Delivering Unrivaled IT and Customer Support in a Cloud-Based, BYOD World

I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H TBeyond Remote Support: Delivering UnrivaledIT and Customer Support in a Cloud-Based,BYOD WorldJanuary 2013Adapted from Worldwide Clientless Remote Support Software 2012–2016 Forecast by Rob Brothers andBen Hoffman, IDC #237982Sponsored by Citrix SystemsAs IT and customer support continue to move toward cloud-based technologies in which workers usea myriad of smart mobile devices, tablets, and PCs, support and help desk challenges are risingdramatically. Because of the variety of form factors, operating environments, and locations that needto be covered, more flexible approaches to support and management are required. This TechnologySpotlight discusses the change in technical support and the growing need for consolidatedtechnology tools that enable support teams to be more efficient and effective in delivering theirservices. Inclusive help desk, monitoring, and remote support solutions are increasingly being usedby IT and by groups that provide support to external customers to deliver support at any time, fromanywhere, on any device. This is an emerging trend because, in a cloud-based world, providingtechnical support is often similar regardless of whether the user is an employee or a customer. Thispaper provides guidance to businesses looking at all-inclusive support solutions and profiles thecurrent market leader, Citrix GoToAssist.The Evolution of IT and SupportWhile "evolution" is often used to describe the change in IT trends, that word still doesnt fully capturewhat has been happening in the datacenter and how IT supports customers and internal users alongwith the technology they rely on. The range of operating environments and social media has also hada dramatic effect on IT.Three major trends in particular are forcing support organizations to rethink their approach: The number of devices used for business purposes has increased dramatically. As workers take their tablets, laptops, and smartphones everywhere, they want to connect to the enterprise network and the appropriate applications and information. This consumerization of IT enables corporations to reduce the size of their IT budgets, but it also increases support demands. Enterprises need to control who has access to what information and what applications mobile workers use, and then they need to support those applications. This adds a layer of security and management, as well as a greater burden to IT staff, exacerbated by the fact that workers have the freedom to select a range of devices and operating environments, all of which need to be supported. Virtualization is entering a new phase. IDC predicts that two-thirds of all workloads will be virtualized by the end of 2013. The first phase of virtualization consolidated resources; the second phase — currently affecting enterprises — emphasizes production workloads and mobility; and the new, third phase virtualizes more tier 1 and 2 workloads, setting the stage for cloud computing.IDC 1448

 Support teams are being asked to deliver round-the-clock support with fewer resources and shrinking budgets. Because teams are being asked to do more with less, they are looking for ways to streamline their operations. Historically, IT and support teams have used a myriad of discrete tools to deliver assistance. Today, that approach no longer can hold up to the onslaught of devices and applications. Instead, teams are looking to streamline operations with software that integrates multiple related processes and requires little configuration and no maintenance.As a result of these radical changes to how work gets done, support teams are becoming moreservice oriented, moving away from siloed support solutions to a "single pane of glass" model inwhich IT supports users and multiple architectures through the cloud.The Triple Play: All-Inclusive Remote Support, Service Desk, and ITMonitoringTo meet the changes in IT and the call for a new generation of support technologies, IT needs asingle consolidated toolset that encompasses the full spectrum of remote support, incident loggingand tracking, and infrastructure monitoring instead of relying on multiple single-point tools. Supportpersonnel should be able to deliver fast support, initiate help desk tickets, and manage all workflowrelated to the service request and monitor the internal infrastructure — from anywhere, on anydevice, in a unified environment. Imagine the efficiencies in being able to instantly launch a remotesupport session and start a help desk ticket from the same easy-to-use interface.Productivity gains and cost savings can be immediately achieved in IT and support by looking atthree key tools and ways to integrate how they work together. The optimal support model typicallyuses a "single pane of glass" approach encompassing the following support tools: Remote support and resolution capabilities. Support reps initiate support from multiple channels (Web page, chat, CRM integration, mobile devices, or traditional phone and email) to connect with customers and employees PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. They resolve technical issues using screen sharing, chat, diagnostics, and other useful support features. Help desk ticketing system. Support reps can log and track incidents, deliver end-user self-service and knowledge-based support, and manage configurations, changes, and releases. Systems monitoring (network, storage, servers, and other devices). Support reps can proactively monitor their entire IT infrastructure, including critical servers and services, as well as set up alerts to be notified when critical thresholds have been met to keep systems up and running 24 x 7.These solutions are being packaged in different ways. In a hosted (cloud) solution, for example, acompany pays a monthly or annual fee to a vendor for the right to use the software. This approachhas advantages for service providers because they dont need to make a significant up-frontinvestment in software or hardware. This model is also easy to scale because the IT organization canjust add more seats with the hosted software provider.Some vendors are offering packages under a traditional software licensing model. This model offersadvantages for customers who are interested in using this type of solution to support only internalemployees in environments with few remote workers. Because the software is owned by thecompany, it can be deployed behind the corporate firewall. Most hosted solutions deliver robustend-to-end data security too. 2 ©2013 IDC

