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Products, Tools, Open Source, Freeware for Visual Studio 2010

1. Component Suite: Desktop (WinForms, WPF)

9rays.net – Spices.Net Suite
Actipro Software – Actipro WPF Studio
Apress – Pro WPF in C# 2010: Windows Presentation Foundation in .NET 4
Catalyst Development Corporation – SocketTools Subscription
CodeJock Software – Xtreme Controls for .NET WinForms
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Studio Enterprise
Dart Communications – PowerTCP Emulation for .NET
Dart Communications – PowerTCP Telnet for .NET
DBI Technologies – Studio Controls for .NET
DevComponents – DotNetBar for Windows Forms
DevComponents – DotNetBar for WPF
Developer Express – DevExpress DXperience Enterprise
GrapeCity PowerTools – Spread for Windows Forms
Infragistics – NetAdvantage for .NET: Win Client
Iocomp Software – .NET WinForm Instrumentation Pack
Kellerman Software – Kellerman Gold Suite
Mobiform Software – VantagePoint WPF Controls
Perpetuum Software – .Net ModelKit Suite
Quantum Whale – Editor.NET
Richer Components – Rich Winform Suite 2009
SOFTWARE FX – Chart FX for WPF
SpringSys Technologies – WinSuite for .NET
Syncfusion – Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise Edition
Telerik – RadControls for WinForms
Telerik - RadControls for WPF
Telerik - Telerik Extensions for ASP.NET MVC

2. Component Suite: Web (ASP.NET, Silverlight)

Actipro Software – Actipro Silverlight Studio
Apress – Pro Silverlight 3 in C#
Aspose – Aspose.Total for .NET
Astron Digital – AspLib Rotator
Astron Digital – AspLib Tooltip
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Studio for ASP.NET AJAX
Dart Communications – PowerWEB File Upload for ASP.NET
DbNetLink – DbNetSuite
DevComponents – DotNetBar for Silverlight
Developer Express – DevExpress DXperience Universal
GrapeCity PowerTools – ActiveReports Reporting/BI Suite
Infragistics – NetAdvantage for .NET: Web Client
Intersoft Solutions – WebUI Studio for Silverlight and WPF
Intersoft Solutions – WebUI Studio for ASP.NET
Mobiform Software – VantagePoint Silverlight Controls
PeterBlum.com – Peter’s Data Entry Suite
Richer Components – Rich Asp.Net Suite 2009
SOFTWARE FX – ChartFX
Syncfusion – Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise Edition
Telerik – RadControls for ASP.NET AJAX
Telerik – RadControls for Silverlight
Telerik – Telerik Extensions for ASP.NET MVC

3. Component: Grid and Spreadsheet

9Rays.net – FlyGrid.Net
ComponentOne – ComponentOne FlexGrid
Developer Express – DevExpress XtraGrid Suite
GrapeCity PowerTools – Spread for ASP.NET
Infragistics – NetAdvantage for Silverlight Data Visualization
Intersoft Solutions – WebGrid Enterprise
Janus Systems – Janus GridEX for .NET 3.5
Janus Systems – Janus Web GridEX Control for .NET
Persits Software – ASPGrid
SOFTWARE FX – Grid FX
SpreadsheetGear – SpreadsheetGear 2010
Telerik – RadGrid for ASP.NET AJAX
Telerik – RadGridView for Silverlight
Telerik – Telerik Grid for ASP.NET MVC
Telerik – RadGridView for WinForms
Telerik – RadGridView for WPF
Xceed – Xceed DataGrid for WPF
Xceed – Xceed DataGrid for Silverlight
Xceed – Xceed Grid for .NET

4. Component: Chart, Gauge, Graph and Flow

Component – ComponentOne Charts
Developer Express – DevExpress XtraCharts Suite
Gigasoft – Gigasoft ProEssentials
InfoSoft Global Pvt – FusionCharts
InfoSoft Global Pvt – FusionWidgets
InfoSoft Global Pvt – FusionMaps
InfoSoft Global Pvt – PowerCharts
Infragistics – NetAdvantage for WPF Data Visualization
J4L Components – RChart for .NET
Mobiform Software – Vantage Point Trend
Nevron Software – Nevron Chart for .NET
Nevron Software - Nevron Diagram for .NET
Northwoods Software – GoXam for Silverlight and WPF
Outside Software – ChartingControl .NET
Perpetuum Software – .Net Dashboard Suite
SOFTWARE FX – ChartFX Gauges
Steema Software – TeeChart for .NET
Telerik - RadChart for Silverlight
Telerik – RadGauge for Silverlight
Telerik – RadChart for WPF
Telerik – RadGauge for WPF

5. Component: Imaging, Image Processing and Drawing

Accusoft Pegasus – ImageGear for .NETr
Atalasoft – DotImager
Bennet-Tec Information Systems – MetaDraw .NET for Winformsr
Blue Pacific Software – Turbine Video Engine SDKr
LEAD Technologies – LEADTOOLS Imaging Pro SDKr
LEAD Technologies – LEADTOOLS Document Imaging SDKr
Namtuk – My Screen Capture .NETr
Neodynamic – ImageDraw for ASP.NETr
Neodynamic – ImageDraw SDK for .NETr
SoftArtisans – ImgWriterr
THBComponentware – THBImage

6. Component: Mapping/GIS

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Component – ComponentOne Mapsr
Esri – MapItr
Esri – ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight APIr
Esri – ArcGIS Serverr
Esri – ArcGIS Desktopr
ISC – MapDotNet UXr
Mobiform Software – Vantage Point Mapsr
Scientific Component – GPS ToolKit.NETr
Telerik – RadMap for WPFr
Telerik – RadMap for Silverlight

7. Component: Text, OCR, Scanning & Barcode

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Accusoft Pegasus – Barcode Xpressr
Accusoft Pegasus – ImageGear for .NETr
Actipro Software – Actipro SyntaxEditor for WinFormsr
Actipro Software – Actipro SyntaxEditor for WPFr
Actipro Software – Actipro SyntaxEditor for Silverlightr
ADEPTOL – Adeptol Translation Add On for Viewerr
ADEPTOL – Adeptol Annotation Servicesr
Developer Express – DevExpres Rich Text Editorr
Intersoft Solutions – WebTextEditorr
J4L Components – Rbarcoder
Keyoti – RapidSpell Desktop .NETr
Keyoti – RapidSpell Web .NETr
LEAD Technologies – LEADTOOLS Document Imaging Suite SDKr
LEAD Technologies – LEADTOOLS Recognition Imaging SDKr
Neodynamic – Barcode Professional for Windows Formsr
Neodynamic – Barcode Professional for ASP.NETr
Neodynamic – Barcode Professional for Reporting Servicesr
Neodynamic – Barcode Professional for WPF

8. Component: UI, Toolbar, Menu, Ribbon

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9Rays.net – FlyTreeView for ASP.NETr
Bennet-Tec Information Systems – TList .NET for WinFormsr
CodeJock Software – Xtreme CommandBars for .NET WinFormsr
CodeJock Software – Xtreme ShortcutBar for .NET WinFormsr
CodeJock Software – Xtreme TaskPanel for .NET WinFormsr
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Menus and Toolbarsr
Developer Express – DevExpress XtraBars Suiter
Intersoft Solutions – WebCombor
Intersoft Solutions – WebEssentialsr
Intersoft Solutions – WebDesktopr
Janus Systems – Janus UI Controls for .NETr
Janus Systems – Janus Schedule Control for .NET V3.5r
Janus Systems – Janus Timeline Control for .NET V3.5r
Namtuk – My Command Button .NETr
Namtuk – My Frame Panel .NETr
Nevron Software – Nevron User Interface for .NETr
PeterBlum.com – Peter’s Polling Packager
Softel vdm – SftTabs/NET 6.0r
Softel vdm – SftTree/NET 2.0r
SpringSys Technologies – FormShaper for .NETr
SpringSys Technologies – SkinButton for .NETr
SpringSys Technologies – XTabControl for .NETr
Telerik – RadToolStrip for WinFormsr
Telerik – RadMenus for WinFormsr
Telerik – RadRibbonBar for WinFormsr
Telerik – RadMenu for Silverlightr
Telerik – RadRibbonBar for Silverlightr
Telerik – RadToolBar for WPFr
Telerik – RadMenu for WPFr
Telerik – RadRibbonBar for WPFr
Telerik – RadToolBar for ASP.NET AJAXr
Telerik – RadMenu for ASP.NET AJAXr
Telerik – Telerik Menu for ASP.NET MVCr
Telerik – RadToolBar for Silverlightr
Viklele Associates – VLFormDesigner.NET

9. Software Design, Frameworks, and Modeling Tools

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Aivosto Oy – Visustinr
Altova – Altova UModelr
Apress – Introducing .NET 4.0: with Visual Studio 2010r
Apress – Pro ASP.NET MVC 2 Frameworkr
ASNA – ASNA Visual RPG for VS.NETr
Computer Associates – CA ERwin Data Modeler r7.3r
DBI Technologies – Warehouse Shipments Scheduling Frameworkr
Developer Express – DevExpress eXpressApp Frameworkr
IBM Rational Software – IBM Rational Software Modeler V7.5r
IBM Rational Software – Rational Rose Developer for Visual Studior
Invensys Skelta – Skelta BPMr
Micro Focus – Togetherr
Oak Leaf Enterprises – Mere Mortals .NET Frameworkr
PDSA – PDSA .NET Productivity Frameworkr
RemObjects Software – Hydrar
Sparx Systems – Enterprise Architectr
Sparx Systems – MDG Integration for Visual Studior
Sybase – PowerDesignerr
Visible Systems – Visible Advantager
Visible Systems – Visible Analystr
Visible Systems – Visible Developer

