For independent software vendors (ISVs) that sell applications to enterprise customers, traditional methods of software delivery create operational challenges that can turn into significant business problems. With these methods, which include shipping disks or having customers download software electronically, delivery is the easy part. The challenges come when customers are confronted with integrating the application to the latest version the operating system (OS) and service pack on a new server. Then they are faced with the complexity of managing enterprise-class applications on their general purpose servers throughout the lifecycles of those applications and devices.
The fundamental difficulty with these models is that on general purpose servers, the ISV’s application is just one piece of a complicated puzzle. That puzzle, which must be assembled correctly in order to run properly, includes supporting applications, management software or middleware, operating systems and hardware platforms. With general purpose servers, these software components are exposed to anyone with access to the customer’s data center. That leaves too many tempting touch points available to too many individuals, well-intentioned or otherwise.
The issue is that when something is changed on these servers or the host OS, normal interactions between software elements, or between the software and hardware, can break down and cause the ISV’s application to become unavailable. When that happens, the enterprise customer views it as the ISV’s problem. Although the actual technical problem may have nothing to do with their application, the ISV has to figure out the problem and put the puzzle back together. Otherwise, the enterprise customer – fairly or unfairly – blames the ISV and becomes dissatisfied with the reliability and manageability of the ISV’s application.
That is a situation ISVs cannot afford to let stand. That is why ISVs spend untold amounts of effort, time and money trying to identify, analyze and address problems anywhere in the software stacks and hardware platforms. This effort causes dramatic increases in ISVs’ support costs, and draws critical human and financial resources away from their core competency of software application development.
The bottom line is that enterprise applications installed on general-purpose servers open up a host of potential problems that are difficult, time-consuming and expensive for ISVs to correct. The opportunity costs involved in fixing those problems can quickly erode an ISV’s competitive advantage, slowing development work on their own applications and stalling their growth.
A Smarter Approach – Software Delivered as an Appliance
For many ISVs, a smarter approach to software delivery is the appliance model. By delivering their applications as appliances, software companies can improve their applications’ performance and availability by avoiding the problems associated with installation on general-purpose servers.
Purpose-built appliances are simple for enterprise customers to install, run and manage. The appliance’s locked-down hardware and inaccessible operating system deter both the hacker and tinkerer, each of whom can wreak havoc on a system. Appliances provide the reliable, secure and trouble-free operation that customers expect. They also help the ISV retain some control over the customer’s experience with their application. By reducing operational complexity and enabling higher performance with greater reliability, appliances drive increased customer satisfaction. Happy customers can be great references and help ISVs meet their business goals.
This paper discusses the fundamental characteristics of the appliance model and describes its advantages over traditional software delivery, installation and management methods. It highlights the major benefits the appliance model delivers to ISVs and to enterprise customers. It also discusses the important characteristics and capabilities ISVs should look for in potential appliance manufacturing partners as companies assess their appliance delivery options.
What is an Appliance?
Appliances are pre-built server devices that include everything they need to do the job for which they were designed. Appliances generally include an ISV’s software application, the necessary supporting applications, and the required operating system and hardware platform. These elements are all contained in one convenient and ready-to-go device. To get appliances up and running, all customers typically need to do is place them in data center racks, power them up, and give them network connections and IP addresses. With some minimal configuration and set-up work, customers generally can step back and let the appliance begin to do its job.