Regardless of the package, however, remote support continues to be the first tool that IT and supportteams reach for when they need to "see" whats happening on a distant computer, server, or mobiledevice. Mobility, SaaS, and cloud services are enabling organizations to quickly adopt and scale (upand down) solutions to meet business cycles without large up-front investments and deployments.This has made remote support a necessity for IT organizations, help desks, and contact centers.In the past, an IT professional could walk over to an end users office to address a problem or a usercould bring his or her laptop to IT. This luxury no longer exists as enterprises are spread out, with homeworkers and branch offices without IT staff becoming prevalent. Therefore, the ability to support assetsanytime and anywhere is extremely attractive to corporate IT departments.Also, as sophisticated software applications run everything from online banking to retail to homesecurity systems, companies of all types need to support the technology of their customers — whichrequires remote support. Having remote support tools enables companies to support, tightly secure,and control devices that sit on or access their networks.Using a software agent on a client device often was the favored method, but today help desks areconstantly asked to support new approaches, increasing the challenge to keep up with all the latestapp releases, operating environments, and devices. This is why clientless remote support solutions,which do not require a software agent to be loaded on the client device, are so attractive toenterprises.Clientless remote support services tools allow one device to stream the contents of its screen toanother device via an Internet connection. Its also important that IT help desks and customer supportdesks have the capacity to deliver support to mobile devices and their users, as well as the ability toprovide support from a variety of mobile devices. These tools enable IT support specialists toremotely control devices, run diagnostics, or share screens to resolve issues from almost any systemthat can access the Web.Clientless remote support services tools differ from remote control software because they do notrequire client software to be preinstalled on the host machine to connect to the guest device. Theydiffer from remote access services solutions in that they are geared toward the IT supportprofessional. Because the tools take an operating system– and device-agnostic approach, more ITorganizations and support centers are looking to clientless remote support solutions.As a result, IDC estimates that the market for clientless remote support will grow from $291 million in2011 to $688 million in 2016, representing a five-year CAGR of almost 19%.Beyond Remote Support: Increasing the Demand for an All-InclusiveSupport OfferingClientless remote support is still an emerging market, with predictions for strong growth. First andforemost, as employees and consumers are increasingly adopting and demanding sophisticatedmobile devices, there is a corresponding need for an all-inclusive support solution. Employees whobring their personal devices to work will understandably not want their companys IT team installing aremote viewing/control client on their devices as this can compromise employee privacy.Furthermore, preinstalled mobile management is not even an option for customers who use theirmobile devices to access their vendors technology and then require help. However, new supportofferings are enabling the IT support professionals themselves to become more mobile and resolveissues via their tablets or smartphones.©2013 IDC 3

In addition, IDC continues to observe customers seeking quicker resolutions for software and systemissues. Because of this, IT staffs are increasingly adopting social media and other online forums for"level 1" support. In a recent IDC survey, more than half of the respondents stated that they utilizeonline support at least once a month to help solve issues. This ultimately provides faster resolutionfor simpler customer support issues and inquiries. As mobile employees and consumers receivethese more efficient resolutions via online forums such as Twitter, they will look toward vendors toalso provide faster access to their "level 2" or "level 3" engineers for more difficult issues. Clientlessremote support tools will allow IT teams to accommodate these needs in an efficient manner bygaining quick access to the right technician and the system to better diagnose and potentially solvethe issue.From a staffing perspective, while the IT job market has stabilized, IT will continue to increase staffefficiencies. In particular, concerns about long-term economic conditions will continue to keep thenotion of "more support using fewer resources" in the forefront of IT support and help desk services.For example, companies will typically hire developers and project managers to kick off new projectsbefore adding help desk resources because of the availability of better tools and the ability to"outsource" help desk talent easily. As a result of the pent-up demand for IT initiatives stemming fromthe recent recession, this pattern will continue. As a result, support professionals will continue to needall-inclusive support and management tools to increase efficiency in a more distributed, mobility-based business model.Further, as the demographics of the workforce shift, there will be a greater need for enterprises tosupport remote employees. Younger workers, for example, are more in tune with technologies andwill be more open to utilizing new functionalities that will enable them to do a job more efficiently.This, in turn, will drive the need to support a broader range of devices, playing to the strength ofclientless remote support tools.Considering Citrix GoToAssistThe Online Services Division of Citrix is one of the largest SaaS providers in the world and focuseson three lines of business: access and cloud, collaboration, and IT support services. Currently, theOnline Services Division accounts for around 20% of Citrixs overall revenue, and the companycontinues to gain momentum in the overall SaaS space. According to IDC research, Citrix is theleading provider in the clientless remote support market, holding a 32.9% share, which is double theshare of the closest competitor.Overall, the simplicity and the effectiveness of the Online Services product line fit in well with theCitrix mantra: "Work better. Live better." The company’s goal is to make products that can be easilyused and provide a one-stop shop for IT support needs. With the addition of help desk functionality,technicians will be able to receive work orders and troubleshoot those issues through one portal,which in turn should reduce the time to close and resolve incidents. Providing customers with theability to access cloud-based applications for support services is an excellent solution for customerswho want the flexibility to increase or decrease their deployment size as they see fit. Look for Citrix toembed these capabilities into its product line in the near future.The Citrix IT support line of business delivers remote support, service desk capabilities, and ITmonitoring solutions under the GoToAssist brand. GoToAssist is a family of on-demand services thatprovide cloud-based tools for supporting people, processes, and technology. GoToAssist RemoteSupport, Service Desk, and Monitoring are the flagship offerings. They provide IT and supportmanagers, consultants, and managed service providers with an integrated set of tools to deliversecure, live, and unattended remote support, help desk capabilities, and IT infrastructure monitoringfor computers and mobile devices. 4 ©2013 IDC