10. Performance, Profiling, and Debugging Tools

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Aivosto Oy – Project Analyzerr
Aivosto Oy – VB Watchr
Alachisoft – Ncacher
Aptimize – Aptimize Website Acceleratorr
AVIcode – AVIcode Intercept Studior
AVIcode – AVIcode Intercept uXr
ComponentOne – ComponentOne LiveLinqr
Coradiant – TrueSightr
Corensic – Prashant Sridharanr
Corensic – Jinxr
dynaTrace software – dynaTracer
dynaTrace software – dynaTrace AJAX Editionr
Electric Software – GlowCoder
GoDaddy.com – Website Protection Site Scannerr
Hewlett Packard Development – HP LoadRunner 9.5r
Hewlett Packard Development – HP Performance Centerr
IBM Rational Software – IBM Rational PurifyPlus for Windowsr
JetBrains – dotTracer
Micro Focus – DevPartner Studio Professional Editionr
NVIDIA – NVIDIA Parallel Nsight 1.0 Standardr
NVIDIA – NVIDIA Parallel Nsight 1.0 Professionalr
OPNET Technologies – Panoramar
RadView Software – WebLOAD Professional Versionr
Raize Software – CodeSiter
Red Gate Software – ANTS Performance Profiler Pror
ScaleOut Software – ScaleOut StateServerr
SciTech Software AB – .NET Memory Profilerr
Simtec Limited – HttpWatch Professionalr
SmartBear Software – AQtimer
Telerik – JustCoder
Tidal Software – Intersperse for .NET

11. General Development Tools (includes IDEs)

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9Rays.net – Spices.NET Decompilerr
9Rays.net – Spices.NET Obfuscatorr
Add-in Express – Add-in Express 2010r
Altova – Altova XMLSpyr
Altova – Altova StyleVisionr
Altova – Altova MapForcer
ArtinSoft – Visual Basic Upgrade Companionr
Axosoft – RocketSVN for Visual Studior
Caretta Software – GUI Design Studior
Catalyst Development Corporation – SocketTools .NET Editionr
Catalyst Development Corporation – Catalyst File Transfer .NETr
Catalyst Development Corporation – SocketWrenchr
Code Architects – VB Migration Partnerr
CodeSmith Tools – CodeSmith Professional 5.1r
Component – ComponentOne IntelliSpellr
DBI Technologies – Solutions Schedule for .NETr
DBI Technologies – Extractor – Keyword & Keyphrase Text Extractionsr
Devart – CodeComparer
Devart – Entity Developerr
Developer Express – DevExpress CodeRushr
dtSearch – dtSearch Engine for Win and .NETr
DudeLabs – RC Converterr
Embarcadero Technologies – Delphi Prismr
Fog Creek Software – Kilnr
InRule Technology, Inc. – InRuler
Intel Corporation – Intel Parallel Studior
JetBrains – ReSharperr
Mobiform Software – Aurora XAML Designerr
MZTools Software – MZ-Tools 6.0 for Visual Studio .NETr
OpenMake – Mojor
OpenMake – Meisterr
OpenSpan – OpenSpan Plug-In for Visual Studior
Preemptive Solutions – Dotfuscator Runtime Intelligencer
Pronexus – VBVoicer
Remotesoft – Octopus .NET Translatorr
SapphireSteel Software – Ruby In Steel Developerr
SapphireSteel Software – Amethyst Professionalr
Scientific Component – Port Controller .NETr
SlickEdit – SlickEdit 2010r
SlickEdit – SlickEdit Tools for Microsoft Visual Studior
SoftFluent – CodeFluent Entitiesr
SourceGear – Veracityr
StarPrint Limited – VSNETcodePrint 2010r
StarPrint Limited – VBAcodePrintr
Sybase – PowerBuilderr
Syncfusion – Essential Studio Enterprise Editionr
Tangible Software Solutions – Instant C#r
Tangible Software Solutions – Instant VBr
Tangible Software Solutions – C++ to C# Converterr
Tangible Software Solutions – Java to VB & C# Converterr
Tangible Software Solutions – C# to Java Converterr
Unify – Team Developerr
VBConversions – VB.NET to C# Converterr
Vmware – VMware Workstationr
Vmware – VMware vCloud Expressr
Vmware – Vmware vCenter Lab Managerr
VSoft Technologies – FinalBuilder 6r
WestClinTech – XLeratorDB/developerr
Whole Tomato Software – Visual Assist Xr
Xceed – Xceed Zip for .NETr
Xoreax – IncrediBuildr
YesSoftware – CodeCharge Studio

12. Collaboration, Project Management and Agile Solutions

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Axosoft – OnTime 2010r
Ektron – eIntranetr
Infragistics – Quince Pror
InnerWorkings – InnerWorkings Codeboxr
JetBrains – TeamCityr
PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) – Windchill Web Parts for SharePoint 2.0r
Pyxis Technologies – Urban Turtler
Reliable Software – Code Co-opr
Serena Software – Agile On Demandr
SmartBear Software – CodeCollaboratorr
SourceGear – Vaultr
TargetProcess – TargetProcessr
TeamExpand – TX Chronor
TeamExpand – TX Lookerr
TechExcel – Agile Studior
Telerik – TeamPulser
Urbancode – AnthillPro

13. ALM, SCM and Requirements Management

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AccuRev – Microsoft Visual Studio Plug-in for AccuRevr
Electric Cloud – ElectricAcceleratorr
Electric Cloud – ElectricCommanderr
IBM Rational Software – IBM Rational ClearCaser
InnerWorkings – InnerWorkings PSPr
McCabe Software – McCabe CM – TRUEchanger
Micro Focus – CaliberRMr
Micro Focus – StarTeamr
MKS – MKS Integrityr
Perforce Software – Perforce Software Configuration Management Systemr
PureCM.com – PureCM Professionalr
Seapine Software – TestTrack RMr
Serena Software – Dimensions CMr
Serena Software – Dimensions RMr
SourceGear – Fortressr
TechExcel – TechExcel DevSuiter
Telerik – TeamPulse

14. Bug, Defect and Feature Tracking

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Alexsys – Alexsys Team 2.10r
AxoSoft – OnTime 2009 Professionalr
CounterSoft – GEMINIr
Elsinore Technologies – IssueNetr
Fog Creek Software – FogBugzr
IBM Rational Software – IBM Rational ClearQuestr
Seapine Software – TestTrack Pror
TechExcel – DevTrack

15. Quality Assurance and Test

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AVIcode – AVIcode Intercept Examinerr
Kellerman Software – Nunit Test Generatorr
McCabe Software – McCabe IQr
Micro Focus – SilkPerformerr
Micro Focus – TestPartnerr
NCover – NCoverr
Odin Technology – Axer
Parasoft – Parasoft SOAtestr
Parasoft – Parasoft .TESTr
QuickUnit – QuickUnitr
Retsel Group – Report Minerr
Retsel Group – Report Miner RptDiff VSS Addinr
Seapine Software – TestTrack TCMr
Seapine Software – QA Wizard Pror
SmartBear Software – TestCompleter
TechExcel – DevTest Studior
Telerik – WebUI Test Studio

16. FTP, Email and Network Connectivity

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/n software – IP*Works!r
Advanced Intellect – aspNetEmailr
Advanced Intellect – aspNetPOP3r
Advanced Intellect – aspNetIMAPr
Agile Components – MailSystemr
Catalyst Development Corporation – Catalyst Internet Mail .NETr
ComponentSpace – ComponentSpace Internet Component Suiter
Dart Communications – PowerTCP Mail for .NETr
Dart Communications – PowerTCP SSH and SFTP for .NETr
Dart Communications – PowerSNMP for .NETr
Dart Communications – PowerTCP FTP for .NETr
GoDaddy.com – Go Daddy Emailr
GoDaddy.com – Online File Folderr
Kellerman Software – .NET FTP Libraryr
Quiksoft – EasyMail .NET Editionr
RepliWeb – RepliWeb Managed File Transferr
SoftArtisans – FileUp Enterprise Edition 5.2r
Xceed – Xceed FTP for .NET

17. Reporting, Analysis and Visualization

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Aspose – Aspose.Total for SSRSr
AVIcode – AVIcode Advisorr
Cizer Software – Cizer.NET Reporting Drop-in Reportingr
Cizer Software – Cizer.NET Reporting Reporting Suiter
CodeJock Software – Xtreme ReportControl for .NET WinFormsr
Developer Express – DevExpress XtraReports Suiter
Dundas Data Visualization – Dundas Dashboardr
Fast Reports – FASTREPORT®.NETr
Fast Reports – FASTREPORT® STUDIOr
Fast Reports – FASTREPORT® SERVERr
GrapeCity PowerTools – ActiveReportsr
GrapeCity PowerTools – Data Dynamics Analysisr
GrapeCity PowerTools – ActiveReportsr
J4L Components – Report and Visual Builder for .NETr
Krell Software – OmniAudit Version 1.12r
Krell Software – OmniView Version 2.3r
MadCap Software – MadCap Feedbackr
Mobiform Software – VantagePoint Status Vision Designerr
Mobiform Software – VantagePoint Trend Control (WPF or Silverlight)r
Neodynamic – ThermalLabel SDK for .NETr
Nevron Software – Nevron Reporting Services Vision suiter
Perpetuum Software – Report Sharp-Shooter for Silverlightr
Perpetuum Software – Silverlight Viewer for Reporting Servicesr
Perpetuum Software – Report Sharp-Shooterr
Perpetuum Software – Report Sharp-Shooter for Silverlightr
Red Earth Technologies – Superior SQL Builder v2.1r
SAP BusinesObjects – SAP Crystal Reportsr
SoftArtisans – OfficeWriterr
SpringSys Technologies – Orchid for .NETr
Stimulsoft – Stimulsoft Reports.Ultimater
Telerik – Telerik Reportingr
The Retsel Group – Report Miner Suiter
Unify – Report Builderr
Visual Numerics, a Rogue Wave Software Company – IMSL C# Numerical Library for .NET Applicationsr
WestClinTech – XLeratorDB/financial

18. Databases and Data Development and Modeling

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/n software – RSSBus ADO.NET Data Adapterr
Altova – Altova DatabaseSpyr
ApexSQL – ApexSQL Auditr
ApexSQL – ApexSQL Cleanr
ApexSQL – ApexSQL Data Diffr
ApexSQL – ApexSQL Diffr
ApexSQL – ApexSQL Docr
CA Technologies – CA ERwin Data Modelerr
DataDirect Technologies – DataDirect Connect for ADO.NETr
DataDirect Technologies – Data Integration Suiter
Devart – dotConnect for Oracler
Devart – LinqConnectr
Devart – dbForge Fusion for MySQLr
Developer Express – DevExpress eXpress Persistent Objectsr
HiT Software, a BackOffice Associates Company – DBMotor
Kellerman Software – .NET Caching Libraryr
Mindscape – LightSpeedr
Red Gate Software – SQL Source Controlr
RemObjects Software – Data Abstractr
Sequiter – CodeBase Bundle for Windows & .NETr
StarPrint Limited – SLQserverPrint 2008r
Telerik – OpenAccess ORMr
Unify – SQLBaser
Versant – Versant Object Databaser
WestClinTech – XLeratorDB/statistics

