Latest SAP Solution Manager release features long-awaited updates

SAP Solution Manager 7.1 offers SAP TechEd promising improvement over previous versions of a series this week to increase the adoption of the vehicle is released for general availability. However, many companies are not aware of this already.

SAP Solution Manager in earlier versions, it does not work with their clients. Consequently, it was difficult to see at the moment versions 7.0 and 7.1.

"On the Solution Manager Solution Manager 7.0 and 7.1 present a series of tangible improvements in cost savings. However, many [customers] are still thinking about version 3.0, "Anja-Christina Bruehling said Vice President of Global Support for SAP partners active in the overall management and training.

Another problem faced by SAP customers’ information was initially overwhelming.

"We found that to boil the ocean, we have the most value for customers, working part of the Solution Manager can help you," Andrew Graham, Active Global Support for the joint managing director, said. SAP Solution Manager project outset, it is the most active customers of SAP Solution Manager, said Graham, event management and change management, Think proposed.

Some customers, the tool management requirements adopted. Ron Person, director of Alcatel-Lucent technical integration of SAP, SAP Solution Manager uses his company busy.

"We started by driving a 4.0 Project Solution for blueprinting," he said. "Although the project was stopped before the execution, the experience has given us a good idea of ​​how I can do."

Was necessary to serve the people's attention again turned to SAP Solution Manager, SAP.

"We are a business support, it makes sense to use" SAP Solution Manager offers customers subscribe to the premium given to what is available as a free person, he said.

SAP Solution Manager 7.1 new features

SAP Solution Manager 7.1 Web-based management consulting and change simplified user interface for event management and test management component tester List for Business offers a new intuitive user interface. These panels help protect businesses, business processes, information and transparency "to provide a single version of truth," he said Bruehling.

In addition, the final models feature new order for SAP and non SAP systems outside the control box comes with. Special surveillance applications, the integration of SAP NetWeaver Process, SAP NetWeaver and SAP BW to BusinessObjects available.

Update a "norms" Marc explains that the division of their SAP Lifecycle Management, vice president, said that some customers of the ramp-7.1 were able to complete the upgrade within two weeks. He also created a great impact for existing customers of SAP Solution Manager to be used for all documents, including a new user interface, management of change requests for conversion (attraction) and event management said it was necessary for the commissioning.

What customers say about SAP Solution Manager?

Alcatel and Lucent merge, blueprinting and implementation of the feature attraction for the company to customize using the SAP Solution Manager 7.0 If you have a completely new system with the supply chain. And society as we move from an environment of Oracle ERP SAP ERP, Solution Manager, and Alcatel-Lucent uses to manage the development of projects related to the assignment.

Person, firm, said today the memory of SAP Solution Manager, with a few, but in different ways.

"France we have an ongoing program Solution Manager is the same heliographic height but do not use," he said.

The company is also currently a number of changes to business processes of an "ERP" works. Solution Manager for project-related changes in People standard to protect the ability of heliographic sees an opportunity to use.

Some of the new features in version 7.1 is no longer a person of recognized interest. "Documents contrast, the literature project, validation, version 7.1 is interesting," he said.

SAP Solution Manager 7.1 offers new features in the Warren Debbas, using the team manager based Hallmark Cards. Currently, the company is still relatively new, and the implementation of SAP, SAP Solution Manager uses only for surveillance. Debba as current as possible, because the company opted to keep the SAP Solution Manager, Hallmark Cards is probably next year, 7.1 in the market, he said.

"7.1 Framework for monitoring and dashboard capabilities, change is good," he said Debbie.

Google enterprise apps gaining, but as supplements -- not substitutes

They are inexpensive. They (except if they are not) can be accessed from any device with a browser. The federal government this summer, they prefer the Interior Ministry to check whether Microsoft has made its mark. Mobility Motorola Inc. are large companies like Google Inc. and U. S. News top 100 universities in 61 Heck probably knew that before moving, and the latest World Report rankings Google has been moved to Google Apps and Google corporate blog, launched this week.

Four million companies with enterprise applications from Google, an increase of 3 million a year before use. And accelerating the pace: The company said that 5000 companies every day, your Google Apps account records. Squad Google is developing very rapidly in this area. The company used today, more than 1000 team implementation, doubling the number of employees in just 18 months earlier, a Google spokesman confirmed.

However, on the verge of great success in business enterprise applications in Google? Analysts tracking the simple-minded monitoring of the labor market, not the company's future. Step taken in large enterprises, these practices are still an integral, but anywhere to change the Microsoft Office applications, and is usually applied in the business, rather than the different working groups. However, always Google the right to develop their messaging and collaboration for businesses wanting to make the short list with Microsoft and IBM, these analysts are quick to add. Unlike a few years ago, the interest goes beyond an attempt to Gmail.