GoToAssist is easy to deploy, requires no maintenance, and enables support groups of all sizes toremotely support customers, employees, and servers from anywhere, at any time, while tracking allthe activity. It also provides inventory management and network monitoring to ensure IT infrastructureis properly managed and performing well.The GoToAssist integrated toolset consists of the following three modules: GoToAssist Remote Support enables IT professionals to resolve technical issues by instantly delivering Web-based support to customers, end users, unattended computers, and servers. This cloud-based tool enables support technicians to immediately view and control devices, transfer files between computers, reboot/reconnect, and run diagnostics. With GoToAssist, support teams can assist users of mobile devices through mobile optimized chat, the uploading of screen images, configuration updates, and, in some cases, real-time screen sharing. GoToAssist even offers customer-initiated support functionality that allows end users to request support from a Web site, social support community, or self-service portal and connect with support reps via chat. Reps can seamlessly transition those chat support sessions to a full screen-sharing session if needed. GoToAssists team-based functionality also lets multiple support technicians share access to unattended machines and collaborate with each other. Chat functionality and APIs allow integration into the social fabric for escalation of issues to the support technician. Mobile applications on iOS and Android allow IT professionals to use the tool wherever they are and whenever they need it. The mobile apps are offered at no charge. GoToAssist Service Desk is a cloud-based application that enhances management of all IT workflow. It lets IT professionals easily log and track incidents; manage configuration changes, releases, and workflow; and build a knowledge base that enables customer self-service and speeds up technician issue resolution. GoToAssist Service Desk incorporates the industry best practices of ITSM and ITIL into its design so that teams can easily and intuitively add clarity and structure to their help desk process without adding complexity. Using GoToAssist Service Desk, teams can manage and resolve incidents quickly and efficiently, intelligently route incidents and assign support priorities, customize self-service support portals to deliver knowledge where users need it, reduce IT firefighting, and free up time and gain total visibility into their support services. GoToAssist Monitoring enables IT staff to monitor an organizations entire IT infrastructure, including critical servers and services. GoToAssist Monitoring inventories every device; delivers proactive alerts in real time; monitors performance, network usage, and bandwidth consumption; and tracks configuration changes. This module monitors server health, giving IT professionals real-time visibility into server availability, performance, and configuration. GoToAssist Monitoring also has the ability to track and trend key metrics such as CPU, load averages, memory, and disk utilization. Support personnel can proactively identify issues, log an incident ticket with GoToAssist Service Desk, and immediately launch GoToAssist Remote Support to resolve those issues before there is any service disruption.This all-inclusive triple play of offerings allows Citrix to provide companies with a single pane of glassto support IT environments — including monitoring and tracking devices, spotting an issue, andopening a ticket on that issue and remotely accessing the device to fix the problem. This optimizesthe support providers delivery system, hence lowering the overall operational cost to deliver supportservices. IT pros no longer need to waste time and effort in juggling multiple single-point tools andduplicating data entry. They can now use an integrated toolset to deliver critical IT support servicesfrom one cloud-based solution. Each GoToAssist module can be purchased and deployed separately©2013 IDC 5