19. SharePoint Components and Tooling

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/n software – RSSBus SharePoint Web Partr
Alachisoft – NcachePointr
Aptimize – Aptimize SharePoint Acceleratorr
Atalasoft – Vizit SPr
AvePoint – Content Shield for Microsoft SharePointr
Bamboo Solutions – Bamboo Ultimate Suiter
Bamboo Solutions – Bamboo Essentials Suiter
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Studio for SharePointr
CorasWorks Corp. – CorasWorks Solutions Platform v11r
Developer Express – DevExpress DXperience ASP.NET Editionr
Dundas Data Visualization – Dundas Chart for SharePointr
Esri – ArcGIS Mapping for SharePointr
Idera – SharePoint Performance Monitorr
Invensys Skelta – Skelta SharePoint Acceleratorr
Iron Speed – Iron Speed Designerr
K2 – K2 blackpearlr
K2 – K2 blackpointr
LookOut Software – SharePoint CRM Templater
Nevron Software – Nevron SharePoint Vision web partsr
Nintex – Nintex Workflow 2007r
Nintex – Nintex Reporting 2008r
Quest Software – Quest Web Parts for SharePointr
RepliWeb – RepliWeb Operations Suite for SharePointr
SchemaLogic – SchemaLogic Connector for SharePoint 2007r
SoftArtisans – SilverDustr
StoneBond – Enterprise Enablerr
WebPartGallery – Mini Calendar Web Part

20. PDF and Print/Preview Components and Tools

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Accusoft Pegasus – PDF Xpressr
activePDF – activePDF Portfolior
activePDF – activePDF Portalr
activePDF – activePDF Toolkitr
ADEPTOL – Document Viewerr
Amyuni Technologies – PDF Suite .NET – Developer Pro v4.0r
Amyuni Technologies – PDF Converter – Developer Pro v4.0r
Amyuni Technologies – PDF Creator – Developer Pro v4.0r
Aspose.Pdf for .NETr
ceTe Software – DynamicPDF Core Suite for .NET v5.1r
ComponentOne – ComponentOne PDF for .NETr
Developer Express – DevExpress XtraPrinting Libraryr
Gnostice Information Technologies – PDFOne .NETr
MadCap Software – MadCap Blazer
O2 Solutions – PDFView4NETr
O2 Solutions – PDF4NETr
Outside Software – Pdf Creatorr
Persits Software – AspPDF.NETr
Softland – novaPDF SDKr
TallComponents – PDFKit.NETr
TallComponents – PDFRasterizer.NETr
TallComponents – TallPDF.NETr
TallComponents – PDFControls.NETr
TX Text Control – TX Text Control .NET

21. Mobile Development Tools and Frameworks

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Component – ComponentOne Studio for Mobiler
Dart Communications – PowerTCP Emulation for .NET CFr
Dart Communications – PowerTCP Telnet for .NET CFr
Iocomp Software – .NET Compact Framework Instrumentation Packr
LEAD Technologies – LEADTOOLS Mobile Imaging SDKr
Resco – Resco MobileForms Toolkitr
Scientific Component – GPS ToolKit.NET Mobile

22. Middleware, SOA and Server-based Tools

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/n software – RSSBus Serverr
Apprenda – SaaSGridr
Attunity – Oracle CDC for SSISr
Attunity – SQL Server-CDC for SSISr
Attunity – Attunity PowerPivot Connector for Oracler
ComponentSpace – ComponentSpace SAML Single Sign-On Suiter
ComponentSpace – ComponentSpace SAML v1.1 Single Sign-Onr
ComponentSpace – ComponentSpace SAML v2.0 Single Sign-Onr
DM Automation – BA Architectr
HiT Software – Ritmor
HiT Software – Allorar
HiT Software – DB2 Connectivity-HiT OLE DBr
JNBridge – JNBridge Pror
PortSight – PortSight Task Scheduler V1.2r
Progress Software – Artix ESBr
RemObjects Software – RemObjects SDKr
SAP BusinesObjects – SAP Crystal Reports Serverr
ScaleOut Software – ScaleOut SessionServerr
Skytap Cloud – Skytapr
Vista Software – Apollo .NET

23. Web Design & Development Tools

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Adobe Systems – Adobe Dreamweaverr
Adobe Systems – Adobe Creative Suite Master Collectionr
Alpha Software – Alpha Fiver
Astron Digital – AspLib Component Libraryr
Axosoft – RocketSVN for Visual Studior
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Studio for iPhoner
DotNetNuke Corp. – DotNetNuke Professional Editionr
DotNetNuke Corp. – DotNetNuke Elite Editionr
DotNetNuke Corp. – DotNetNuke Community Editionr
Ektron – CMS400.NETr
Gizmox – Visual WebGuir
Indigo Byte Systems – TBS Cover Editorr
Karamasoft – Karamasoft UltimateSpellr
Karamasoft – Karamasoft UISuiter
Kentico software – Kentico CMS for ASP.NETr
Kentico software – Kentico Social Networking Platform for ASP.NETr
Kentico software – Kentico E-commerce for ASP.NETr
Kentico software – Kentico CMS for ASP.NETr
OutSystems – Agile Platformr
SharePoint Solutions – Extranet Collaboration Managerr
Telerik – Sitefinity ASP.NET CMS

24. Silverlight and RIA Development

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Accusoft Pegasus – ImageGear for Silverlightr
ComponentOne – ComponentOne Studio for Silverlightr
Developer Express – DevExpress DXperience Silverlight Editionr
Falafel Software – Silverlight & RIA Consulting Expressr
IdeaBlade – DevForcer
Intersoft Solutions – ClientUIr
Neodynamic – Barcode Professional for Silverlightr
Telerik – RadControls for Silverlight

25. Security & Copy Protection

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9Rays.Net – CryptoSharp v.1.3r
Arxan Technologies – GuardIT for Windowsr
Arxan Technologies – GuardIT for Microsoft .Net Frameworkr
Black Duck Software – Black Duck Suiter
Desaware – Desaware Licensing Systemr
GoDaddy.com – Code Signing Certificatesr
Hewlett Packard Development – HP DevInspectr
InishTech – SLP Protectorr
Kellerman Software – .NET Encryption Libraryr
Mykonos – Mykonos Frameworkr
Nalperion – Nalpeiron Licensing Servicer
Novalys – Visual Guardr
Persits Software – ASPEncryptr
PortSight – PortSight Secure Access V3.1r
Red Gate Software – SmartAssemblyr
Remotesoft – Salamander .NET Native Compilerr
Remotesoft – Salamander .NET Obfuscatorr
Remotesoft – Salamander .NET Protectorr
TallApplications – DeepSea Obfuscatorr
V.i. Laboratories – CodeArmor Protectionr
V.i. Laboratories – CodeArmor Intelligencer
Wibu – CodeMeterr
Wise Owl – Demeanor for .NET, Enterprise Editionr
XHEO – DeployLX CodeVeilr
XHEO – DeployLX Licensing (Developer Edition)

26. Installation, Setup, & Deployment Tools

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Caphyon – Advanced Installerr
Flexera Software – InstallShieldr
InCycle Software – InReleaser
Indigo Rose Software – AutoPlay Media Studior
Indigo Rose Software – MSI Factoryr
Indigo Rose Software – Setup Factoryr
Indigo Rose Software – TrueUpdater
Indigo Rose Software – Visual Patchr
InstallAware – InstallAware Developerr
InstallAware – InstallAware Expressr
InstallAware – InstallAware Studior
InstallAware – Setup Squeezerr
InstallAware – WiXAwarer
Kinetic Jump Software – AppLife Updater
RepliWeb – RepliWeb Deployment (R-1)r
Symantec – Altiris Total Management Suiter
Symantec – Wise Package Studior
Teggo Software – MoleBox Virualization Solution

27. Help Authoring

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Adobe Systems – RoboHelpr
ComponentOne – Doc-To-Helpr
Helixoft – VSdocmanr
IBE Software – HelpNDocr
Indigo Byte Systems – Dr.Explainr
Innovasys – Document! X 2010r
Innovasys – HelpStudior
MadCap Software – MadCap Flarer
Olson Software – HyperText Studior
toolsfactory software – Doc-O-Matic Professionalr
toolsfactory software – Doc-O-Matic SRCr
toolsfactory software – Doc-O-Matic for Authoringr
toolsfactory software – Doc-O-Matic Express

28. Training

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Advanced Custom Trainingr
AppDevr
Career Academyr
CED Solutionsr
Cooperr
Critical Path Trainingr
Deep Trainingr
DevelopMentorr
Falafel Softwarer
Global Knowledge Networkr
Infragistics Trainingr
InnerWorkingsr
Insider Trainingr
Intertech Trainingr
Learning Treer
MCW Technologiesr
New Horizonsr
OakLeaf Enterprisesr
Pluralsightr
Richard Hale Shaw Groupr
TechSkillsr
Webucatorr
WestLake Training and Developmentr
Wintellect

29. Web Hosting

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1&1r
2coolWEBr
Alentusr
ASPwebhosting.comr
bluedominor
Brinksterr
CS Managed Networksr
DiscountASP.NETr
Enterhostr
Flare Hostingr
Fpweb.netr
FullControlr
GearHostr
Go Daddyr
Halfprice Hostingr
Hosting.comr
Hostwayr
Infosaicr
LFC Hostingr
MaximumASPr
Nexpointr
ORCS Webr
Rackspacer
Re-Invent Technologiesr
rwASPHostr
webhost4life



Filed under: .NET, ASP.NET, Database, Links, Products, Reference Tagged: ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC Framework, Component Frameworks, Microsoft, MS, Prods, Products, Programming, Ref, Tech, Technology, Telerik, Tips, Tools, Visual Studio, VS2010, Windows, Windows Forms, Windows Presentation Foundation

Written by Visitor Blogs on August 31st, 2010 with no comments.
Read more articles on Ref and VS2010 and links and reference and ms and Tech and Component Frameworks and Prods and Windows Forms and Telerik and ASP.NET MVC Framework and otherSoftware and Database and Microsoft and Programming and Products and Windows Presentation Foundation and Visual Studio and Tips and Tools and Technology and ASP.NET and .Net and Windows.

