The purpose of this blog is to highlight key factors a prospective hosting user will want to evaluate when considering a software developer’s hosting solution.
Disclaimer: IBM iSeries and AS400 are IBM servers. IBM i is an operating system. I use these terms interchangeably to make it easier for IBM users to access this information on the web.
Last week a prospective hosting client sent me a list of features offered by his software developer’s hosting provider.
I understand that a features comparison is important. It is like comparing one car to another in a purchase decision.
Without trying to stretch the car buying comparison, when you are hosting you are really renting a car. You are also hiring a driver and a mechanic ….the driver of the car gets you where you want to go and the mechanic keeps the car in good working order instead of you doing all the driving or performing the 60,000 mile service.
So digging deeper beyond the specifications will also be important to understand.
Getting straight answers is a good indicator of a provider who will be forthright with you over the term of your working relationship.
What Do You Need To Consider When Evaluating A IBM i Hosting Provider?
For starters, you may want a better understanding of how the software developer’s cloud hosting is related to the software developer and how the data center is managed:
1) Is the hosting operation owned by the software developer or does the software developer team with a hosting company? The skills required to develop, implement and support ERP software are VERY different than those needed to operate and manage an IBM i hosting solution. I think it is just fine if a software developer works with a hosting provider. I just think as a client you deserve a straight answer.
2) What is the nature of the hosting provider’s structure? I have seen a few IBM i hosting providers that are actually a small unit within a much larger hosting provider organization that supports a multitude of other operating systems and technologies. In such cases, how much focus will the IBM i team get in a diverse environment. Add to that, what if a larger parent owns the hosting provider. How much attention and resource will the IBM i team get in such a corporate structure trying to balance revenue and costs? It’s very different if you are working with an IBM i hosting provider whose sole focus is IBM i hosting.
3) You may want to dig into the technology the hosting provider has selected. This may take some real digging as some of the technology selected by hosting providers may seem difficult to understand or evaluate. That is understandable. Even so, one backup solution has gone through several acquisitions and is now a small part of a much larger backup solution software developer. So what? Well, if this software requires a special IBM i agent to work with IBM i, how much attention do you think it really gets to keep current with the other solution teams within this larger company? I raise this point because I hear from users of this product who feel their backup solution does not stay current as the IBM i evolves and their technical support sounds under-staffed. So, try to understand the underlying elements the hosting provider relies on to host your application and why. The insights you gain may be revealing.
4) Does the software developer or hosting provider own the data center or rent space in a data center? My sense is that a software developer rarely owns data centers because they are capital intensive. In most cases it makes economic sense for the specialized hosting provider to rent space at a data center so it can focus its resources on those things it does best…hosting your applications. And you deserve a straight answer.
5) Does the software developer own all of the hardware and software (i.e. servers, firewalls, hardware related to redundancy and security, etc.)? Or does its hosting provider own the hardware? If you learn that the hosting provider owns their hardware and software and has figured out on their own how to do so profitably, you will probably have found a worthy provider that will take good care of you.
6) What hardware and software support agreements for the server hardware are in place? You want to understand you have ready access to IBM support when you need it.
7) Can you get a copy of the SSAE-18 SOC II Certifications? This will indicate the frequency and quality of your hosting provider’s security and redundancy.
8) Do you have access to annual certifications? This will indicate how committed your hosting provider is to substantiating their security and redundancy for their clients’ auditors.
9) How is IBM i expertise handled after hours and on weekends? You want to be clear how you get access and how quickly you get response after hours and on weekends.
10) How many people by skill set are on staff (i.e. how many IBM i experts, how many networking experts, how many Linux experts, how many HA DR experts, etc.)?Surprisingly, many who claim to host IBM i applications do not have employees and instead use contractors. Or, may only have 1-2 IBM i experts on staff, which may be insufficient for peak support demands.
11) Are the experts managing your hosting employees of the hosting provider or subcontractors? Do they work at the data center or access the data center remotely? If remote, how far away do the experts live from the data center?
12) In addition, do you have access to any of the information, bios and certifications held by the technical team responsible for hosting?
13) Do you have access to clients to interview? Do you have a limited number of references (i.e. 2-3) or a large pool of clients (10-20 or more) to interview?
14) May I also suggest that you get a copy of the hosting agreement for review? You want to get a clear understanding of your options during the term of the agreement, your options to terminate if you are dissatisfied and your Service Level Agreement.
Bottom Line: Sometimes the promises and the specifications sound enticing when the hosting solution may actually be subpar. Do the research so you can count on the expected benefits instead of the disappointment that you may have to tolerate for the hosting term. 3 years is a common hosting term.
If you have questions, please call me at 714-593-0387 or email me at blosey@source-data.com.
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