Article For ISVs with Ambition: How to achieve Operational Excellence
By Insight UK / 1 Sep 2021 / Topics: Cloud
By Insight UK / 1 Sep 2021 / Topics: Cloud
The process of software development is often complex, challenging, and unpredictable. As competition in the ISV market is growing, it’s getting more important to focus on a strategy for success in the long run. It takes more than some talented developers to produce top-quality code at high speed constantly. Operational excellence is the answer. It is all about becoming the best in your discipline by accelerating operational efficiency to add maximum value to customers at minimum costs.
Here are three best practices ISVs can use on their road to Operational Excellence and future success.
Adopt a reliable, future-proof platform that supports developing software in the cloud. A fancy, low-code platform with standard built-in functions to generate screens, controls, reports or workflows, is one thing. Still, it would be best to have an environment that supports continuous integration, collaboration, and operational flexibility. Big cloud providers and vendors like Microsoft, Citrix, VMWare and Veeam, are teaming up to offer agile platforms that support the entire development process. A significant chance for the ambitious ISV.
Developing in the cloud is the future, but be aware that there are many technical challenges when it comes to managing cloud infrastructure. That’s why our advice is to outsource (part of) the operational management to a trusted MSP. This saves you time and resources to spend on your core business: developing software.
Operational excellence is all about doing things more thoughtful, and who likes repetitive tasks anyway? However, there is nothing more boring for any ambitious developer than manually copying files from one server to another or running through the same test scenario repeatedly. Besides, manual processes are very time-consuming and inevitably lead to human errors that are hard to fix.
An automated pipeline produces faster, better and more consistent software than any mortal can. So start automating. The only thing about software development that is not repeatable is writing code. And that is just what developers are for.
Software Development doesn’t start with coding, deploying or releasing. Instead, a well-thought design comes first, including non-functional requirements like security and scalability.
The world yearns for easy-to-use software that can be changed at any time, so the most obvious option is a (hybrid)-cloud-first strategy in application development. There are, however, still many choices to make. Is it wise to move entirely to the cloud, or can you still use some local resources? Should you hold on to a traditional monolithic approach, or do you instead choose microservices only. Is there a way in between? It requires in-depth knowledge of new and fast-changing technology like cloud computing, virtualization and containerization to make the right choice.
The design is crucial for the development process to achieve operational excellence. Just think of Data Security. How do you back up a virtual machine? And what about the use of containers. Sure, containerization offers more flexibility in building, testing, and deploying code, but it also requires specific tools for developing and managing your software.
The deeper you dive into the cloud, the more challenging it gets. Still, if you want to obtain Operational Excellence, don’t compromise too soon. A solid, future-proof Design is the key.
Many roads for ISV’s are heading to achieve Operational Excellence. We at Insight have been working with partners like you across Europe for many years, providing valuable time, knowledge and support in many (hybrid) cloud scenarios. We can help you monitor and optimize your cloud cost, map it against your existing budget, and suggest improvements that will lower your total cost
Contact one of our cloud specialists to find out how we can support you in optimising your cloud costs in line with your business goals, whether you are designing your first workloads in the cloud or work entirely cloud-based.
This article is part of a series based on Microsoft’s WAF (Well-Architected Framework), where you find much more helpful guidance. WAF improves the quality of workloads operating in the cloud by focusing on a set of common architecture principles, including cost optimisation, operational excellence, performance efficiency, reliability and security.
As a multi-vendor software licensing, workload and platform specialist, we can guide you through all stages of your strategic cloud journey with a series of workshops, assessments, services and best practices, from the first exploration of cloud or hybrid opportunities and benefits to support and optimisation after migration. So no matter where you are in your journey, we help you find new ways forward and accelerate your business.
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