Magic Quadrant for Web Hosting and Hosted Cloud System Infrastructure Services (On Demand)

2 July 2009

Lydia Leong, Ted Chamberlin

Gartner RAS Core Research Note G00168687

The Web hosting market is evolving rapidly and converging with cloud system infrastructure services, creating new opportunities for cost savings and business agility. These services are all unique, and vendors must be chosen with care.

Web hosting is rapidly converging with cloud system infrastructure services. For the last several years, the market has been evolving toward on-demand infrastructure provisioned on a flexible, pay-as-you-go basis, but the introduction of cloud computing offerings has radically accelerated innovation in this market. The economic downturn has accelerated adoption of these offerings, thanks to the cost-savings that can be achieved by the move from physical to virtual services, and from purchasing for peak capacity to obtaining what you need only when you need it. The majority of hosting customers now obtain at least some of their infrastructure on-demand, and most new hosting contracts include on-demand services. This evolution has quickly changed the vendor landscape, bringing many new entrants to rapid prominence, as well as decreasing the relevance of hosters who have failed to make this shift.

As a result of this market shift, we have changed our inclusion and evaluation criteria for the Magic Quadrant. We have based our 2009 evaluation on five use cases for hosting, all of which are made more cost-efficient by on-demand infrastructure. The use cases are:

  • Self-managed hosting, for cost-effective agile replacement of a traditional data center.
  • Mainstream managed hosting, for Web content and applications of low to moderate complexity.
  • Highly complex managed hosting, for rich Internet applications.
  • Global solutions portfolio, for a diversified set of interactive marketing needs.
  • Enterprise applications hosting, for infrastructure underlying complex applications such as SAP.

Choose a provider based on its ability to provide a cost-effective architecture and high-quality customer experience for your envisioned use case.

Figure 1. Magic Quadrant for Web Hosting and Hosted Cloud System Infrastructure Services (On Demand), 2009


Market Overview

The Web hosting market is in the midst of business and technological transformation. Over the next five years, the cloud trait of elasticity will come to dominate this market. Although customers are, over the long term, still likely to sign multi-year commitments for managed services, the infrastructure itself will be obtained on-demand.

This is a time of both great opportunities and great risks for Web hosters. New entrants are altering the landscape, and established hosters that previously lagged the market have been able to make bold investments in an attempt to catch, or even overtake, more established competitors. Hosters must execute the change to the business and technology model without disruption to their existing customer base. Many established providers are investing aggressively in technology innovation and exploitation, and we expect that some will engage in mergers and acquisitions in order to decrease their time to market and obtain engineering expertise with new technologies.

No single vendor in this market does everything well. Moreover, while all vendors on this Magic Quadrant serve a global clientele, their data center footprints and locations vary significantly. As a result, it is important to match your use case with a vendor that excels in serving that particular type of need. Smaller providers may do one thing extraordinarily well, but not have a comprehensive set of services that lets them serve a broad array of use cases. More than ever before, it is crucial to look beyond the Magic Quadrant Leaders when selecting a vendor. The vendor that is perfect for your needs may be a Niche Player.

The Top Five Use Cases

Gartner has observed five main use cases for hosting among our client base. We have evaluated each provider on all five of these use cases, in order to produce a composite rating for each. The use cases are as follows:

  • Self-managed hosting. This customer seeks self-provisioned, self-managed, cost-effective infrastructure, as an alternative to buying his own equipment and placing it into co-location or into his own data center. This may serve basic needs such as test and development environments, but may also serve highly complex applications that the customer wants to self-manage. On-demand hosting provides cost savings, capacity flexibility, rapid provisioning, simplified configuration and management, and ease of automation.
  • Mainstream managed hosting. This customer has Web content and applications with low to moderate complexity, scale and rate of change. This may include sites of a primarily informational nature, such as corporate websites and interactive marketing, as well as dynamic applications such as intranet portals, collaboration, supply chain management and eCRM. It may also include modest-scale e-commerce and hosting for small software as a service (SaaS) vendors. On-demand hosting provides cost savings through virtualization and reduction of over-provisioning.
  • Highly complex managed hosting. This customer has a rich Internet application with a high degree of complexity and rate of change, plus the need for highly scalable, flexible capacity. This includes highly dynamic sites such as complex e-commerce, SaaS applications, online gaming and “Web 2.0″ businesses. On-demand hosting provides cost savings through reduction of over-provisioning, and handles the need for business agility via near-instant scalability.
  • Global solutions portfolio. This customer is a global company that needs a complete set of solutions, at multiple price points, for a large number of customer-facing websites. Most customers of this type are consumer packaged goods companies who need interactive marketing and e-commerce solutions. On-demand hosting provides cost savings and flexibility through both technical and business efficiencies.
  • Enterprise applications hosting. This customer seeks hosting of complex enterprise software, such as SAP and the Oracle E-Business Suite, or has other complex enterprise data center replacement needs. This is a lower-level service than data center outsourcing or application-specific services such as Infrastructure Utility for SAP (IU4SAP); it does not include application management or other specialized needs such as SAP Basis support. Rather, the hoster simply provides, and may manage, the underlying systems infrastructure. On-demand hosting provides cost savings via automation and simplified configuration and management.
Market Definition/Description

The term “Web hosting,” as used in this Magic Quadrant, refers to a specific set of products and services: dedicated hosting, utility hosting, virtual data center hosting (VDC hosting) and cloud hosting. Many of the providers also offer colocation. These services are defined as follows:

  • Colocation includes Internet data center facilities, plus options such as remote hands and network bandwidth.
  • Dedicated hosting includes facilities and network, plus dedicated server hardware. Managed and professional services may be optionally included.
  • Utility hosting includes facilities, network and storage, plus a utility computing platform. This must be a shared environment using hypervisor-based virtualization, offering on-demand, flexible capacity. This may be offered in conjunction with dedicated infrastructure. Managed and professional services may be optionally included.
  • VDC hosting is an outsourced “semi-private cloud” service, including facilities, network, storage and a multitenant utility computing platform that provides graphical user interface (GUI)-based self-administration.
  • Cloud hosting includes facilities, network, storage and on-demand, multitenant elastic computing capacity, which can be either dedicated or virtualized. “Elastic” means that customers must be able to scale both up and down on demand, without a contractual commitment to capacity. Managed and professional services may be optionally included.

Hosting, as used in this Magic Quadrant, is distinct from both data center outsourcing and remote infrastructure management. The services are productized and standardized, although customization is available. There is no transfer of either assets or personnel, and the service is always offered in the hoster’s data center.

The term “on-demand hosting” refers to utility hosting, cloud hosting and VDC hosting. These services are defined in greater detail in “Web Hosting and Cloud Infrastructure Prices, North America, 2008.”

The term “cloud infrastructure services” refers to cloud hosting and VDC hosting. These services constitute the cloud system infrastructure component detailed in “Forecast: Sizing the Cloud; Understanding the Opportunities in Cloud Services.” In this Magic Quadrant, we evaluate these providers as Web hosters. If you are using this Magic Quadrant to evaluate cloud providers for other uses, such as scientific computing or other applications not based on Web technologies, the self-managed hosting use case will be the most similar to your needs, but you are likely to have requirements beyond the scope of that use case.

Managed services include management of components such as: the server operating system; Web servers, application servers and database servers; storage, including backup and recovery; security; and other network devices, such as application delivery controllers. Professional services include architecture, capacity planning, performance testing, security auditing and assistance in migrating from another hosting provider or from an internal data center.

Some customers choose a fully managed service, in which the Web hosting provider manages everything except the application code. Others prefer to choose from a menu of a la carte management services; for instance, some need just database administration services, while others want junior-level systems administration tasks like patch management handled for them but want to do all the complex work themselves. Also, the number of customers who want to self-manage is increasing rapidly; these IT managers want to take advantage of the cost efficiencies of a provider’s scale and automation tools, but do not want to relinquish control. Your choice should depend upon your needs and IT capabilities.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

To appear in this Magic Quadrant, vendors had to meet the following criteria:

  • They must sell on-demand hosting as a stand-alone service within data centers they own or lease, without the requirement to bundle it with application development, application maintenance or other outsourcing. This service must be productized and available to the general public.
  • Their services must be enterprise-class, offering 24/7 customer support (including phone support), service-level agreements and the ability to scale an application beyond the capacity of a single server.
  • They must have significant market presence, as indicated by Web hosting revenue of at least $100 million in 2008, or on-demand hosting revenue of at least $20 million. Their hosting services must interest Gartner clients, Gartner analysts feel clients should take note of them, or they must regularly compete against offerings from other vendors represented on the Magic Quadrant.
  • They must have referenceable customers in North America, Western Europe and Asia.
Vendors Considered, but Not Included

Some providers did not qualify for this Magic Quadrant due to their inability to demonstrate sufficient revenues to qualify for inclusion, or because their services did not meet our definitions for hosting. Below, we indicate some of the vendors we considered, but were not able to include.

DataPipe

DataPipe is a rapidly-growing provider of colocation, dedicated hosting and utility hosting. It is of increasing interest to Gartner’s clients, who primarily consider it for cost-competitive, low-complexity environments that require management only through the operating system layer.

EngineYard

EngineYard specializes in managed, on-demand, Ruby on Rails hosting. It is covered in “Cool Vendors in Cloud Computing System and Application Infrastructure, 2009.”

Google

Google’s App Engine offering is a cloud application infrastructure, not a cloud system infrastructure. It does not provide generic virtualized servers; it is a sandboxed, restricted application environment for Python or Java.

Microsoft

Microsoft’s Azure Services Platform is a cloud application infrastructure, not a cloud system infrastructure.

ThePlanet

ThePlanet is a rapidly-growing provider of colocation and dedicated hosting to small and midsize businesses. In the last year, it has begun to target enterprise customers with its NorthStar managed hosting offering.

Voxel

Voxel offers dedicated hosting, cloud infrastructure services and content delivery network (CDN) services. It is covered in “Cool Vendors in Cloud Computing System and Application Infrastructure, 2009.”

XCalibre Communications

XCalibre is a U.K.-based provider of dedicated hosting. Its FlexiScale division offers cloud hosting, and it frequently competes with providers such as Amazon and GoGrid (previously ServePath) in Europe.