or integrated with one or more modules as a streamlined toolset. Further, if support teamsthemselves ever need help, Citrix provides 24 x 7 live support. Account management teams areavailable to assist larger customers.ChallengesIn marketing its inclusive solution, Citrix might face challenges. While the company continues toexpand its portfolio of integrated solutions, it will need to find a way to market and cross-sell itsportfolio to its customer base as well as new customers. It will be an easy sale for companies lookingto upgrade legacy systems; however, some companies may have made investments in personneland other tools to expand their help desk capabilities, and getting them to switch may provesomewhat difficult. As with any market leader, Citrix will be a target for competitors. Its imperativethat the company keep up its technology improvements and its marketing efforts to maintain itsdominant position.ConclusionAs companies continue moving to cloud-based architecture and as mobile workers increasingly adoptand demand sophisticated mobile devices, there is a corresponding need for more efficient andadvanced IT support. The definition of "enterprise IT" has changed to mean more than a single facilityor network, and its more important than ever to meet the 24 x 7 needs of workers who require fastresolution to problems on a myriad of platforms.Moreover, as IT executives struggle with supporting employee-owned "personal" devices in theirrespective enterprises, remote support tools offer a streamlined method for supporting and securingthe proliferation of these devices. Employees who bring their personal devices to work willunderstandably not want their companys IT team to install a remote viewing/control client on theirdevices as this can potentially compromise employees privacy. Yet these new support offerings mustalso enable IT and other support professionals themselves to become more mobile and resolveissues via their tablets or smartphones.IDC also continues to observe customers seeking quicker resolutions for system issues. Because ofthis, IT and other support staffs are increasingly adopting social media and other online forums for"level 1" support. This ultimately provides faster resolution for simpler customer support issues andinquiries.As mobile employees and consumers receive these more efficient resolutions via online forums suchas Twitter, they will look toward vendors to also provide faster responses to their "level 2" or "level 3"issues. Clientless remote support tools will enable service teams to accommodate these needs in anefficient manner. Likewise, tools that integrate into the social fabric will provide the kind of seamlesssupport required by this new support ecosystem.As enterprise IT looks for appropriate solutions, IDC recommends the following: Establish the need for clientless remote support services by determining which users will need the services and their range of devices, applications, and operating environments. Ensure that the clientless remote support solution provider is constantly keeping up with market requirements. The shift to rapidly changing mobile devices requires more agility not only from IT but also from the solutions provider. Make sure the provider has a history of extending product capabilities to include advances in virtualization, cloud computing, and mobility. When evaluating support tools, look for offerings that also provide efficiency gains by delivering multiple support services from one intuitive user interface. Imagine the efficiencies in being able to instantly launch a remote support session and start a help desk ticket from the same system. 6 ©2013 IDC

Make it easy to identify issues with monitoring, ticket and track them with service desk management, and instantly resolve them with remote support. Enterprise IT also should make sure that the clientless remote solutions vendor provides ease of use as the support environment will become more complex in an anytime, anywhere, any device world. IT also should make sure that the clientless remote solutions provider can help demonstrate the hard cost savings of clientless remote support. Migrating to a newer approach or adding tools to an existing offering may require convincing company executives to make additional investments. Organizations should put in place flexible, Web-based support solutions that enable help desk and other support professionals to service a broad range of devices across the mobile enterprise for both employees and external customers. Clientless remote support solutions are one way to manage more types of devices in a cloud-based environment.To the extent that GoToAssist can meet the challenges described in this paper, Citrix has asignificant opportunity to succeed with IT organizations looking for cloud-based robust supportsolutions.A B O U T T H I S P U B L I C A T I O NThis publication was produced by IDC Go-to-Market Services. The opinion, analysis, and research results presented hereinare drawn from more detailed research and analysis independently conducted and published by IDC, unless specific vendorsponsorship is noted. IDC Go-to-Market Services makes IDC content available in a wide range of formats for distribution byvarious companies. A license to distribute IDC content does not imply endorsement of or opinion about the licensee.C O P Y R I G H T A N D R E S T R I C T I O N SAny IDC information or reference to IDC that is to be used in advertising, press releases, or promotional materials requiresprior written approval from IDC. For permission requests, contact the GMS information line at 508-988-7610 or gms@idc.com.Translation and/or localization of this document requires an additional license from IDC.For more information on IDC, visit www.idc.com. For more information on IDC GMS, visit www.idc.com/gms.Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200 F.508.935.4015 www.idc.com©2013 IDC 7

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Delivering Unrivaled IT and Customer Support in a Cloud-Based, BYOD World

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Delivering Unrivaled IT and Customer Support in a Cloud-Based, BYOD World Document Transcript