Introduction to WatServ & Cloud Computing for Microsoft Dynamics

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1 By 2012, at least 14% of the infrastructure and operations of Fortune 1000 companies will be managed and delivered in a cloud-like environment Gartner Group Cloud computing is dramatically changing the cost and time equation for enterprise applications and custom application development. Nucleus Research, May 2009 Introduction to WatServ & Cloud Computing for Microsoft Dynamics Reduce Your Cost of Operations Extend Your IT Without Adding Headcount Reduce Your Overhead Reduce Capital Spending Conserve Your Cash Mitigate Risk

2 About WatServ Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc ( WatServ ) is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan with data centers located in the United States and Canada. WatServ is one of the largest, most experienced providers of hosting and managed services for Microsoft Dynamics AX, NAV, GP and CRM in North America. Specialists in Hosted Dynamics We specialize in providing complete operational management of Dynamics + all of the integrated components (Active Directory, SharePoint, Exchange, Blackberry, 3rd party ISV products, Citrix, SQL Server, Terminal Server and more). Hosted Dynamics is our ONLY business! Cloud Computing Experts WatServ supports cloud computing as means for customers to reduce costs and capital spending. Whether your Dynamics licenses are purchased perpetually or as a service, we offer a bundled cloud computing service for Dynamics that includes the following products and services in one monthly cost: Infrastructure as a service (highly scalable, dedicated environments) Managed hosting services (data center services) Managed infrastructure services (out sourced IT services) Managed application services (outsourced IS services) Software as a Service (SQL Server, Windows Server, Terminal Server, Citrix and many other products as a service) Discreet Technical Solutions WatServ provisions discreet technical customer environments that provide an ownership experience that is no different than running the system internally. Customers have complete control over integration, flexibility, scalability and security. Your solution is simple and easy to move internally or to another hosting provider if that is necessary. Custom Environments The WatServ approach to customer engagements is a competitive differentiation that results in outstanding customer satisfaction. We don t have a one-size fits all approach to managed services like many of our competitors. Every customer is unique, every technical environment is different, and every customer has different values on system performance / availability and cost. We work with our customers to tailor a solution that has the appropriate balance of cost, performance, reliability and security. Software as a Service Specialist Whether you buy your Dynamics licenses in the traditional perpetual manner or as a service under the Microsoft SPLA program, you will require Microsoft stack software (Windows Server, SQL Server, Terminal Server) and you may require Citrix and/or Virtual Server software. We are an authorized reseller of these products as a service (SaaS). The benefit to the customer is that up front investments in major purchases are not required. More importantly, you pay for only what you need in any given month. This adds flexibility to your changing business needs Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 2

3 Virtualization Experts WatServ has invested heavily in virtualization technology. This allows us to utilize shared servers on WatServ infrastructure where possible. This avoids the need for the capital cost of dedicated infrastructure. Virtual servers are ideal for pre-production environments such as DEV/SANDBOX and QA/TEST. These rented environments are excellent for testing software upgrades and can be provisioned quickly when speed is important. Most production systems for Dynamics ERP also qualify for virtualization. Experienced Staff We have MBS Partner Channel experience since 1985 and hosting management experience for over 10 years. Financial Viability One of the most important factors in selecting a provider of outsourced services is financial viability. WatServ has achieved profitability in every quarter since our inception. This ensures our long-term viability as a service provider. It also means that the decisions that we make are based on our long-term vision, rather than a reaction to short-term financial needs. Outstanding Customer Support WatServ is an expert at managing Dynamics CRM environments. We eliminate the need for our customers to spend time with the day-to-day distractions of poor systems availability, stability or performance. WatServ customers receive exceptional 24 x 7 X 365 monitored environments. In many cases, issues are identified and resolved before the customer is even aware that there was an issue. Cost Containment and Predictability Most of our competitors charge extra for additional internet bandwidth, power and/or data storage. These click charges can result in much higher costs than you anticipated. WatServ doesn t charge click charges. Your solution is sized appropriately from the start Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 3