Added

Amazon

Joyent

Layered Technologies

Media Temple

OpSource

Quality Technology Services

GoGrid (previously ServePath)

SoftLayer

Dropped
NTT America

NTT fragments its hosting offerings across multiple geographies, rather than having a unified set of global offerings. Moreover, it does not offer on-demand hosting, although it does offer colocation and dedicated hosting. NTT does plan to eventually offer utility hosting.

Qwest

Qwest does not offer on-demand hosting, nor does it have such offerings on its product road map. It does offer colocation and dedicated hosting.

Verizon Business

Verizon offers colocation and dedicated hosting, and since the beginning of June, a VDC hosting offering called Computing as a Service. Verizon originally planned to launch this offering in early 2008, but had to delay due to technical difficulties; thus, we were not able to evaluate the service for inclusion in this Magic Quadrant.

Evaluation Criteria
Ability to Execute

The most heavily-weighted criteria for a Web hoster’s ability to execute are service offering and service excellence, as reflected in the customer experience with sales, support and operations. Overall business viability, as reflected in the ability to service a three-year contract without significant disruption, and the service provider’s track record, also contributes to this rating.

We have considered each vendor in the context of all five use cases. Different traits are important in each use case; for instance, the quality of the self-service portal is of high importance in self-managed hosting, while proactive support and skilled project management are very important for highly complex managed hosting.

For details of all evaluation criteria, see “Decision Framework for Web Hosting and Cloud Infrastructure Services (On-Demand).”

Table 1. Ability to Execute Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Weighting
Product/Service
high
Overall Viability (Business Unit, Financial, Strategy, Organization)
standard
Sales Execution/Pricing
standard
Market Responsiveness and Track Record
standard
Marketing Execution
low
Customer Experience
high
Operations
standard
Source: Gartner
Completeness of Vision

The Web hosting market is undergoing rapid evolution. Consequently, it is vital that Web hosting companies understand the future needs of customers, have a realistic road map for the transition to cloud infrastructure, and are able to exploit new technologies in innovative ways. The full context of the vendor’s vision is also important, since cloud concepts may pervade their entire business. We also evaluate the vendor’s approach to growing their business, including their strategy for marketing and sales, international expansion, and vertical market solutions.

We have considered each vendor in the context of all five use cases. Different traits are important in each use case; for instance, the road map for rapid adoption of new technologies is very important for highly complex managed hosting, while the road map for developer and partner tools is very important for self-managed hosting.

For details of all evaluation criteria, see “Decision Framework for Web Hosting and Cloud Infrastructure Services (On-Demand).”

Table 2. Completeness of Vision Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Weighting
Market Understanding
high
Marketing Strategy
standard
Sales Strategy
standard
Offering (Product) Strategy
high
Business Model
low
Vertical/Industry Strategy
low
Innovation
high
Geographic Strategy
standard
Source: Gartner
Leaders

Leaders have proven they have staying power in this market, can frequently innovate on their existing products and can be relied on for enterprise hosting needs. They have proven their technical competence and ability to deliver services to a wide range of customers. They address multiple use cases well.

New managed hosting customers should sign two-year contracts with these companies. Satisfied customers renewing a contract with one of these firms should sign a three-year deal. Self-managed hosting should be bought on-demand, or on contracts of one year or less.

Challengers

Challengers have a track record of delivering good service capabilities, but serve a narrower range of use cases, and face challenges in expanding to serve additional use cases.

New managed hosting customers should sign two-year contracts with these companies. Satisfied customers renewing a contract with one of these firms should sign a three-year deal. Self-managed hosting should be bought on-demand, or on contracts of one year or less.

Visionaries

Visionaries have an innovative and disruptive approach to the market, but their approach causes them to deliver services in ways that enterprise hosting customers are not yet accustomed to. Visionaries typically serve one use case well, and are trying to expand their expertise so that it is applicable to the other use cases.

Because the business of Visionaries can change radically over a short-term period, we recommend that customers buy these services on-demand, or on contracts of one year or less.

Niche Players

Niche Players are typically specialists with more limited product portfolios, or emerging vendors. They may serve one use case particularly well, and may be better than a more generalized vendor in their area of specialty.

New and renewing customers of stable, narrowly-focused Niche Players should sign a two- or three-year contract. New and renewing customers of emerging Niche Players whose businesses are still rapidly evolving should buy services on-demand, or on contracts of one year or less.

If you are using managed services, be wary of making short-term, tactical choices as it can be inconvenient and expensive to change Web hosting providers.

