Author: Howard M. Cohen
It’s often said that, when it comes to IT, it’s all about the data!
Clearly that’s true. Everything IT professionals do is focused on collecting, categorizing, collating, analyzing, indexing, sorting, transporting, storing, retrieving, and using data. Data only makes money when it’s in motion!
Data Stands Still
It’s important to remember that data does nothing, produces no value, until it is processed or otherwise acted upon by applications. So, it may be all about the data but everything begins with applications.
Many still see applications as they have experienced them personally. They’re often classified along with “apps” which are often much simpler. But there is nothing simple about today’s applications. They can be extremely extensive, connecting to a multitude of data sources, and performing all manner of processes and services for a wide range of users.
Bottom line: Anything as complex as software applications requires management.
This is every bit as true of applications running in the Azure cloud as it is running on a server located in your closet.
Managing Azure Applications
When planning to migrate workloads to the Azure platform, its important for Microsoft Partners and their clients to carefully consider and plan how they will constantly monitor and manage all the applications they’ll be running in the Azure cloud.
Microsoft provides an excellent lifecycle framework for application management in Azure which includes:
- Develop, add, or connect applications
- Manage access to applications
- Configure application properties
- Secure the application
- Govern and monitor applications and data
- Clean up when applications are retired
It is altogether likely that customers will not have the skills on staff nor the desire to perform many of these functions. This is good news for Microsoft partners who can fill that void by managing the applications for them.
It’s good news if you’ve already brought the requisite skills on board at your practice. The fact is that many Azure sellers have not implemented Azure management services and cannot readily step in to supplement their customer’s application management needs.
Problem Solved
In essence, this is exactly why Idenxt was created, to provide needed application and other management services to completely and comprehensively support users of Azure. In fact, one of our primary service offerings is packaged precisely to address application management.
Idenxt Application Incident Management includes:
- Application Incident Management 24x7x365
- First four (4) hours per month of Incident Management are included for each application
- Comprehensive post-incident reporting
- Enforces escalation path defined by you and your customer
- Manages all Standard, Customized and Bespoke applications
- Complete Incident Management with Quarterly Proactive Reports
This comprehensive Azure application management suite eliminates the need for your customer, or you, to operate the requisite management activities. Instead, you benefit from the reporting and other outputs of Idenxt Application Management to keep you informed on what your customers need to better support their Azure environments.
Your Business Benefits Too
Another thing that’s important for Microsoft Partners to remember is that selling Idenxt Application and other management services to your customers benefits your business as much as it does theirs. Idenxt benefits to your business include:
- Increase deal size on every CSP contract and every Azure project
- Provide an absolutely necessary service to your customers
- Keep your customers consistently satisfied with their Azure experience
- Enjoy deep insight into every deployment
- Add plentiful incremental income with no incremental operating costs and no upfront investment
- Idenxt is only offered through Microsoft Partners
Your Azure opportunity doesn’t begin and end at the Azure subscription. Idenxt offers you a comprehensive program you can sell to your customers with confidence, allowing you to manage their Azure environments fully and completely, and all without lifting a finger.
For more information about putting Idenxt to work for you and your customers, contact us here.