4 Why WatServ? Mitigate Risk We are experts in managing and supporting Dynamics WatServ is the only company in North America that hosts Dynamics solutions EXCLUSIVELY. We run and support Dynamics GP, NAV, AX and CRM. This also includes all of related components that may be included in the solution such as Active Directory, SQL Server, Windows Server, SharePoint, Citrix, Terminal Server, VMWare, Exchange, Biz Talk Server, Scribe and a long list of third party products that extend the solution. We run and support all of the components of every implementation which avoids finger-pointing and reduces risk. Our experienced staff come from MBS Value Added Reseller organizations, the MBS consulting community, hosting operations, and IT and IS management. We have considerable experience with the implementation, support and operational management of the MBS Dynamics solutions and the related infrastructure. We have MBS Partner Channel experience since 1985 and hosting management experience for over 10 years. WatServ can provide excellent references on request Our experience with best IT processes helps our customers to comply with General Computer Controls (GCC s) for Sarbanes Oxley and Canadian Bill 198. We follow ITIL and COBIT frameworks for IT best practices. We engineer discreet technical environments for easy portability. WatServ engineers discreet technical environments that are identical to those that customers would run internally. We do not run multi-tenant hosted ERP solutions that would make it extremely difficult for you to move from WatServ to a different hosting company or to internal operations. Customers can easily move from WatServ to another location if needed. This mitigates the risk of outsourcing the operations of Dynamics. Reduce Capital Spending & Conserve Cash On-Demand, shared infrastructure reduces capital spending and preserves cash. WatServ uses virtual server technology from VMware, the recognized leader in virtualization. This enables WatServ to offer infrastructure-as-a-service ($/server/month) rather than having to purchase required equipment. This reduces capital spending and preserves cash. Virtualization is ideal for all pre-production environments and smaller production systems (under 50 users). Software As A Service (SaaS) reduces capital spending and conserves cash. WatServ is authorized to sell Microsoft and other vendor software as a service which reduces the need for capital spending. This conserves cash Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 4

5 Using one of our data centers reduces capital spending and conserves cash. Implementing an ERP system may require upgrades to customer computer rooms for UPS, power, internet connectivity, backup hardware, backup software, SAN, air conditioning, cabling and more. These upgrades can cost $100,000 or more. Conserve cash and run in a best-inclass WatServ data center. Reduce The Cost of Operations Shared IT services - We manage & support Dynamics for less than the cost of running and supporting Dynamics internally. Independent studies have shown that it requires additional FTE s to manage and support ERP systems internally (depending on the number users and the existing IT staff and their skills). For a small Dynamics solution of only 20 users, WatServ assigns 4 shared resources to monitor, manage and support your system during implementation. This will gradually be reduced to 3 people after go-live. To meet SLA s, WatServ provides resource redundancy in each of the positions to ensure service coverage for vacations, illness, and turnover. Because our resources are shared, your cost is less than the cost of hiring ONE additional FTE to run and support Dynamics internally. It is difficult to obtain this efficiency of cost and flexibility internally. Immediately Extend Customer IT Staff Without Adding Headcount or Overheads We are an extension of the customer s IT team, not a replacement or a threat. WatServ s success is dependent on an excellent working relationship with our customer s IT team. The IT Director is our point person (single point of contact). We work closely with existing IT staff during project implementation and long after go-live has been achieved. We are not a replacement for existing IT staff and do not represent a threat to them. We supplement the services of IT staff, adding the capacity and skills needed to provide operational support for Dynamics. Our staff has a functional reporting line to customer IT Directors. Financing Is Available Financing for capital items is available from Microsoft Financing. WatServ has a relationship with Microsoft Financing to help customers fund projects Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 5

6 Our Services A solid IT Infrastructure is an important foundation for supporting customer s critical business applications in a secure, reliable and flexible fashion. More importantly, customers require IT partners that understand the complexities of the Microsoft Business solutions products an area that is WatServ s primary focus. However, as MBS products integrate with other Microsoft products to improve productivity (Exchange, SharePoint), partners must understand and be able to support these integrations. Our Managed Infrastructure and Application Services include: Managed Infrastructure Services WatServ assumes responsibility for your critical business servers and services. Hosted in our state of the art secure data centers with the following features and services: Server hosting in locked cabinets in a designated WatServ data center 24x7x365 monitoring of server hardware, key services, and key devices. Network Operations Center (NOC) staffed 24x7x365 that will initiate escalations to WatServ technicians or customer resources as required Ongoing operating system management, fault management, patch management and antivirus management Hardening of operating systems, switch, VPN, and SAN devices Problem resolution management, system administration and change management Technical support services for network connectivity, server hardware, and operating system Create, manage and monitor on-disk and option tape backup strategies. Optional disaster recovery planning and implementation. Ongoing management of network switch and VPN appliances including patch management, intrusion detection, and security policy updates. Optional security audits can be provided. Post-implementation project management provided by a customer account manager. Technical support services for network connectivity, server hardware, and operating system Security Management WatServ maintains multiple levels of protection to safeguard customer information assets, including: Virtual private networks, managed firewall services, network-based intrusion detection services, security assessment services 24 x 7 x 365 video and physical surveillance Comprehensive network security Hardening of operating systems Firewall, VPN, access management Daily back-ups to disk, and optional offsite storage & full disaster recovery Managed Application Services The following is a partial list of the managed application services available to our customers: Level II Support Application program support and problem resolution. We work with the customer s MBS VAR or Microsoft. We: o Develop a change control policy specific to your organization. Work with your VAR to understand the customizations and other unique attributes to your environment. Clear protocols and ownership of system components will be determined. o Work with all parties to resolve application program issues o Develop patch management strategy 2007 Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 6