Vendor Strengths and Cautions
Amazon
Strengths
  • Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) has revolutionized the market for hosting services with granular, by-the-hour pricing for virtual servers. It also has a CDN service coupled with its S3 storage service.
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS) dominate the public perception of cloud infrastructure services.
  • Amazon is innovative and extraordinarily agile, responding rapidly to customer demands for features, rather than following a set product road map.
  • An ecosystem of third-party vendors offer tools and services that extend the capabilities of Amazon’s platform. Also, Amazon has extensive partnerships with software vendors, who provide prebuilt packages (Amazon Machine Images) for the EC2 environment.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed. The AWS offerings encompass both cloud system and application infrastructure. Each service should be evaluated separately; customers can adopt individual services without needing to use the others.
Cautions
  • Support is a paid feature, and while it is responsive and expert, it is primarily geared toward technically knowledgeable users. Amazon does not offer managed or professional services.
  • Amazon cannot provide private connectivity, private VLANs or “hybrid cloud” solutions.
  • Amazon does not allow third-party audits of its infrastructure, although it does plan to obtain SAS 70 certification for its data centers.
  • Amazon meets enterprise needs such as invoices on a one-off basis. It does not normally customize terms and conditions.
AT&T
Strengths
  • AT&T offers a wide range of Web-hosting services, typically priced at a slight premium. Its Synaptic Hosting utility platform is competitively priced.
  • AT&T has very strong technical competence, reflected in both solutions engineering and operations.
  • AT&T has one of the better customer service portals.
  • AT&T has a substantial global data center footprint, as well as a global content delivery network.
  • AT&T has the broadest and deepest cloud computing vision of any carrier. It has an ambitious and comprehensive road map of services that are highly integrated with its network capabilities.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed; highly complex; global portfolio; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • Customer service has improved significantly in the last year, but is still highly variable in quality.
  • AT&T is often inflexible in both sales and service, and support is primarily reactive.
  • The sales process can be difficult, complex and slow.
  • Customers who need to connect their hosted infrastructure to a non-AT&T network should obtain a written agreement of cooperation from AT&T.
CSC
Strengths
  • CSC offers managed hosting services at average prices. Its roots as a full-service IT outsourcer result in a depth of services, including vertical application support, staff augmentation offerings and a broad, deep suite of security offerings.
  • CSC has made significant investments in virtualized platforms and utility computing services, including a unique and innovative workflow-driven provisioning system for cloud infrastructure.
  • CSC has made significant strides in improving the quality of its products and customer service portal, and its future road map is ambitious.
  • Recommended use cases: mainstream managed; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • Quality of account management depends on customer size and location.
  • Communications between different operation and product groups can be poor, leading to tasks “falling between the cracks.”
  • CSC is a fast follower rather than a technology innovator.
GoGrid (previously ServePath)
Strengths
  • GoGrid (previously ServePath) offers colocation, managed hosting, CDN services and a Xen-based self-managed cloud hosting service called GoGrid. Its prices are very competitive.
  • The GoGrid service offers a 100% uptime service-level agreement and highly responsive customer service.
  • GoGrid has a productized “hybrid cloud” offering, combining GoGrid virtual servers with dedicated database servers, colocation space and private connectivity.
  • GoGrid has a clean, attractive, easy-to-use Web-based user interface.
  • GoGrid has pursued interoperability as a key strategy. Its provisioning application programming interface (API) is supported by third-party tools, such as RightScale. It also plans to offer its technology as a managed service within the data centers of partner service providers and individual customers.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed.
Cautions
  • Although GoGrid has multiple data centers, the GoGrid service is currently only available in its San Francisco data center. GoGrid will be available in Europe by the end of 2009.
  • GoGrid’s primary competition is Amazon’s EC2, and GoGrid faces considerable challenges in matching Amazon’s pace of innovation and easy access to capital for infrastructure build-out.
IBM
Strengths
  • IBM offers very high-end managed hosting services. It excels in delivering complex configurations, especially those requiring additional IT services.
  • IBM can provide excellent application hosting and management for ERP, CRM and other complex environments.
  • IBM offers a component-based utility hosting platform, as well as public cloud system infrastructure services such as Computing on Demand for scientific computing and similar needs, and Information Protection Services for cloud-based business continuity.
  • Recommended use cases: highly complex; global portfolio; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • IBM’s services are highly customized, resulting in high prices and lengthy sales cycles.
  • IBM hosting contracts are lengthy and complex, and frequently include inflexible terms and conditions that shift the risk onto the client and away from IBM. Service-level agreements are customized to each individual contract. Cloud contracts are shorter, simpler and more standardized.
  • IBM uses partners to deliver smaller configurations, which increases client communication issues and impairs quality control.
  • IBM has a comprehensive strategy for cloud computing, across its many lines of business. IBM’s cloud system infrastructure services road map is primarily focused on private clouds. Although IBM is launching innovative public cloud services, such as test-cloud services aimed at developers that include Rational tools and Jazz integration, these services are adjacent to the specific hosting use cases evaluated in this Magic Quadrant.
Joyent
Strengths
  • Joyent provides on-demand, cost-competitive virtual servers called Accelerators. It can provide physically dedicated Accelerators, as well as colocated equipment, to customers who have specific needs for such servers.
  • Joyent’s technology stack includes numerous technologies from Sun, including Solaris Containers and ZFS.
  • Joyent’s strategy for scaling infrastructure emphasizes the role of network elements, particularly application delivery controllers from F5 Networks (hardware) and Zeus (software)
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed.
Cautions
  • Joyent’s support, while very responsive and highly expert, is reactive. It offers managed services on a time and materials basis.
  • Joyent’s professional services are limited and focused on high-scalability projects.
  • Joyent sells primarily online. Rather than field sales, it relies on software vendor and integrator partnerships to reach enterprise customers.
  • Although Joyent plans to expand globally, it currently only has data centers in the U.S.
Layered Technologies
Strengths
  • Layered Technologies’ competitively-priced service offerings include dedicated hosting as well as VDC services based on 3Tera’s AppLogic and Parallels’ Virtuozzo Containers, and Microsoft Hyper-V-based utility hosting. Its managed services are offered in tiers.
  • Layered Tech’s customer service is relatively responsive and proactive, compared to other providers of self-managed and simple managed hosting.
  • Layered Tech has invested substantially in automation, and offers fast provisioning as well as API accessibility.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed.
Cautions
  • Layered Tech is in the midst of a business transformation focused on moving the company up-market.
  • Layered Tech currently primarily serves the small and midsize business (SMB) segment, not the enterprise.
  • Layered Tech’s lack of brand awareness and sales presence places it at a competitive disadvantage in the market.
  • Layered Tech’s large menu of service offerings can create buyer confusion.
Media Temple
Strengths
  • Media Temple has a diverse but integrated product portfolio that spans shared, virtual private and dedicated hosting, with an upgrade path between them.
  • Media Temple’s competitively-priced services are usually bought on-demand, without a contract.
  • Media Temple understands its core target market of interactive agencies, advertising agencies, media companies and social media publishers.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed. MediaTemple should also be considered for marketing micro-sites where low-cost elastic scalability is a requirement.
Cautions
  • Media Temple offers managed hosting (which it brands “cx”) to a limited number of customers, seeking a closer partnership with the customer’s IT staff.
  • Media Temple’s technology platform is built on top of Parallels, limiting its attractiveness to enterprise customers.
  • Media Temple experienced recurring outages with the first generation of its “gs” shared hosting service. This service has since been re-architected; new customers are provisioned on the second-generation service.
  • Media Temple only has data centers in the U.S.
NaviSite
Strengths
  • NaviSite’s diverse product portfolio addresses both infrastructure and application management needs. It also offers a content delivery network. Its prices are average.
  • NaviSite has an innovative, specialized product road map that takes advantage of the company’s application management capabilities.
  • NaviSite’s cloud computing strategy is based on its AppStructure platform, which encompasses not only VMware-based infrastructure, but also collaboration and integration capabilities.
  • Recommended use cases: mainstream managed; highly complex; global portfolio; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • NaviSite’s complex product portfolio can confuse the buying process.
  • NaviSite’s marketing and sales presence is limited and hinders the company when competing against larger, more established providers.
  • NaviSite’s only non-U.S. data center is in the U.K.
  • NaviSite is a moderate-size provider, and is trying to spread its resources over a very broad set of service offerings.
OpSource
Strengths
  • OpSource has been focused solely on SaaS enablement. Its competitively-priced services are specifically targeted at SaaS provider needs, although it plans to expand into more general cloud infrastructure offerings.
  • OpSource provides adjunct services to SaaS providers, such as an on-demand billing platform, integration services (branded “OpSource Connect”), custom application management and help desk support.
  • Recommended use cases: SaaS infrastructure (mainstream managed and highly complex hosting).
Cautions
  • OpSource’s quality of service delivery and support is inconsistent. The more customized the solution, the greater the challenges encountered in delivery.
  • OpSource has experienced recent outages due to its storage fabric. It has since re-architected its storage services.
  • OpSource is expanding into general cloud infrastructure services, but to date, its offerings have been focused on a narrow market segment.
  • OpSource’s only non-U.S. data center is in the U.K., although it can offer services across a broader footprint via its partnership with NTT.
Quality Technology Services
Strengths
  • Quality Technology Services offers wholesale and retail colocation, managed hosting (including a utility hosting platform, “QVI”), and media services, at very competitive prices.
  • Quality Tech grew through the acquisition of ITC Deltacom’s eDeltacom business, IBM’s colocation business and Globix’s hosting business. It is an IBM partner for SMB hosting; IBM is a key channel, and extends Quality Tech’s capabilities.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed.
Cautions
  • Quality Tech only has data centers in the U.S.
  • Quality Tech’s product road map is very conservative. The company invests in technologies once they have achieved widespread mainstream adoption.
  • Quality Tech’s customer portal has only basic functionality.
Rackspace
Strengths
  • Rackspace offers managed hosting and cloud infrastructure services at competitive prices. It also has a Limelight Networks CDN partnership that can be used in conjunction with its cloud storage service.
  • Rackspace has industry-leading customer service. It is proactive, highly responsive and “high touch,” interacting frequently with its customers.
  • Rackspace has a broad and ambitious cloud road map which integrates the full range of its service offerings.
  • Rackspace has particularly strong support for open source technologies.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed; highly complex; global portfolio.
Cautions
  • Rackspace’s sales and support quality has become inconsistent, due to its extremely rapid growth.
  • Rackspace is at its best when it is delivering formally productized offerings, not one-off customized arrangements.
  • Although Rackspace is a strong player in the enterprise segment, its product portfolio, professional services and customer portal are more limited than those of other leading providers.
  • Although Rackspace is a global provider, it has a limited geographic footprint in North America.
Savvis
Strengths
  • Savvis offers a broad range of hosting services, including a VMware-based utility platform called “Dedicated and Open Cloud Compute” (formerly Virtual Intelligent Hosting). Its services are priced at a slight premium.
  • Savvis’s quality of sales and service delivery is good. It is very good at exploiting technology and has an excellent customer service portal.
  • Savvis has an ambitious road map for cloud infrastructure offerings, as well as SaaS-enablement services that include a marketplace and other complementary services.
  • Savvis is particularly strong in the financial vertical, for which it offers specialized products and services that take advantage of its network.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed; highly complex; global portfolio; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • Savvis’s customer service has improved recently, but it must demonstrate that these improvements are sustainable.
  • Savvis has rationalized its product offerings, but the breadth of options can still lead to buyer confusion.
  • Savvis has refocused its sales force on selling managed hosting, rather than colocation, but colocation remains a distraction for its sales team.
SoftLayer
Strengths
  • SoftLayer offers fast-provisioned dedicated and Xen-based cloud hosting at competitive prices. It also has an Internap CDN partnership that can be used in conjunction with its cloud storage service.
  • SoftLayer has an extensive product road map. It includes many value-added services with all configurations, such as TippingPoint-based intrusion prevention and distributed denial of service (DDoS) mitigation, and local and global load-balancing.
  • SoftLayer has an extensive customer portal with an array of tools for self-management of both dedicated and virtual devices. Functionality can also be accessed via an API.
  • SoftLayer uses its wiki to provide thorough, well-organized documentation.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed.
Cautions
  • SoftLayer does not offer any managed services. Its customer support does not hand-hold; customers are expected to be technically proficient and willing to read the documentation.
  • SoftLayer does not allow hardware exceptions to its standard configurations.
  • SoftLayer sells primarily online. It engages in very limited marketing and sales, and has little brand recognition.
SunGard
Strengths
  • SunGard Availability Services has deep and broad expertise in business continuity, but also has a significant colocation and managed hosting business. Its prices are average.
  • SunGard is very process-oriented and highly conscious of enterprise security requirements.
  • SunGard continues to expand and improve its product portfolio, and can capably manage a broad range of requirements.
  • Recommended use cases: mainstream managed; enterprise applications.
Cautions
  • SunGard’s customer service processes can result in a “hot potato” scenario between multiple operations groups, where no one accepts responsibility and accountability for solving the customer’s problem. SunGard is presently transforming its customer service model to address these issues.
  • SunGard can be inflexible, and sometimes struggles to manage high-growth, high-change environments.
  • SunGard’s near-term cloud infrastructure road map is primarily focused on business continuity capabilities, although it will be expanding into other cloud compute services.
Terremark
Strengths
  • Terremark is a leader in virtualized, VMware-based infrastructure services, with its Infinistructure utility hosting and Enterprise Cloud VDC offerings. It also offers carrier-neutral colocation. Its prices are average.
  • Terremark is a technology innovator with very good customer service, a good customer portal and extensive automation. It has a well-thought-out and aggressive cloud infrastructure road map that is focused on enterprise requirements.
  • Terremark offers superb engineering support. It is willing to take on “bleeding-edge” technologies, legacy infrastructures and other unusual requirements.
  • Terremark is particularly strong in the government vertical. Its “NAP of the Capital Region” data center is specialized for serving U.S. federal government needs.
  • Recommended use cases: self-managed; mainstream managed; highly complex; global portfolio.
Cautions
  • Although Terremark is a global provider, it has a limited geographic footprint in North America.
  • Terremark’s service portfolio is not as broad as its largest competitors.


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DevForce, Enterprise Applications, and the ADO.NET Entity Framework

DevForceAndTheEntityFramework

DevForce Data Services fills a gap in the application infrastructure stack between where your Data Access Layer (DAL) ends and your client application begins. The gap concerns your “business logic layer”. The gap concerns your “business logic layer”. How your raw data become business objects with behavior, logic, and rules. How your raw data become business objects with behavior, logic, and rules. How your business objects traverse tiers and cross the network … securely and reliably. How your business objects traverse tiers and cross the network … securely and reliably. How you query for them with LINQ and save changes transactionally. How you query for them with LINQ and save changes transactionally. How you do all of this at scale and with maximum performance. How you do all of this at scale and with maximum performance. DevForce Data Services fills this gap so you don’t have to reinvent it, cobble it, maintain it, and defend it. DevForce Data Services fills this gap so you don’t have to reinvent it, cobble it, maintain it, and defend it. We’ve got eight years of tough customer experience, with production applications in the field spanning the spectrum of .NET client technologies: WinForms, ASP.NET, WPF, and now Silverlight. We’ve got eight years of tough customer experience, with production applications in the field spanning the spectrum of. NET client technologies: WinForms, ASP.NET, WPF, and now Silverlight.

Features

Why DevForce? Why DevForce?
Data Access

N-tier data access is hard. N-tier data access is hard. Constructing a remote domain model for your data is hard. Constructing a remote domain model for your data is hard. DevForce simplifies n-tier persistence and provides a rich domain model on which to build your application. DevForce simplifies n-tier persistence and provides a rich domain model on which to build your application. Stop writing plumbing and infrastructure code and focus on your business logic and user experience. Stop writing plumbing and infrastructure code and focus on your business logic and user experience.

