cloud computing: the ultimate guide to apaas ebook

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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO aPaas

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Page 1: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

aPaas

Page 2: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Table of Contents

Introduction

What is aPaaS?

Why is aPaaS so hot right now?

What are the common features of aPaaS?

What is the business value of aPaaS?

Evaluating aPaaS: Key Questions to Ask

Conclusion

3

4

13

20

29

34

37

Page 3: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Application Platform as a Service

(aPaaS) is one of the hottest areas of

cloud computing, and rightfully so, as

it can dramatically improve the speed

and ease with which organizations

deliver custom business applications.

The challenge for IT professionals is

that aPaaS is an emerging market.

There’s a lot of confusion about what

aPaaS is (and isn’t)—an issue that’s

compounded by vendors taking

a variety of different approaches,

including “aPaaS-washing” their

existing technology.

We put together The Ultimate Guide

to aPaaS to shed some much-needed

light on aPaaS: what it is, what’s the

value and how it can help transform

your app delivery approach.

One thing is clear: Traditional App

Delivery is Broken. While the need

has never been greater for custom

apps to grow and differentiate

businesses, they must be delivered in

a more rapid, agile and collaborative

manner than ever before. Fortunately,

the right aPaaS can help.

3

Introduction

3The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Page 4: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

What Is aPaas?

34The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Page 5: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

10,000-foot ViewAn application Platform as a Service (aPaaS)

is a cloud service for designing, building,

deploying and managing custom business

applications. In other words, it’s a single,

comprehensive app delivery platform that

seamlessly supports the entire application

lifecycle.

aPaaS Defined

35The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

COLLABORATE

APPPLATFORM

DES

IGN BUILD

DEPLOYMANAG

E

ITERATE

Analyst Perspectives

“A cloud service that offers

development and deployment

environments for application services.”– Gartner, Inc.

“A publicly available cloud platform

for building, hosting, and launching

customer-created applications.”

– Forrester Research

Beware of aPaaS-washingMany vendors are “aPaaS-washing” their existing technology in the rush to enter the market. One example is solutions that simplify code deployment to the cloud, an approach that offers some efficiency gains, but doesn’t address all the challenges with code-based development. True aPaaS solutions accelerate app development while supporting the entire application lifecycle.

Page 6: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Putting aPaaS into Broader Cloud Context

36The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Before going any further, it’s important to put aPaaS (and its various flavors) into

the broader cloud computing context. Recognizing that the lines between SaaS,

PaaS and IaaS have blurred, Mendix CTO Johan den Haan developed a new

framework to categorize the cloud landscape.

Notice how as you move up the stack, each layer abstracts away from technical

details until you reach the applications themselves. Similarly, the corresponding

target users move progressively from IT to the business users.

READ THE ARTICLE OUTLINING JOHAN’S FULL CLOUD FRAMEWORK

Page 7: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

For this eBook, we’llfocus on three key layers:

Putting aPaaS into Broader Cloud Context

37The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Layer 2: Foundational PaaS – Allows

the developer to concentrate on the

application itself rather than the ancillary

components needed to run it.

Layer 3: aPaaS – Deals with the

application code in its human-readable

form, before compilation. Professional

developers can upload their code to an

aPaaS without having to worry about

compilation or middleware.

Layer 4: Model-Driven aPaaS –

Provides additional support for visual

modeling languages that accelerate

app development, and are often easy

enough for business users with less

development expertise to use effectively.

Page 8: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Not All aPaaS are Equal: Speed vs. Control

38The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

As you may have guessed from looking

at the image on the previous page, not

all aPaaS solutions are created equal.

Generally, the various platforms on the

market are categorized based on the

degree to which they enable developer

speed or control.

For example, Gartner delineates two

categories of aPaaS based on the

developer experience: high-control and

high-productivity. Forrester Research,

meanwhile, distinguishes between cloud

platforms for DevOps Pros, Coders and

Rapid Developers (Figure 2).

Regardless of the precise classification,

it’s clear that there are divergent

philosophies with regards to aPaaS. As

an IT leader, it’s important to evaluate

them carefully and choose the approach

that will deliver the most business value

to your organization in the long run.

