools/services, you have buy-in from leadership. Without focus, you can stay at the same level for years. With dedicated effort (managed services or full-time infrastructure person), you can progress faster.

Question 4

Can I skip levels or do I have to go through each one sequentially?

Accepted Answer

You have to progress sequentially—each level builds on the previous. Can't have Level 4 automation without Level 3 processes. Can't have Level 5 optimization without Level 4 comprehensive monitoring. Trying to skip levels fails: you implement fancy automation (Level 4) but don't have basic processes (Level 3), so the automation automates chaos. Or you pursue optimization (Level 5) but don't have monitoring (Level 3), so you're optimizing blind. Common mistake: startups try to jump straight to Level 5 'best practices' when they're at Level 1. Result: over-engineering and wasted money. Better: focus on current level +1. Get stable at each level before advancing.

Question 5

What's the ROI of improving my infrastructure maturity?

Accepted Answer

Lower maturity = higher costs. Level 1 costs: frequent outages (€5,000-€50,000 per incident), data loss risks (€50,000-€2,300,000), stressed teams (burnout and turnover), slow feature velocity. Level 3+ costs: infrastructure investment (€2,000-5,000/month for managed or full-time help). Typical ROI: Level 1 to Level 3 prevents 2-3 major incidents per year (€20,000-€100,000+ saved), reduces developer time on infrastructure by 50% (€30,000-€60,000/year saved), ships features faster (revenue acceleration). Total: €50,000-€200,000/year benefit for €24,000-€60,000/year investment. Plus intangibles: better sleep, reduced stress, customer trust. Investment pays for itself in 3-12 months.

Infrastructure Maturity Assessment

Infrastructure Maturity Assessment

Your Infrastructure Maturity Score

Want to Improve Your Score?

Know Where You Stand

The 5 Maturity Levels

What Your Score Means

Why This Matters

Who Should Take This Assessment

After the Assessment

Common Patterns