Single Domain Model

You should not have to duplicate your business logic in multiple places. You should not have to duplicate your business logic in multiple places. The mobile business objects in DevForce enable you to use a single domain model whether you are writing client-side or server-side. The mobile business objects in DevForce enable you to use a single domain model whether you are writing client-side or server-side. The same domain model works with all of our DevForce products, so you can have multiple faces for your application in different technologies such as WPF, WinForms, ASP.NET, or Silverlight. The same domain model works with all of our DevForce products, so you can have multiple faces for your application in different technologies such as WPF, WinForms, ASP.NET, or Silverlight.

Rich Domain Model

DevForce provides you with rich business objects with real behavior. DevForce provides you with rich business objects with real behavior. Use a domain model that represents your problem, not just flat data transfer objects, where you have to do all the bookkeeping and re-implement your logic. Use a domain model that represents your problem, not just flat data transfer objects, where you have to do all the bookkeeping and re-implement your logic.

Verification Engine

Verify the correctness of your business objects and provide helpful error messages to the user. Verify the correctness of your business objects and provide helpful error messages to the user. Supports cross-field, cross-object, and dynamic validation, and seamlessly integrates with Silverlight validation. Supports cross-field, cross-object, and dynamic validation, and seamlessly integrates with Silverlight validation. This keeps your business logic in your business objects and out of the UI. This keeps your business logic in your business objects and out of the UI.

Entity Framework Integration

Standardize on Microsoft’s next generation ORM framework. Standardize on Microsoft’s next generation ORM framework. DevForce is built upon the Entity Framework, enables it to work in n-tier, makes it easier to use, and adds all the features you see here plus more. DevForce is built upon the Entity Framework, enables it to work in n-tier, makes it easier to use, and adds all the features you see here plus more.

Security

DevForce is integrated with the ASP.NET Membership, Roles, and Profiles services so you can reuse your existing security infrastructure. DevForce is integrated with the ASP.NET Membership, Roles, and Profiles services so you can reuse your existing security infrastructure. If you require a custom authentication strategy, DevForce provides an interface so you can implement your own custom logic. If you require a custom authentication strategy, DevForce provides an interface so you can implement your own custom logic. Also, no connection string is exposed on the client and server-side security checks prevent unauthorized access even if the client is compromised. Also, no connection string is exposed on the client and server-side security checks prevent unauthorized access even if the client is compromised.

Caching & Performance

DevForce applications are snappy because the domain model executes inside the Silverlight client. DevForce applications are snappy because the domain model executes inside the Silverlight client. Client-side caching greatly reduces the number of trips to the server and simplifies asynchronous programming. Client-side caching greatly reduces the number of trips to the server and simplifies asynchronous programming. Data compression further reduces network latency and improves performance. Data compression further reduces network latency and improves performance.

Full n-tier LINQ Support

Get the full power of LINQ in an n-tier application. Get the full power of LINQ in an n-tier application. LINQ-to-Entities only operates 2-tier, and other LINQ implementations only support a narrow range of queries. LINQ-to-Entities only operates two-tier, and other LINQ implementations only support a narrow range of queries. DevForce supports them all including subqueries, projections, and aggregation. DevForce supports them all including subqueries, projections, and aggregation.

MVVM and Best Practices

DevForce is built around good architectural practices such as MVC and MVVM and enables you to conveniently keep your UI and business logic where they belong without sacrificing usability or functionality. DevForce is built around good architectural practices such as MVC and MVVM and enables you to conveniently keep your UI and business logic where they belong without sacrificing usability or functionality.

Offline Execution

Use your application while disconnected or partially connected to the internet. Use your application while disconnected or partially connected to the internet. Save your work in isolated storage and resume working later. Save your work in isolated storage and resume working later.

Multiple Data Sources

Use multiple back-end databases in a single domain model. Use multiple back-end databases in a single domain model. Navigate cross-database relations using object properties. Navigate cross-database relations using object properties. Save all your changes safely in a distributed transaction. Save all your changes safely in a distributed transaction.

Scalability

Client-side caching, connection pooling, and a stateless and multi-core enabled server provide DevForce applications with excellent scalability and fault-tolerant characteristics. Client-side caching, connection pooling, and a stateless and multi-core enabled server provide DevForce applications with excellent scalability and fault-tolerant characteristics.

Lifecycle Events

In addition to writing static business logic, you can dynamically modify behavior at runtime by injecting your logic before or after a get or set, and by hooking into the object lifecycle events (fetching, fetched, saving, saved). In addition to writing static business logic, you can dynamically modify behavior at runtime by injecting your logic before or after a get or set, and by hooking into the object lifecycle events (fetching, fetched, saving, saved).


Filed under: .NET, Architecture, Database, Design, Products Tagged: .NET, ADO.NET, BLL, DAL, DB, DevForce, EF, EF4, Entity Framework, Rules

Written by Visitor Blogs on August 6th, 2010 with no comments.
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Reverse Logistics: Solutions, Software, Services, Technology

Reverse Logistics Magazine – Reverse Logistics: Customer Satisfaction, Environment Key to Success in the 21st Century

  • Damaged merchandise
  • Seasonal inventory
  • Restock
  • Salvage
  • Recalls
  • Recycling
  • Hazardous material
  • Obsolete equipment disposition
  • Asset recovery

Reverse Logistics Executive Council

One major challenge for logistics providers is performing all tasks for the retailer, including:

  • Collection
  • Scanning
  • Credit store and invoice vendor
  • Product disposition

Reverse Side Of Logistics: The Business Of Returns – Forbes.com

Reverse Logistics services

Repair Depot Refurbishing / Testing / Screening Recycling
Resellers/brokers – B-Channel IT Management Software Help Desk / Call Center Support
3PL (3rd Party Logistics) Fulfillment & Kitting Warehousing
End of Life Management Field Service Spare Parts Management
Warranty Management Replacement Management Asset Management
Destruction Certification SLA Service Lifecycle Agreement

Reverse Logistics Wiki : Reverse Logistics Lexicon

Is Six Sigma Worth It?

By Natalie Rhode, Johnson, Fain & Rhode, LLC
Almost everyone has heard the buzz about “Six Sigma”… it’s something that many large corporations are implementing and by all accounts, it is saving them millions, if not billions, of dollars. You may have even done some research to learn what Six Sigma is about and realize that it requires:

  • Program Structure,
  • Organization Culture,
  • Formal Problem Solving,
  • Statistical Experts,
  • Key Metrics &
  • Program Effectiveness.

Certainly, it is impossible to embark on a journey to Six Sigma without an investment.
The real key, however, is determining whether that investment has the opportunity to improve your business’s financial performance. Two key measures that can provide this answer are your business’s overall Sigma Level Performance and the associated estimation of your Cost of Poor Quality. We have developed a tool which calculates these measures based on industry data and three (3) significant data points from you…

1) Number of Opportunities for Defects,

2) Number of Defects and

3) Annual Sales.

It really is that simple to quickly estimate the potential impact a Six Sigma Program can have on your business results.

Key Reverse Logistics Management Elements

• Gate keeping
• Compacting Disposition Cycle Time
• Reverse Logistics Information Systems
• Central Return Centers
• Zero Returns
• Remanufacture and Refurbishment
• Asset Recovery
• Negotiation
• Financial Management
• Outsourcing

Process Improvement

In attempting to improve reverse logistics processes, a firm can move along several fronts. Suggested improvements are listed in the table:

  • Streamline turn-in procedures
  • Route items with an eye to what happens to them next
  • Integrate the forward and reverse pipelines
  • Explore the potential of commercial software applications or techniques for improving reverse flow management
  • Align financial incentives with improvements

Key functions in the system include:
• Forecasting
• Planning
• Inventory Control, Tracking and Delivery
• Field Resupply
• Reverse and Forward Logistics
• Depot Repair

Logistics Support Management Systems Functions and General Specifications

The required computerized field service logistics management systems (FSLMS) technology needs to be organized in terms of the following major functions or modules:

Logistics Management and Control (LOG)

including parts order entry and order processing, inventory tracking and control, physical distribution and courier resupplies and (as an option), depot repair/rehabilitation scheduling and control.

Financial Control and Accounting (FCA)

including billing and invoicing to insure full revenues for logistic services rendered, including warranty, extended warranty, and service contract administration, and financial control of the revenue and cost components of service logistics operations.

Logistics Database Management and Reporting (DBMR)

this function must include standard and ad hoc reporting, with 4GL capabilities, using a relational or networked database.

Special Logistics Document & Configuration Control System

to support need for drawings and configuration documents from the field. This may be satisfied by a corporate wide system or make use of in Computed Aided Logistics Support (CALS) type technology.

Contract Life Cycle Management (CLCM).

This function provides visibility of the complete span of customer relationships from the prospect and proposal stage though quotation to active service contract. The facility includes, in addition, configuration management and revision tracking.

Logistics Management and Control (LMC).

The functionality required in the FSMS system should provide basic logistics management and support of the total inventory. The support should include techniques for managing and controlling the complete field inventory and spare parts “pipeline,” including central and regional depots, down to the field customer service engineer level,
and trunk stock, and at field sites, and the return cycle to a central repair depot, to include the following:

Inventory Tracking and Control (ITC)

of the full logistics pipeline (from central warehouse to the field customer service engineer level) and/or field site level to keep track of in-transit inventory, returned parts and equipment, borrowing control, repair/rehab stock control. Data should be reported and tracked for effective and defective parts status, by stock keeping unit (SKU).

Order Entry and Processing (OEP)

to include on-line entry of orders, order pricing, order tracking and updating, allocation of inventory, automatic back ordering as required, generation of picking documents, shipping papers and transportation documents (shipment optimization, way bills, and freight manifests), and recording/capturing data for later billing and
invoicing of the customer.

Part Management Agreements (PMA)

to include parts on customer site or  in special stocking locations, monitor used parts and their replenishment, revision compatibility with customer equipment.

Equipment Configuration Maintenance (ECM)

to keep track of the installed base of equipment and networks being serviced and supported, the manufacturer of the equipment in the case of third party maintenance, and
any relocations of equipment and networks in the field. Wherever applies the function will monitor the revision of the equipment installed and software used and be updated whenever they are revised.

Inventory Forecasting and Planning (IFP)

for all inventory stocking points, to better plan and forecast inventory and to optimize total inventory levels within the logistics pipeline.

Depot Rework/Refurb Operations Control (DRROC)

to schedule, track, and process material through the repair rework facility.

