Taking a multi-vendor approach to IT solutions is a double-edged sword. True, it can drive down the cost of operations, but with this comes a host of complex management issues. The cost benefits of sourcing multiple suppliers can easily be accounted for, but IT managers may find it difficult to account for the time and resources lost due to inefficient use of management tools.

The growing use of services provisioned from cloud providers is driving the need to constantly adapt and enhance the way IT is managed, and increasing the need to focus on what is a challenge facing more and more businesses. That is, that operators of datacentre environments, both dedicated and cloud, and those of data networks often utilise a large variety of non-connecting management tools across the services provided.

The net result of this is an inconsistent and disjointed view of service operations, leading to sub-optimal application delivery and challenges in management and the speedy diagnosis and resolution of incidents. Perhaps the biggest problem, however, is that multiple disparate tools hamper the use of end-to-end automation which might be considered the silver bullet to the optimisation of an IT operation, offering as it does have the ability to reduce the cost, error and inconsistency associated with manual activities.

One might argue that the current trend to move away from monolithic outsourcing arrangements across network and datacentre operations would exacerbate this situation – adding more suppliers to the mix. In reality though, even those providers offering services across multiple domains are rarely using consistent tools and practices across them. Fundamentally, whether sourced together or separately, the network and datacentre layers are an intrinsic and inter-reliant part of IT service delivery.

By using consistent operational support (OSS) and business support (BSS) processes and tools organisations can provide a true service related view. Forward thinking organisations are considering this to be an important part of the service governance role which is increasingly becoming the function of the IT department of the future.

Service delivery is a largely overlooked issue in many businesses. Organisations can’t afford to have their productivity levels decline, especially when there are solutions available which easily prevent this occurring. It’s a fact that greater efficiencies can be leveraged through the use of managed service providers whose use of shared assets and knowledge will be of benefit to their customers. Businesses should look to those who use automation and shared services to deliver the greatest efficiencies, while focusing on the use of end to end management tools across all facets of in-sourced and out-sourced services to consistently govern the delivery of functionality to the business.