Toronto - Software Plus Services and the Impact on the Industry

Main Discussion Points:

  • Trend towards consolidation – taking in-house apps and co-locating them
  • Concern about security and control of hosted apps, as well as co-located ones

 

Details

  • Observation: One company was forced into it - Main Reason: integration
  • Challenge: Web != Security - Security and Infrastructure Key
  • Challenge: How do I get tools talking together? Managing schema.
  • Advantage: Hosted Exchange has provided an interesting pay per use model
  • Guarantees - Start charging for an SLA
  • Challenge: There is no 1:1 parity on how services are implemented
  • Advantage: Location independence - globalization is easier
    • It changes the nature of the data center
  • Challenge: Finding the right sources to support, "expert" sources of services.
  • Challenge: Political barriers, geo-locking, licensing
  • Challenge: Transitioning from Traditional models to Software + Services
  • Observation: "Software in the cloud is cloudy"
  • Observation: Small companies in Canada write custom applications
  • Barrier to adoption for the model is confidentiality and security
  • Observation: S+S is a "wobbly bridge"
  •  Challenge: How do you guarantee an SLA for a fast inet connection around the World
    •  For example, challenges in connection between Thornhill and Etobicoke. Toronto and Ottawa!
  • Challenge: End user experience based on connection

Theme request for next learning circle: Roadmap for Technology - predictability and consistency

 For example: Latest CRM product only supports 64 bit, hardware was purchased in advance with no indication of dependency.