Article on 'Remote Infrastructure Management'

1. Remote Infrastructure Management as a Service – GSS America Overview
Today’s IT infrastructure environment is an amalgamation of technologies and devices to serve
specific purposes. As business requirements have undergone transformation, devices and
technologies too have transformed to support enhancements in applications and the ever
changing infrastructure. To address this gap between IT and business, CIOs and thought leaders
have introduced Remote Infrastructure Management (RIM) services. According to analyst
reviews, RIM encompasses the support and management of various IT services that are related to
infrastructure support from global delivery sites. The services include remote monitoring and
management of data centers, enterprise networks, database administration, and desktops and
servers administration. Service providers, such as GSS America, deliver RIM and Infrastructure
Management Services (IMS) by investing in highly skilled professionals with vertical
competencies in the specified segments and subsystems. RIM services, coupled with an offshore
outsourcing business model, are poised for strong growth, according to industry experts. This
synergy can be an ideal cost savings vehicle, as service providers can leverage automation, state
of the art facilities and highly trained personnel to deliver services 24x7.
RIM Services in India
According to a NASSCOM study conducted in March 2009i, India is emerging as a global hub
for RIM services. The study further mentions that RIM can have a market segment of $13-$15
billion in the Indian IT industry landscape over the next five years. As of 1Q 2009, India had a
market share of about $3.6 billion. In addition, RIM services will create more than 300,000 jobs
in the five year period. In addition, IDCii reviews that the Indian offshore outsourcing market
will grow at over 20%. There will be a shift towards RIM service adoption by various companies
to reduce OPEX.
Factors to Consider for RIM Service Implementation
IMS and RIM deployment involves due-diligence and several factors, such as:
Standards: RIM deployment has to conform to ITIL compliances and best practices. In addition,
it has to follow ISO 2000 standards. Today, ISO 2000 is the de facto standard to measure a
service provider’s ability to provide outstanding delivery and quality. GSS America is an ISO
9001-2000 certified company.
Security: Security is a major concern for every service provider from both a physical and
technological perspective. A provider under must be equipped all circumstances to ensure
security of data from hacking and fraud. In addition, the provider has to ensure that its
infrastructure is robust enough to prevent others from making unauthorized access via a common
gateway.
Incident Management: A service provider must consider the factors like communication and
escalation protocols and the TAT to fix a problem before escalating to higher tiers.
SLA: SLAs should be developed to ensure that the delivery of services is done in time and with
quality.
Collaboration: Team collaboration is essential to share metrics and business intelligence
information. To gain a better picture and set a baseline measure, collaboration is vital to ensuring
the long term success of the relationship between the provider and the customer.

2. i
http://itvoir.com/portal/boxx/knowledgebase.asp?iid=650&Cat=3
ii
http://www.networksasia.net/content/it-services-market-gain-momentum-2010