7 o Apply patches and fixes to the software in the hosting environment. o Work with the customer s MBS VAR in the planning and execution of major system upgrades. o Manage application access control o Monitor, track and resolve issues & problems o Manage the change request process We have experience with compliance with Canadian Bill 198, Sarbanes-Oxley, ITIL, and COBIT for general computer controls All of our services are available for most Microsoft and other vendor products: o Microsoft Dynamics GP, AX, NAV, & CRM o Microsoft Windows family of products o Microsoft Exchange 2003/2007 o Microsoft SQL Server 2000/2005 o Microsoft Office SharePoint Server o Microsoft Active directory o Citrix Presentation Server o Most MBS 3rd party add-on products Database Management Microsoft applications rely on Microsoft SQL Server as the underlying data management solution. The ongoing management and maintenance of this application is critical to the overall reliability, performance and satisfaction with the total solution. WatServ s database management services include: Technical & DBA support services Maintenance & Monitoring of the SQL Server database and infrastructure Daily export of the database Core DBA activities including storage management for planning and allocating storage for database objects (tables, indexes etc) and to monitor growth of databases, and application security Tuning of the database and poorly executing SQL in conjunction with normal business processing or patches/fixes applied by the application management group Generating periodic statistics of tables and indexes, based on the query optimization chosen by the customer Rollback segment contention Temporary table-space usage and appropriate sizing & database locks Issue Response Times Most customers understand the relationship between response times and support costs. WatServ works with customers to create service level agreements for response times that are unique to each customer. The following is an excerpt of a WatServ issue response time agreement. Priority Description Impact Response Time High Critical outages- server or network down, loss of application during critical periods. Significant operational impact. No workaround exists. 30 minutes or less Medium Low Non-critical service outages or degraded performance. Non-critical service issue. Work can be deferred. Some operational impact but workaround exists. No operational impact. 4 business hours 8 business hours 2007 Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 7

8 Additional Services In additional to the Microsoft Business solutions products and their immediate supporting infrastructure, we can offer complimentary assistance in: General IT strategy and planning Integration services between MBS applications and other internal or external applications using Microsoft BizTalk Server Project management services 2007 Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 8

9 Our Data Centers Designed to maximize availability of your critical business applications, our Data Centers offer the following state of the art facilities: secure building space with 24 hours security monitoring RFID access controls and multiple security perimeters Photo ID card access for authorized Customers personnel locked equipment cabinet ( up to 40U each) with front and rear access CAT 6 on-site cabling to connectivity demarcation point dual power feed ( A feed and B feed on separate breakers) 110 V AC, 15 A, data CAT6 cabling separated from power cabling protected clean power, protected redundant UPS and batteries (power guarantee SLA) diesel back-up with auto-transfer switch and two parallel hydro power feeds to building controlled temperature and humidity environment operating on protected power hot aisle / cold aisle equipment room layout advanced fire detection and clean agent gas (Inergen) fire suppression systems Inergen gas thermal characteristic equal to air for equipment cooling state of the art grounding and surge suppression system on-site KVM available to optimize utilization of rack space on-site security, escorted access 24 x 7 x 365 Our current data centers are located in Troy, Michigan and Waterloo, Ontario 2007 Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 9

10 Testimonials Thank you very much for your efforts to bring the (Dynamics AX) pre-production environment up so quickly (5 days). We were able to start the training today and had a successful class. The response time on the screens was amazing. Thanks again. I know that you worked many late nights, weekends and during your holiday to make things happen. IT Director, Customer, Fulton, Kentucky We had challenges with space and power in our computer room for our Dynamics GP, SharePoint, CRM, and Exchange systems. Our small IT staff also lacked the required skills to support the solutions. We decided to outsource to WatServ. This has been a good decision and our technology issues have been resolved. IT Director, Customer, Guelph, Ontario Partnering with WatServ is one of the best IT decisions we made. With the solid support of WatServ, our company rapidly implemented Microsoft Dynamics NAV in a six month timeframe. In addition to their high availability data center, which we could not have built for our size operation, WatServ provides expert support for the Dynamics platform infrastructure. As an added bonus, WatServ hosts and supports our Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint solutions, allowing my four person IT staff to stay focused on business critical issues. WatServ s staff is extremely knowledgeable and very responsive to our requests. We re pleased to recommend WatServ to other Microsoft Dynamics customers IT Director, Customer, Bowling Green, Kentucky 2007 Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 10

11 Connect With Us! Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 2000 Town Center, Suite 1900 Southfield, Michigan NA Toll free Sales x2307 Tech x Waterloo Managed Software Services USA Inc 11