Inventory Replenishment (IR)

to include generation of material requisitions to the next higher inventory stocking level. Identification of primary and secondary sources of supply for spare parts and consumables, generation of purchase orders to vendors or replenishment order to manufacturing facilities, quality control processing and receipt processing to update
inventory.

Physical Distribution (PD)

to include management control, dispatch, tracking of physical delivery of parts to sites via courier, or dedicated mobile van. This function must link at a general level to the manufacturing systems and technology in order to automatically order proprietary product spares as required to maintain the service inventory at optimum levels,
and report on product quality as delivered (i.e., DOA in field, and product MTBF and MTTR).

Financial Support

including billing and invoicing. The key required basic functions include financial accounting and control, and profit and loss analysis to include the following:

Cost Allocation

of direct and indirect logistics service expenses to accurately reflect the profitability of the logistics service organization by service portfolio as a whole, and by major element, by customer segments and for major customer accounts, service area, service technician/mechanic, or other criteria.

Customer Credit Checking

to validate the customer’s credit status for time and material and contract service calls.

Profit Contribution Analysis

to determine profitability for the service organization and by portfolio segment, specific types of service call, service area, service technician/mechanic, customer, type of equipment being maintained, maintenance contract or any combination of the above. This function must be able to link to the corporate financial system, and
administration systems, if required.

Logistics Database Management and Reporting

The service logistics management system should also include an integrated database management system, including a comprehensive structured database to provide timely, accurate, and flexible information for reporting to all levels of the field service management and service organization structure basic reports to be generated by
the system.

Logistics & Technical Document Storage and Retrieval

This function should include the capability to store and retrieve documents, and images, and other graphics and should be compatible and/or linked to the Corporate Engineering support document retrieval system.

Logistics Planning & Forecasting Functions

This functionality should include the full capability for planning and forecasting at both the strategic and tactical level.

Depot Repair Systems

The required computerized depot repair service management systems technology should be organized into the following. Key functions, include:

Repair Entry Processing (RFP)

including front-end screening for no trouble found units; repair entry, routing, tracking and control, identify repair item, assign work order/control number, route by type of repair/type of unit

Depot Service Planning and Scheduling (SPS)

including the management requirements for doing simple and complex depot repair and refurbishment tasks such as contract repair management, system
integration, reverse engineering, etc.

Leveraging Technology in Reverse Logistics

Reverse Logistics face many challenges, such as:

Poor systems

ERP, financial, CRM, Warehouse and logistics systems that were designed to move product in a forward supply chain through manufacturing to the end customers. Little or no thought has been devoted in these systems to handling the returns, especially in a mid or high volume environment.

Communication

effectively handling a returned unit through the full reverse supply chain cycle involves many more people than were required through forward logistics. Communication or processing maybe required by the customer, Customer Service, Receiving, Shipping, Finance, repair or refurbishment, inventory managers, sales (for the refurbished goods). This communication is further complicated since one or more of these processes may be outsourced.

Many Systems

often many systems, spreadsheets and manual lists are utilized to process the returned unit. Often difficult and time consuming processes and reconciliations are required to keep these systems running smoothly.

Few resources

lack of financial, Information Technology (IT) or people resources.

Little Direction

few organizations have allocated management or executive level resources and time to the area of Reverse Logistics.

Formal Processes

“First we define and document the processes we will use to process our client’s returns. Then we configure our technology to meet their needs”. The formal processes ensure everyone understands what will be done and then we use technology to monitor our progress.

Visibility

You should be able to follow a returned item through it full processing life cycle. If a customer calls with query about the status of a serial numbered item, “I can
provide them with an instant answer without leaving my desk”. Partner visibility is also essential. “Our clients have access to our system to answer their own inquiries, perform analysis or prepare their plans and forecasts.”

Integrated Systems

our ability to exchange a lot of data with our clients ERP system, enables us both the streamline our processes. For instance, when we receive a unit for one of their Return Authorizations (RMA or RA), our system automatically notifies their ERP system so it can begin credit processing for that customer’s RMA.

Accurate Data

Reverse Logistics processes are data intensive. “We capture data at every step in the process.” This ensures a well documented audit trail should any questions or difficulties arise. Accurate, verifiable data is required to present to the different groups who are impacted by the returns. For instance Product Development needs to be certain the product failure data is accurate before they are willing to implement a manufacturing change.

Using technology to improve your Reverse Logistics is likely one of the best opportunities to reduce costs and increase profits for your company. A lot of success has been demonstrated in the forward supply chain. It is now time to take a closer look at your Reverse Supply chain.

2004
Seeking Excellence Within the Four Walls of the Warehouse
Going Backwards: Reverse Logistics Trends and Practices University of Nevada, Reno
Center for Logistics Management. Dr. Dale S. Rogers, Dr. Ronald S. Tibben-Lembke ©
1998, Reverse Logistics Executive Council
University of Nevada Logistics Council (UNLC) This UNR student organization assists logistics
students with career planning, resume development, and industry relations.
UNR Center for Logistics Management The mission of the Center for Logistics Management at
the University of Nevada is to create and disseminate new knowledge in business logistics and
related areas, educate students and practitioners in logistics excellence, and to contribute to the
effective practice of logistics management.
International Journal of Logistics Management (IJLM) Provides a global forum for the exchange of
new ideas and practices in the dynamic field of logistics management and the emerging area of
supply chain management.
The Council of Logistics Management (CLM) The mission of the Council of Logistics
Management is to serve the evolving logistics profession by developing, advancing, and
disseminating logistics knowledge.
The Educational Society for Resource Management APICS is a not-for-profit international
educational organization respected throughout the world for its education and professional
certification programs.

Filed under: Architecture, Design, Links, News Tagged: Carriers, Customer Service, Diagrams, Disposition, ERP, Products, Returns, Reverse Logistics, RL, RMA, Software, Verticals, Warehouse, Warranty

Written by Visitor Blogs on August 4th, 2010 with no comments.
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Go with the Flow: A Resource-Oriented Approach to Data Integration

The Web is a collection of loosely coupled servers that rely on simple, stateless interactions between client and server. Standard access protocols (TCP/HTTP), stateless access methods (GET/PUT/POST/DELETE) and simple data formats (HTML) make it possible for any client (e.g., a browser) to render any Web page.

Technically, this is known as a REpresentational State Transfer, or REST architecture. Adopting the REST architectural style is gaining popularity and is sometimes referred to as a Resource-Oriented Architecture, or ROA.

The complexity of the nearly unlimited combinations of protocols, methods and schemas required for traditional data integration creates a morass of integration protocols, access methods and data schemas that results in massive investments that lack the four fundamentals required.

Is it any wonder that data integration solutions eventually collapse under their own weight? The ongoing maintenance required to support application revisions on different platforms can eventually consume all available development resources.

Often, for commercial integration solutions, the complexity of the connectivity matrix expands to the point where core product innovation suffers.

Adopting Internet standards like HTTP and a REST provide the technology foundation for interoperability as well as the ability to take advantage of the wide
range of infrastructure technologies built for the Web. Inexpensive — sometimes even commoditized — caching, load balancing, security, access control, logging, as well as search indexing all make this web-based approach to data integration significantly cheaper and powerful than traditional approaches.
Additionally, when these deployment technologies are combined with an open development model and a store for sharing and reselling snaps developed by an ecosystem of application and API experts, sharing and reuse multiplies exponentially as well.

When a community of developers collaborate, share and re-use each other’s components, and deploy them on a common infrastructure, technology and
methodology reinforce one another to realize the full potential of resource-oriented data services.

Deployments

Integrations take a variety of forms from building a data warehouse to creating ad hoc reports and analyses, to Enterprise Mashups or deploying Rich Internet Applications.

Analytic Data Integration

The solution can play two different roles in the world of Analytics and Business Intelligence.

First, it can provide the lightweight, flexible, and affordable data services access layer that enterprises desperately need, in order to take full advantage of their substantial investments in data warehouses for Business Intelligence, Customer Data Integration, and Master Data Management projects.

In many organizations, IT has worked hard to create centralized data warehouses with “clean,” up-to-date customer records and other vital data. Unfortunately, they often find that there’s no affordable, efficient way to distribute the data out to departments and divisions, where it needs to be used, limiting the utility and return on their investment. Lacking a downstream data services access layer, organizations begin duplicating data and investing in duplicate infrastructure: local databases built from extracts of the core data records.

In some large organizations, IT workers rely on tens of thousands of local databases and thousands of daily FTP transmissions to make up for the lack of real-time, downstream data services. By providing secure, real-time access to core data warehouses, can improve the quality and timeliness of data, while reducing the need for duplicate IT resources and timeconsuming management tasks.

Solutions can:
Provide secure data services from centralized data warehouses, such as MDM data warehouses
Transform data as needed for consumption by downstream applications
Eliminate the need for costly infrastructure and processes, such as duplicate databases and daily extracts and FTP transmissions

Summary

RESTful interface

Leverages existing consumer Web investment in hardware, software, and training

Supports enterprise security controls

Simplifies development through loose coupling

Scales across every enterprise

Data access from any source: enterprise applications, hosted applications, SOA, databases, data warehouses, MDM/CDI, Web sites, RSS, etc.

Eliminates needs for costly data extracts, duplicate databases, time-consuming custom development, etc.

Provides a consistent framework for data integration (ubiquitous access to data)

Searchable distributed repositories of reusable components Accelerates development

Supports best practices, security policies, etc.

Increases ROI

Reduces errors

Index-able distributed metadata and browser-based design tools

Supports self-service by IT engineers and business analysts (ubiquitous access of data)

Accelerates delivery of data to business users

Reduces IT workload, while still providing control and governance ?


Filed under: Architecture, Database, Design, Images, Products Tagged: Arch, Architect, Architecture, Images, Layers, Snaplogic, Tiers, Whitepapers

Written by Visitor Blogs on August 2nd, 2010 with no comments.
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Master Data Management

C:\Code\ASP.NET\GridEdit\BulkEditGridView\BulkEditGridView
C:\Code\ASP.NET\GridEdit\Current\Source\OnProcessTechControlsUI.sln
C:\Documents and Settings\bsubramaniam\My Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\WebApplication1\WebApplication1.sln

Filed under: Architecture, Database, Design, Oracle, Products Tagged: BI, Business Intelligence, Data Warehouse, DW, master data management, MDM, Oracle, SQL

Written by Visitor Blogs on July 2nd, 2010 with no comments.
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