Free your staff "person is not satisfied with your current e-mail, e-mail instead, Google is looking," Ted Schadler, Forrester Research Inc. analyst, and strengthened according to the authors, the basic energy to its customers and business transformation. "People do things and how to get the benefits, and offers an important difference in how a work platform for SaaS-based delivery is supported [Software as a Service] as an important transition looking for on Google. Simply does not make a decision. "

To go to Google management

In the company are looking for on Google or other collaboration platform SaaS, a number of reasons, but a growing mobile workforce and IT systems needed to support the rapid change of the activity are two important factors, Schadler said. Usually, Microsoft and Lotus software messaging and collaboration running an earlier version and would be an upgrade. "Google is not the first in the list, once a short list of questions is," he said. CIO - even CEOs and boards of directors - rather than push, the staff are, Forrester found. SaaS is a work product is detected, and yes, the cost is a real grabber. "Look or feel or behave like a solution based on old plants, and some people hate, but I'm not very cheap, "he said.

Lincoln Property Co. It has a more or how things were few, Jay Kenney CIO of Novell GroupWise for its 4,000 employees in 2010, Google Apps, a management company based in Dallas, by changing the electronic mail system, he said. Possible to move the SaaS platform is a practice management infrastructure and strategy in line with each contract, but Google Apps is not your favorite. "Google Apps in the business model there is only one case has been published. Internalization or out, or was the leading candidate of change," he said. Turned out to be a compelling business case, "It's cheaper than anything else was out there," he said. "Change management is really harder - to reach users through the company is comfortable with the new system.”

Who does not need Google Apps?

CIOs Whit said, Google can not afford not to look at the option, Andrews principal analyst at Gartner Inc., Google "This e-mail, and a solution is good enough for Google Apps for documents, many people within organizations continues to grow, "he said.

It is important to define good enough. Google in the Office family of applications business for employees who need access to a large number of old applications with less sense. In addition, critical business processes or BPM, Office applications and SharePoint available to resident companies many stores management heavy, but Andrews said.

In addition, the data are not suitable cloud-based messaging and collaboration you need to know that the rest of the business world, companies without a cloud in many places, the bandwidth and reliable companies to infrastructure have no experience, Schadler, Forrester said.

As for the attitude, "remove and replace, it will go all" - not, analysts agree. "Google Apps rather than the more commonly used as a complement," said Andrews. In fact, measures are rarely computer systems are large. "These people are not my photos on a hard disk, stored on Flickr, as now, such as Microsoft Office and do not shoot."

For most companies are moving to Google Apps "pure cost game" starts, the organization has recommended Jason Lee, a partner MavenWave Partners LLC, a consulting firm based in Chicago (and Google partner) agree move the cloud. I recognize, however, Schadler, Forrester, companies in the first decision to move the site, or a solution based on non-local programs should consider is whether you want to continue.

This client MavenWave Journal Communications Inc., a Milwaukee was the case with the media. It was close to the renovation and large enterprise agreement with Microsoft, and separate IT infrastructures, including multiple versions of 17 deployments, and Microsoft Exchange. New CIO, Michael O'Brien, who brought on board, "changing the driver," said Lee.

Earlier, at the beginning of a CIO, cloud computing, O'Brien, was shaken. The purpose of communication possible in the cloud "is to put as many daily operations. Thus, despite the company's contract with Microsoft, Google Apps has caused the situation to pass. Until 2012, when everyone 27 000 employees, the difference is a significant change in the last message of the organization on Google Apps "among the hundreds of MS Exchange Server and SharePoint, and not just" O'Brien was founded. "doubted the task to find the first on board, and even some of the people."

In fact, O'Brien decided to go to the Google cloud computing is not prone to the Company believes that the most difficult things for the house to look at the many companies that bet MavenWave Lee. "Cooperation, technology base is probably the best place to invest in internal IT assets, the difference should be much chat for CIOs," he said.

And financial forecasts - a problem for the owner of O'Brien and Lincoln Kenney involves a lot of work to manage change.

Tips for making the business case for CRM analytics – and what can be gained

Exceed customer expectations with the level of service organizations in the fight to provide exceptional customer service. Without the right technology and processes in place, companies can not achieve this level of service. Analytical CRM is where it can support.

Today, call center organizations, including sales teams and marketing and social media platforms, including large amounts of customer data from multiple sources to collect. These customer data within the organization, but not always, as a follow-up analysis and a complete history of client can be the use of agents.

