IBM PoV: #12 Multicloud Platform Management
Enables client’s realize and benefit from their Multicloud Platform strategy
Industry Setting and Problem
Clients are on an explorative journey to transform I&O to become "Smart, Fast and Fluid" to meet
their business metrics. (IT Operations Management 2023 Scenario: Smart, Fluid and Fast, Gartner).
Technology Disruption: Pace of technology disruption is changing client's buying behavior; shorter
and digital engagement, value driven services from Multicloud experience, pay as you go model,
opex versus capex, leverage automation and analytics, etc. This also introduces the challenge of
upkeeping the skills and expertise at the pace of shifting technology.
Market Dynamics: The technology shift brings forth similar challenges for clients from mature and
emerging markets. Enterprise and SMB sector clients tend to 'start small and then expand' on any
cloud, with Enterprise continuing to need “high touch” engagement.
The MSPs that can demonstrate differentiated high value services across Multicloud (Public &
Private) and Hybrid environments will gain the edge.
olutions Insights | Audience Roles and Objectives
CEO / CFO : Define company goals and business directions / metrics
CIO/Director of IT: Primary decision maker for I&O; accountable for transformation in line with
business directions
IT Director / Partner Group IT: Responsible for I&O run and manage. Measures MSPs for
operational excellence and responsible for the transformation journey . Wishes to have a consistent
& consolidated view of their entire IT landscape.
Enterprise Architect: Responsible for technical transformation of I&O ensuring alignment to
business directions / metrics
• Needs consistent service management across Multicloud & hybrid ecosystem
• Requires to adopt Zero Touch operations (via automation), Digital & Cognitive delivery to drive
faster time to market and improve market value
• Has increased sensitivity towards Security & Privacy of data at store, transit and rest at all layers
across ecosystem
• Has constant drive to reduce costs, needs opex based pay as you go Zero TCV engagements
with no lock in period
• Demands higher value services, in spite of being price sensitive, Multi-vendor model and
requires constant upskill / training investments due to technology shifts
hortcomings of Current Approaches
 
Traditional engagement models: with long cycles of sales engagement, T&T, etc.
 Customers are exploring Multicloud strategies and require “High Touch manage” engagement,
including local language support
 Multiple hand offs and Disintegrated delivery experience
 Internal processes weighing down time to “Go Live” support
 Lack of a portal based self-service capabilities and better managed services visibility across
platforms, control and transparency across services
 Lack of flexibility to integrate and agility to scale with current tools architecture
Preliminary -- for Internal Use Only
The New Approach
 Multicloud Managed Services offering using standard pre-integrated tools, modern service
management processes and talent pool, available in a pay as you go consumption model
 Seamless digital experience - single portal visibility across ecosystem to Order, Deploy,
Operationalize and Govern
 Highly automated environment driven using principles like SRE, cognitive capabilities like
Watson and data from decades of experience in managing IT Infrastructure
 “High Touch managed services” engagement for clients through their journey to cloud
 Microservices based architecture with well defined integration framework across offerings
leveraging APIs., etc.
 Joint solution using Offering and IS delivery capabilities to compliment and fulfill client
requirements
Benefits and Proof Points
 Quick cycle time improves throughput of the Sales and Solution organization
 Quick deployment improve clients time to value
 Opex based PAYG models significantly improve opportunity to cross and up sell
 Improved time to market for rapidly changing technology landscape
 High GP performance in a purely services based offering over the last 5 years
 Validation from external third party consultants like E&Y and MSP certification partners for AWS
and Azure
 Feedback from existing client base of ~220 clients
Critical Success Factors
 Model to progressively transition the client from a customized to standard delivery model
 Sales incentive plans that support PAYG models and focus on emerging markets
 Integrated seamless managed services experience from deal solution stage through delivery
 Aligned Offering and Delivery operations and business objectives
Investment in talent to quickly support and reduce time to value for clients from the changing
technology shifts in the industry
 Need to develop ‘high touch’ managed services capabilities to actively participate in clients
journey to cloud
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