Presentation on Software Solution Stacks

Anupam Gupta anup.gupt@live.com

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Agenda

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Software Solution Stack Components of the Software Solution Stack Software Solution Stack : Advantage/ Pitfalls Popular Stacks and Vendor Comparison Stack Wars! Decision Making with Stacks

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Software Solution Stacks

A software solution stack is a set of software subsystems or components needed to deliver a fully functional solution, e.g. a product or service.

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Components of the Software Solution Stacks

Application software is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players etc. Middleware is computer software that connects software components or people and their applications. It is integral to modern information technology based on XML, Web services, and service-oriented architectures. Database - Organized collection of data in digital form. Data Warehouse is a database used for reporting and analysis Database Management Systems (DBMS) is a software package with computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and the use of a database. An Operating System (OS) is a set of programs that manages computer hardware resources, and provides common services for application software. The OS also acts as an intermediary between application programs and the computer hardware The Virtual Machine (VM) is an emulator for software (typically Operating systems) of different vendors on the host machines. The VM provides for inter operating systems (guest OS and Host OS) communication. A Server usually is a physical hardware system or a software program dedicated to running one or more such services (as a host),to serve the computing requests of users of the other computers on the network. A Data Storage is the component for recording (storing) and retrieval of information (data).

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Components of the Software Solution Stacks in a system architecture view Applications Suites ERP Business Office Intelligen Suites ce
Middle ware Software for communication between applications and the OS e.g. Protocols and Messaging systems

CRM, Document Management System

Web layer / Service Oriented Architecture*

Virtual Machine

Operating System (OS)

Database Management Systems (DBMS)

Database Database Storage Systems Database

* Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a set of principles and methodologies for designing and developing software in the form of interoperable services.

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Solution Stacks The Advantage

Aspect Manageability Advantage

Complex IT systems are better managed if a single point-of-view can be delivered by the Stack Software upgrade in one go Reduces the testing and production integration cycle Unified messaging/ Objects provide for uniform communication within the stack leading to an optimized performance. Better Load distribution for computing All elements of the stack can be secured by a unified protocol; hence reducing cost of security

Upgrade

Optimized Performance/ Inter-operability Security

Scalability System up scaling Economies of Scale

System scalability is a must have feature for rapidly growing IT needs. Load distribution protocols available; resulting in smooth system up scaling Cost reduction on upgrades and bulk pricing benefits

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Solution Stacks The Pitfall

Aspect Concentration Risk

Pitfall All Eggs in one basket problem!

Security Technology laggard

If the system security is compromised; the entire stack is at a threat Investment in stack is of a long term nature. If the vendor is not progressive in future technologies; the company is devoided of technological progress Vendor gets to understand the concentration risk and starts asking for a premium on his services.

Monopolistic attitude of the Vendor Protocol

Inter-Operability

Restricted communication with other systems

A much needed new advanced system (other than the stack) which needs to be integrated might not have sufficient technical protocols available to integrate to the stack Price for a single software out of the vendor stack system would be at a premium.

Price

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Stacks are all about packaging. Stacks will be assembled and shipped together (presumably), which could make things easier if your goal is to streamline receiving.

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Popular Stacks ERP Perspective*

Leading Companies offering Software Solution Stack Stack Component Applicatio ERP n
CRM Business Reporting

Oracle
Oracle Business Suites, People Soft, JD Edwards Seibel Hyperion Web logic Server, Java Enterprise Edition, XML Database 11g

Microsoft
MS Dynamics AX, MS Dynamics (NAV) MS Dynamics CRM MS SQL Server , MS Office Suite SharePoint Server, XML Access

SAP
SAP All in One SAP CRM SAP Business Objects, Crystal Reports SAP NetWeaver Sybase SAP NetWeaver BW

Middle Ware Database Database

Oracle Business Intelligence Microsoft Data Warehouse Data warehouse Solution Warehouse

DBMS

Oracle DBMS (PL/SQL) Solaris (Sun), Enterprise Linux Oracle VM Servers SPARC, X86

MS SQL Server Windows 7, Windows NT Microsoft Virtual PC

Sybase Not Offered Not Offered

Operating System Virtual Machines Servers Storage

SharePoint Server, Windows SAP NetWeaver Server SAP Integration Server NET APP, IBM (Partners)

Oracle Sun Storage Arrays, Windows Storage Server StorageTek Systems

Oracle Developer Suite .NET, MS Visual Studio SAP NetWeaver, ABAP Development *The Software mentioned below are owned by the Leading Companies. The table does not comment about the interPlatform / Tools 4/28/12 88
operability of components of one-stack with the components of any other stack.

Popular Stacks Vendor Comparison (1)

Leading Companies offering Software Solution Stack Stack Component Applicatio ERP n
CRM Business Reporting

Oracle
Bundled ERP system

Microsoft

SAP
Industry Leader 60 % ERP implementation in Europe and North America Industry Leader Business Objects an easy to use and widely acceptable software Efficient but SAP specific

Extremely Popular Hyperion an easy to use and Industry Leader - Office acceptable software Suite Second to IBM Easy to use, Most flexible and the most intuitive GUI Access and MS SQL server are extremely popular and easy to use. Lacks very advanced features.

Middle Ware Database Database

Oracle 11g is the Industry leader

Comprehensive warehouse Data warehouse

Industry leader in ERP data warehousing Extremely Popular

DBMS

Industry Leader - Most popular

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Popular Stacks Vendor Comparison (2)

Leading Companies offering Software Solution Stack Stack Component Operating System Virtual Machines Servers Storage Development Platform / Tools Overall Comparison
Industry leaders in Industry Leader in Most Interactive most of the Stack GUI*. Easy to ERP technology. Very scalable ERP components except Integrate and for ERP software. configure. software and the ERP software and Popular MS GUI for best integrated ERP the Stack is made end user. modules. Stack Security is Robust Native by acquisition of companies. not robust. connectivity** to Stack intraalmost all operability issues Databases and GUI 4/28/12 Graphical User Interface. The users view of the system. 1010 have features of the Database and OS to which it is connected Operating Systems ** Native Connectivity -- Can use all the been widely

Oracle

Microsoft

SAP
Native connectivity to popular databases

Industry Leader for High end Extremely popular in computing Business Robust VM ware Not scalable to enterprise level

Industry Leader for High end Extremely popular in Low to Efficient but SAP specific computing medium grade businesses Industry leaders next to IBM Popular Extremely Popular

Stack Wars
Companies since the last 10 years are in a mad rush to have a presence in all the components in the stack. The companies foresee a long term advantage in investing in Stacks. However; there have been innumerable reports of teething problems due to inter-operability issues with the stack and the acquired software. Oracles acquisition of Sun Solaris (2010) to enter OS market Oracles acquisition of PeopleSoft (2005) who acquired JD Edwards to enter ERP for HR Oracles acquisition of Hyperion (2007) to get into Business Intelligence space SAP buys out Business Objects (2007) to get into Business Intelligence space IBM buys out Cognos and SPSS (2008) to get into Business Intelligence space Better Stack management can be achieved through Microsoft bought Navision A/S (2002) to go with its previous acquisition of Great Plains to enter ERP space. Unified Configuration Management

Major Acquisitions in the last decade

Unification of communication protocols open standards 4/28/12

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Decision Making with Stacks : A Discussion

Economies of Scale Number of Silo Systems already present in the organization Frequency of upgrade and System up scaling Technological Prowess within the Organization

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Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. -Henry Ford

Lets Discuss! Thank You!

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