Saugatuck Research: Windows Azure Insight from ISVs and SIs

Saugatuck has studied the Windows Azure platform in depth over the past two years. This has included briefings by Microsoft as well as extensive interviews with ISVs and global systems integrators (SIs) that have migrated or built nearly 150 SaaS solutions on the Windows Azure platform.

Based on this research, Saugatuck has found that the Windows Azure platform provides migrating ISVs (and SIs deploying primarily for corporate customers) with a highly-productive, robust and cost-effective platform for enabling efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation in delivering SaaS solutions, as one ISV commented:

“If you’re a Microsoft house on SQL server, you might as well move to Windows Azure. Make Windows Azure your target platform and don’t maintain two separate versions.”
“Architecture is of profound importance. Good architecture brings agility and cost-effective quality solutions.

We note that in order to realize the benefits of the platform, architecture that understands the platform and its design constraints is considered essential. However, there are significant challenges in getting up to speed on Windows Azure as a platform and in learning how to work around design constraints that can cause delays and increase expenses, for example:

Deployment of packages and VM roles from on-premises development still a challenge despite improvements in Azure Development Services Portal. Evolving VM roles and SQL Azure feature set are possible workaround tools.
Because of no certainty of achieving certifications or their timing, interim workaround solutions recommended, e.g., hybrid data storage for on-premises storage of regulated data that cannot reside on platform.

Despite these design constraints, Saugatuck believes Windows Azure remains a viable platform to accelerate an ISV into SaaS and recommends ISV consider exploring a relationship with a Windows Azure SI partner to accelerate implementation, avoid wasted expense, and implement a long-term viable solution.

Note1: Ongoing Saugatuck subscription clients can access this premium research piece (1023MKT) by clicking here, and inputting your ID and password. Non-clients can purchase and download this premium research piece by clicking here.

Note 2: For more on Saugatuck’s assessment of Windows Azure, see companion Strategic Perspective 1016MKT 10 Things To Know About Windows Azure, 27 January 2012, or Lens360 blog post Microsoft Azure Update: Ten Things You Need to Know, 01 February 2012.

Mike West

Michael West is Vice President with Saugatuck Technology. His areas of research and consulting expertise include Cloud Computing, “Enterprise Ready” SaaS, ISVs in transition to SaaS, Cloud Development platforms, SaaS Integration, Social Computing platforms, and GRC. In 2000, Mr. West joined Saugatuck as an early co-founder after leaving Gartner, Inc., where he served as Vice President and Research Director. In 2004-5, Mr. West spent a year in Washington, D.C. at the Corporate Executive Board as Practice Manager of the Information Risk Executive Council, before returning to work at Saugatuck and re-focusing his interests on Software-as-a-Service and Cloud platforms. Mr. West has over twenty years experience in Information Technology at John Hancock, Fidelity Investments, Apple Computer, and Gartner. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and other industry events on a wide range of topics concerning technology and business strategy. He has written and presented research on information management, data administration, applications development, application integration, object technology, client/server architectures, graphical user interface and usability strategies, web site development and Internet applications, network computing, electronic commerce, portals, hubs and communities. Mr. West has an A.B. from Williams College , M.A. from Johns Hopkins University and M.B.A. from the Boston College Graduate School of Management. He has taught IT Strategies in M.B.A. programs at the Boston College Graduate School of Management and at the Haas School of the University of California at Berkeley.

Comment disabled by author.