Simplify IT Operations Management (ITOM)

Many of you are familiar with SolarWinds, and we would typically be associated with network monitoring and management. As the leader in that market that is not surprising. However, I wanted to take some time to write this quick article to provide a deeper insight into the complete IT Operations Management offering that we have created through many years of product innovation, development, and acquisitions. Let's start with the SolarWinds ITOM framework and then examine some of the main challenges organisations face in this area. Following that we can examine the ITOM portfolio in more detail.

The SolarWinds ITOM Framework

Service Management (ITSM)

The SolarWinds ITOM offering has expanded to now provide solutions in 6 essential pillars of IT. These include Service Management, commonly referred to as ITSM in the industry. Of course service management is all inclusive as it will include all types of service requests, service catalogs, incident management, asset and inventory management, and much more.

Application Performance Management (APM)

Application Performance Management or (APM) is one of the fastest growing markets in IT as the complexity of managing applications increases, Organisations typically deploy some or all of the following application types - 'packaged' applications, SaaS applications, in-house developed applications, or 'custom apps' based on agile development processes and frequent releases.

Database Performance Management (DBPM)

Many applications will of course rely on database performance as well. Database Performance Management is also a 'hot topic' in the industry as the number of vendors and types of databases has exploded in recent years. Many applications will use traditional SQL databases such as Oracle EE/SE or Microsoft SQL. However new custom apps will take advantage of the latest noSQL products such as MongoDB, Redis, Amazon Aurora, and more..

Infrastructure Management

Although applications are typically the highest priority, they do also rely on the supporting infrastructure to be performing as needed. We have seen many 'platforms' of infrastructure over the past 50 years including Mainframe, Unix, Client/Server, Virtualization, and Cloud IaaS. The latest technology trends include 'Hyper-Converged', 'Containerization', and 'Serverless Computing'. However, everyone of these technology trends include the ever-present CPU, Memory, Disks, Network Interface and Operating Systems. Ensuring that these building blocks of IT are performing as needed is crucial to application and database performance as well.

Network Management

'It's always the network that's at fault' - well we know that is not always the case. But the network performance is absolutely crucial for all organisations. With organisations moving more to SaaS applications and cloud based databases and infrastructure, they rely entirely on the performance and availability of the network to access them. With more organisations also looking to 'remote working' as a future standard, employees will require VPN access and adequate WIFI connectivity from their home office. Current network technology trends include 'Software Defined Networks (SDN)' and 'Software Defined WAN - (SD-WAN) which will become more prevalent in the next decade.

IT Security

As you can see in the framework IT security is aligned vertically to the other pillars as it is an integral part of each area. The IT security market is extremely fragmented with over 450 different vendors. Our current security offerings are focused on SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), Access Rights Management, Patch Management, Identity Theft, Secure File Transfer, and Configuration monitoring and management.

The IT Operations Management Challenge

Complexity

The biggest concern we hear from customers in ITOM is managing complexity. Some questions include;

• What type of applications meet the business needs and can scale for the future?
• Do I develop applications or buy? (or do I need both)
• What databases best suit my application environment?
• Do I deploy my databases on-premises or in a cloud PaaS?
• Am I better off deploying all infrastructure in the cloud with IaaS?
• How do I manage capacity planning for all the infrastructure elements needed to run the business services?
• Is my network capacity sufficient for a Hybrid IT environment?
• Am I utilizing my network efficiently?
• How do I secure my data, my systems, and my employees from external and internal threats?
• How do I cohesively monitor, analyze and manage all of the IT stack?
• How do I capture service requests, incidents and meet response and resolution SLA's
• How should I procure software solutions? SaaS, Subscription License, Perpetual License?

IT is pressured to deliver applications that help to drive more revenue, deliver services faster and in a reduced time-frame. Digital transformation programs are required to help organisations better compete in the global economy and provide their employees with the tools they need to work wherever they are based. Throughout change what is needed is stability and ensuring that the operations continue to be effective. SolarWinds can help you reduce complexity, and deliver the visibility you need to ensure your IT operations are running as smoothly as possible.

Time & Cost

Simply put, too much time is taken up identifying and resolving performance issues and the associated costs can be very significant. We want to help you to reduce both of these.

The SolarWinds ITOM Portfolio

The graphic below illustrates the breath of the SolarWinds ITOM portfolio that can help IT leadership, management, and professionals to standardize, consolidate, integrate and ultimately simplify IT Operations Management. And, in an affordable way!

• We can help you to ensure your applications are performing as needed, no matter what type of applications you choose or where they operate.
• We can help you to ensure that your databases are performing as required, whatever type they may be, and wherever they are running.
• We can help you make sure that your supporting infrastructure is performing and available to your databases and applications. We can help you plan for your future capacity requirements no matter where you decide to deploy it.
• We can provide you with end-to-end network visibility to ensure that the critical connectivity that your business needs is in good shape.
• We can help you protect your data, your systems, and your people from threats.
• We can help you centralize and streamline your service management, and help you to achieve the response and resolution SLA's you need.

Simplify ITOM With SolarWinds

If you have a current problem in any of the pillars mentioned above that need solving, we can help.

If you want to standardize and integrate your IT monitoring and management platform, we can help.

If you want a strategic approach to IT Operations Management to support your business, we can help.

We are here to help :

Keep safe out there !