Introduction: Top ISV Challenges With Cloud, Mobile and the Social World

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One can expect drastic ISV’s business transformation in the market due to the technology changes in recent times. Although ISVs are required to shift their approach to application development, there are many challenges that lie in store for them. Here are the top challenges that ISVs have been struggling with in the market today:

Infrastructure & Environment

ISVs have to decide on business cases to build a Cloud that can run production software. They have to consider various factors including qualitative analysis along with its security, compliance adherence, availability, reach, IP protection, along with existing IT resources. Quantitative analysis is dependent on cost per user with respect to the overall computation effort, network, storage, support, integration, human resource cost and the like.

ISVs have to treat every server or a VM instance individually so that if one of them fails, the functionalities of the cloud solution remain intact. Architecting the software for higher availability is the goal here. In terms of reliability in Cloud compared to that of Legacy environments, legacy is 99.9% reliable for applications and infrastructure while the cloud has a trifle lower reliability, although with bare minute difference.

Virtualization & Abstraction

Not every software solution can be implemented on a virtualized server and hence either one should redesign the software or develop it completely with the help of container technology.

Multi-tenancy and its support leads to overall impact on the software solution architect and the evaluated price. The multi-tenancy factor can lead to reduced infrastructure too thus rendering a reduced price. Also security is an important factor for ISV’s vertical industry. Handling of sensitive data should be taken care of, with isolation from other data. The data at rest and in-transit should be secured within the ISV’s SaaS environment, and even encrypted when in contact with other untrusted networks.

Automation and Orchestration

Selecting the right tools for deployment and provisioning can lead to reduced manual steps, less time to setup new customers and boost in speed to market. Also it would lead to less errors and less business interruption too. High availability and reduced time of interruptions during disaster recovery are critical to keep customers connected with the cloud. Also ISVs need testing with simulated disaster situations for actually verifying its high availability.

- ISVs need to make the right decisions about the scope of mobile client whether to opt for an independent software or a hybrid solution where feature functionalities are available on Mobile client or a Mobile client as an additional device with remote web client.

- Market trends towards integrating third party APIs have to expand on functionalities of the software along with role-based identity management options.- ISVs have to plan on the pricing of the software solution per user and make it available with several use cases which are easy to understand.

- With the inclusion of software solutions, they should be transparent to the user for reduced liability.

- There is a need to develop intelligent reporting for all types of customers, partners and its management with analytics tools keeping in consideration of structured and non-structured data.

Success of ISVs does not rely only on direct customers but also system partners. So need to consider organic approach for moving market with important functionalities. The ability to allow integration to your software can offer multiple opportunities for ISVs and huge customer base reach.