The thing about Mainframe outsourcing is that it covers a lot of ground. You may be facing near-term need for a total transformation to retain functionality. Or maybe your in-house systems just need a little fine-tuning. Working with the right consultants will help you find better solutions.

They know IT.

Today’s Mainframe outsourcing environment is complex, to say the least. Tricky, even, because it’s rapidly evolving. Keeping up with all these changes is a career in itself – their career. You can rely on their knowledge and the resulting advice, because consultants exist to help companies like yours find the most strategic, cost-effective IT solutions.

They’re used to reconfiguring the puzzle pieces to tailor solutions for each client. They not only know what’s available out there, they understand how the options can be combined to drive successful results. Results that match your unique requirements.

They know business.

The best Mainframe outsourcing consultants have worked in management positions across a broad range of industries. They understand first-hand what’s most important to you and why. They can also see things you may not, even when it comes to internal needs or priorities. Sometimes you’re just too close to the forest to see the trees.

You’ll benefit through them from the experiences of companies that have made the transformative leap before you – what worked well or not with particular solutions, but also their experiences with specific vendors.

Consultants can help you thoroughly analyze your current IT infrastructure and services, to build a business case that leaves nothing out, so you can make informed Mainframe outsourcing decisions. They know how to read between the lines to uncover even the least obvious gaps or opportunities. You know from your own experience that it’s often those small missteps that can wreak havoc on your plans and budget.

They have your back.

It’s their job to help you, not sell you something. They bring no preconceived notions to your table, and they have no vested interest in what you choose to do or pay for. They’re free to give you their best advice. And they will.

They won’t pull any punches with you, either, and you should be especially glad of that. Unfortunately, some companies have suffered when trying to make corporate life-changing decisions about Mainframe outsourcing internally, because members of their team have based “findings” on personal interests or worries, rather than the broader corporate good.

So here you are, seriously contemplating how to go about assessing the value of Mainframe outsourcing.  If you’ve reached this point, you’ve already determined that the status quo is no longer valuable. You may not be experiencing alarming problems yet, but they’ll crop up soon, with the worst possible timing and drawbacks.

You need to protect your pipeline, your competitive edge and your company’s future with forward thinking and proactive measures. Mainframe outsourcing consultants can help find solutions to:

• Manage your IT operations to ensure flexibility, scalability and the 24/7 support and near 100% uptime critical to your daily operations.
• Migrate data center operations while controlling escalating costs, adopting the latest methods and thoughtful advance planning to achieve fast, smooth transition.
• Institute disaster recovery planning that takes into account pertinent industry and governmental regulations and execution that ensures minimum downtime and continued productivity, all at least cost.
• Streamline your technology architecture, by reviewing hardware and software needs and investigating server consolidation options, the latest networking and storage solutions and, of course, sourcing options.
• Make runtime improvements that boost efficiency and profitability.

Put it all together and you get Mainframe outsourcing guidance you can take to the bank. A faster, smoother decision-making process. Stronger, fact-based decisions aimed directly at achieving your company’s goals and day-to-day needs. Bottom-line-conscious solutions that position you solidly but flexibly for future growth. All because you made the right first decision – to seek assistance from professional, knowledge consultants. 

Photo credit:  Pete Prodoehl via Flickr