CRM analysis and how it can benefit an organization

CRM customer data from multiple channels are used to analyze large volumes of a series of analytical tools and processes. Analytical CRM strategy, management institutions and to obtain valuable information about customers can track all communications with their customers.

Kate Leggett, senior analyst at Forrester Research Inc. and an expert on strategies for customer service, organizations need three things to offer exceptional customer service, he said.

"You e-mail or instant messaging client, such as Twitter, a communication channel of communication can continue to start and want to ensure that the next channel. In addition, consistency and wants to offer all customers the same information for all channels, "he said.

Finally, Leggett customer interactions with customers having to repeat that each new communication should be based on previous interactions, he said. CRM Analytics provides the basic functionality of this organization needs.

Scenarios CRM Investment Analysis for General

A company can have several reasons for the assessment of CRM needs. A company that customers do not know the difference, in most cases, the first important indicator.

Company policy or regulatory compliance, control operating costs arising out of or from time to time as a business, a bad time to invest in satisfaction scores show that customer service when the analytical CRM is common to other situations.

To analyze the CRM decision-making, Leggett recommends a company first customers and understand their needs. Here are some things to watch:

• Customers want the service to the organization? 
• The company wants to support its customers through multiple channels to interact with? 
• Target customers who want to send SMS text messages only have a teenage audience?

Once organizations have a better understanding of customer needs, technology and business processes to improve customer service for a specific plan areas.

Develop a work plan for the analysis of the growing CRM

CRM is an ideal solution for analysis, a good match for the size and structure of the note that you need.

One method uses the information obtained about the information specific to your business needs and growing with the proposed business plan is to meet the small stage.

Incremental control of a work plan in the project will help protect a large budget and organizational changes or business as best you can solve problems that occur during execution.

"Again, what does not, we know that this is a roadmap for incremental improvements. This is the addition of a new communication channel, or may be specific targets, such as improving business processes to ensure that all agents have the same information channels, "Leggett said.

Structural analysis of the CRM project team, the right

Sponsor a project to put the right management team is very important for the proposed analytical CRM. The project is too large or if there are differences between the project team monitors the shareholders.

Leggett team and C-level executives responsible for the implementation and maintenance budget to manage the sponsor recommends starting with a program manager. In other words, a vice president and stakeholders to bring business - a manager or team members and the director of client services can be a bit you can include.

Finally, and one of the leading computer experts to put (the best agents) of the system under test, provide feedback.

Microsoft sharpens Windows Server 8, Azure cloud story

IT managers in Windows shops had questions about Windows Server 8, and is currently, with clouds of blue of the company, the building blocks for the strategy if the service.

From dawn to dusk at the conference this week to build the leaders of Microsoft Server 8 and the Azure platform, linked to the activity of the company in a collaborative relationship, and the message that hitting applications.

In addition, application developers and computer stores with a focus on the company continually evolving, high as a cloud platform of choice is informed by the experience of pushing the technical properties of the server product and service Housing Management of the building.

Al Gillen, Framingham, Massachusetts, an analyst at IDC, said the strong will never between Azure and Windows Server 8.

"We with our customers in a hybrid computing model, facilitate the adoption of Microsoft, both products are waiting for an increase in their use of Windows Azure is built of synergy," said Gillen.

According to Microsoft, Azure applications, Windows, both for data and services via a variety of Web services for federated identity is intended to serve as a platform to provide an identity manager.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft server and tools division of labor, said the head of Bus Services Toolkit for Windows Azure, including the September 8th edition and many new versions of storage, the presence of Windows Azure, and these changes were continued on a monthly basis.

8 Toolkit for Windows Azure links and advice for the use of Windows Azure applications for the construction of examples of Metro-style code, documents, and includes the components.

CONSTRUCTION, Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Azure Platform-as-a-azure main techniques-Service (PaaS) model, partners, and how best to use the cloud to create applications that can be useful. Resources Azure purchase and control, he said, because developers and IT professionals to manage the anxiety it produces enough.

Russinovich also strength, scalable and highly available storage Azure said. Data were repeated three times, and "geo-replication" is reflected in multiple data centers - a fall, even if supported by the data elsewhere, he said.

Back to home that business affects the amount of cloud computing is a highlight of the President and CEO Steve Ballmer said the heart of business from Microsoft - Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox, Office, Bing, and dynamics - while the cloud to be redesigned to work better with.

"You think about the business opportunities in the cloud [Windows developers] can offer," said Steve Ballmer. "Windows Azure, the cloud is an area of ​​value to many developers to work with Windows Live," Ballmer said.

