De-distancing remote IM services

BANGALORE, INDIA: Gartner defines global remote monitoring services as the remote monitoring and management of various IT services that are related to infrastructure support from global delivery sites.

“Virtually, anything that can be accessed remotely can be off-shored,” says V M Kumar, chief marketing officer, Microland. He shares his thoughts on RIM with CIOL in an interview. Excerpts:

CIOL: What is remote infrastructure management (RIM)?

V M Kumar: Remote Infrastructure Management Services (RIMS) is the management of an enterprise’s critical or core IT systems that include data centre (comprising messaging and application servers) and network management, end-user desktop services and security (hardware, software, connectivity and people), remotely.

RIMS is driven by factors that include continuous effort by enterprises to enhance service and performance levels and reduce costs, advancements in technology, the spread of low-cost bandwidth and the wider availability of high-speed networks, improved infrastructure efficiency and management; and evolution in offshore capabilities.

CIOL: Why should enterprises opt for offshoring their IT infrastructure management?

VMK: The basic value proposition for RIM is “better service levels at a lower cost”. Customers have begun to enjoy several benefits from RIM. The most significant is reduction in overall infrastructure management costs, almost by 25-45 per cent. They are getting better service and quality, thereby increasing scale and customer satisfaction.

CIOL: How safe is it to offshore IM services?

VMK: Several success stories across industries and functions stand testimony to offshore infrastructure management. Original barriers to off-shoring infrastructure management have been eliminated or reduced largely.

These include:

Processes and tools required to manage infrastructure remotely.

High price, poor performance and instability of international data telecommunications.

Lack of available resources with infrastructure skills at suitable remote locations.

Organizations still accessing results from existing off-shoring initiatives.

Companies are continuously developing intellectual property via integrated tools.

Enhancing operational efficiency via standardized processes.

Driving differentiation through increased service levels.

Building skills and capabilities to scale in profitable service lines.

Exhibiting high transparency and governance.

CIOL: What is driving the demand for RIM in the present scenario?

VMK: There are two-three important things that drive the demand

Advances in RIM capabilities: This is the single largest factor that has made RIM possible. Simplification in enterprise infrastructure architecture, simplification of IT management and governance tools and much improved telecom infrastructure have made the current RIM wave possible.

Changes in customer behaviour: Customers now see a value chain in every component of their infrastructure and are increasingly outsourcing it that way too. They have very specific needs when it comes to network management and a different set of needs when it comes to messaging management and they don’t necessarily think that the same vendor will provide them the best of both services. This is also reflected in decreasing deal sizes despite an increased share of deals being signed by >$10 billion companies.

Customer offshore maturity: Customers are increasingly comfortable with outsourcing their services to a remote location. Infrastructure management works in real-time, and the consequences of an error are more immediate. However, after successfully outsourcing application and BPO services to India and other RIM locations, many more customers would be willing to try RIM.

CIOL: What are the challenges in this space?

VMK: Since talent supply, not demand, will constrain growth, the industry needs to create new talent sources. A concerted branding exercise, which highlights the exciting aspects of working in real-time technology environments, will be required.

There is also a need to address skill gaps through improving relevant curricula in educational institutions and obtaining hardware OEM certification.

While poor urban infrastructure including office space, roads and planned townships and reliability and cost of powers continue to pose challenges to the industry as a whole, RIM services are more vulnerable to these issues.

Given the 24x7 real-time nature of the work, availability and uptime needs of the customers, investments required in physical networking operating centres (NOCs), and disruption of services directly affect service levels.

Compensating for any lack is costlier. In many cases, such disruptions are unacceptable and concerns could prevent migration of sensitive services.

Large legacy outsourcers still work on T&M prices for a majority of their engagements.

From a regulatory standpoint, cyber laws, telecom policies and improved security need to be looked at more stringently.