Enterprise Social Software Magic Quadrant: Assess user need first

Social software company intranet, only niche providers that offer some products do not sing the praises of new channels. Social Tools Social Networks Business Software Magic Quadrant is Gartner Inc. According to the latest in the workplace, the platforms of social collaboration, and had become increasingly crowded market has come to represent

Gartner suggests three ways to select providers with a professional - providers of custom applications for social platform, and suppliers of enterprise applications for suppliers in place. Closely with suppliers and companies need to assess the needs of business users and different applications of this kind of decision.

"[Co-pros also] if you bought a product that looks best on behalf of the organization, but not because they actually increase the adoption and ending with a product, the different groups, This is a deep understanding, "said Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Carol Rozwell, author of the report.

Accordance with the tests easier to use is to test software applications for social enterprises.

Ryan Ruta, National Instruments, an architect of social enterprise, the automatic test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, a producer Austin, Texas, platform social networking for the first time in 2007 to Jive Software deployed customer-oriented business units, external monitor social media sites. After two years of successful adoption, Ruta Jive Software platform for social enterprises to cooperate with the pilot decided internally.

"Our staff receives constant influx of new workers ... so we have a lot of new university graduates, "said Ruta.”We wanted to give them a tool, not only are they fun to use, but the most important ... lose weight, and [they] will be encouraged to work for. "

Pilot The pilot group, "NI Discussion," branding the company's internal software for National Instruments as more people heard about the benefits of a rapid increase in demand due to the short duration only lasted two weeks, Ruta said.

"We see ourselves as part of the cooperation of our power and we have approximately 6000 users worldwide in the first three months of 1000, I would say the first month, and 2000, and continue to rise faster ' said Ruta. "In fact, this virus.... has not declared. I was a tool they can use to do the job and accepted today because over 80% of those sent to friends. “Choosing the right social software manufacturer

Author Nikos Drakos, research director of Gartner Magic Quadrant In addition, about two dozen vendors, and three types of providers of social software to perform more or less drops.

Vendors such as Jive social practices, the report said, "and the flow of other systems, [this] to provide information, but with some integration points, all functions of autonomous social software" which can be distinguished.

Platform providers like Microsoft and IBM, portals, content, application, workflow, search capabilities, and as part of a large business portfolio Enter social software. Providers of business applications, including Salesforce.com, such performance management and training of its own, such as "horizontal" process people "people-intensive business processes or vertical, which is incorporated in social functions such as account management and customer service, "said.

User cooperation, but to fall into the bins, such as the need for very fine and should be evaluated on a more strategic approach, Rozwell said.

In addition to testing a variety of applications for business users, IT professionals can also help by buying freemium or low cost of social collaboration tools, users must learn to cooperate "under the radar," he said. Companies often flows malicious activity, such as personal profile pages of users, more powerful search functions, and Twitter, or Facebook, the report suggests that the consumer has accepted high quality tools, Rozwell said.

"They usually provided their own organizations with the tools to find without these tools," he said. "Instead, follow these people and these activities, the manager or co-director of information in order to crush the wise ... try to find groups of people and see what they do - look at the tools , improved productivity in the workplace on the basis of this tool - and the technology will be useful in some cases the beginning. "

Social Networking Software and "Collaboration 2.0"

Jive in January 2010, before the production of National Instruments, Ruta other application vendors and owners of social platforms, including Microsoft and IBM software vendors Atlassian social enterprise is considered a fan.

He said - "[profile] and [message], the answer is to look at Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 is almost able to say the least to be able to [tools] Collaboration 1.0 I know what it is "." We keep the content on the characteristics of mass consumption of a vehicle and wanted to give us something extra. Considered IBM, Microsoft, we look for Jive to look again and again ... and I went [to Jive] easy to use, and use cases [those who worked with the platform jumped]. "

In general, software vendors’ social enterprise Social Software Magic Quadrant report, "good enough" could not pass the threshold and have more advanced features and ease of use has begun to mature. Suppliers and users can also add more widgets, similar to what Google iGoogle years ago; there are web pages that allow you to customize Rozwell said.

"Easy to use, intuitive, simple - we have used in recent years than all the others cliché -. Fluidity see how ridiculous we saw a big difference in the social software platforms and flexibility," he said. "This company is a more natural, and yet we see many features of its public consumption would be to find software platforms."

Ruta is a leader in custom Jive perspective has its own distribution, but is in continuous interaction with users in discussion NI platform independent integration awkward business software developers to create applications National Instruments plug- ins in progress.

This final version 5.0 updated and satisfied with the results, although the Jive platform, the Ruta Management System (CMS) has some room for improvement. Jive set of workflows to use and would like to see is the ability to lock a document being edited. It is a complementary team of software development has evolved from the need to avoid.

"I call Jive Swiss army knife - it is the use of open standards technology, Jive, and try to incorporate more or less, if any," Ruta said.