Forrester Delineates Cloud Platforms for 3 Types of Developers

Page 9: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Model-Driven aPaaS: Transforming App Development

39The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

In the high-productivity aPaaS category,

there is a subset of platforms that

leverage Model-Driven Development

(MDD) in various ways. MDD is a

software engineering approach that uses

visual models to create applications with

the goal of abstracting away from code

and other technical details in order to

accelerate app delivery timeframes,

while improving business impact.

Previously, the complexity of IT meant

that only highly-skilled specialists

could work in complex programming

languages. But faced with the need for

greater speed and simplicity, companies

are looking to domain experts to take

an active role in the app development

process. The goal of MDD is to make it

easy enough for business-level users

to build apps themselves, as well as

easily understand/review functionality

developed by others. In the process,

professional developers are freed up

to focus on more technical details of

applications, such as integration or

performance.

A visual domain model built using the Mendix App Platform.

Page 10: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Model-Driven aPaaS: Bringing IT & Business Together

310The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

The inherent value of model-driven

aPaaS is that it brings IT and the

business together, enabling more rapid,

iterative and collaborative development.

Because visual models are used to

define application logic, process flow,

layouts, etc., MDD empowers both

developers and business users to rapidly

build applications, without the need for

low-level coding. In fact, an analysis by

global system integrator Capgemini (see

Figure 4) found MDD to be significantly

faster than traditional programming

languages like C# and Java.

In addition, model-driven aPaaS ensures

short feedback cycles as changes to a

model can quickly and directly be tested

in the actual application. It also provides

an excellent communication mechanism

to align business and IT stakeholders,

thereby ensuring greater quality and

more successful outcomes.

Capgemini analysis of MDD vs. traditional programming languages

Page 11: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Model-Driven aPaaS: The Model is the Application

311The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Model Execution vs. Code GenerationThere are several aPaaS offerings that apply MDD principles in some shape or form. The key to realizing the full benefits, though, is to make MDD part of the full app delivery cycle: from design and development through deployment. This calls for an approach where the model is the application. In other words, the platform executes the model in the runtime—a concept known as model execution.

Model execution contrasts to code generation paradigms, where code (e.g. Java or .NET) is generated from a high-level model in order to run the app. These platforms are targeted mainly at developers and require deep technical skills to get applications to work. Moreover, they’re often inflexible, have maintainability challenges and require more hassle to cover enterprise security, scalability and performance requirements.

In short, code generation approaches provide only incremental efficiency gains—while model execution helps organizations to capitalize on the true potential and value of MDD.

“Most of the new productivity platforms

employ an underlying technology we call

metadata execution… Simply put, the

tools output definitions, not code, and the

definitions are then interpreted by the

platform to create the running application.

Metadata definition is far more flexible than

code generation, the productivity technique

that preceded it.”

-Forrester Research

Comparing code generation and model execution techniques

Page 12: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

aPaaS: The iOS of Enterprise App Delivery

312The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

If you think about it, aPaaS is like the iOS for enterprise app delivery. Apple didn’t just introduce a new digital music player; it completely rethought music delivery. Multiple technologies had to come together to make this possible: iTunes, an integrated App Store full of content, ubiquitous Internet, solid state storage, and smaller, faster processors.

Similarly, aPaaS flawlessly integrates a new way of building applications (model-driven development), one-click deployment (cloud), a complete technology stack (scalable and cost effective), content from an ecosystem (App Store), and an engaging platform for social collaboration. Technologies like cloud computing, open source, mobile, social collaboration, web services, and Internet bandwidth had to come together to make this possible.

Just swapping out the stereo for a digital music player didn’t change the game; rethinking music delivery did. aPaaS is one of the fastest-growing IT markets because leading vendors are doing the same: rethinking app delivery.

Converging technologies redefined app delivery, just like they did with music delivery.

Page 13: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Why is aPaaS sohot right now?

313The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Page 14: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

aPaaS Adoption Surging

314The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Just a few years ago, PaaS/aPaaS was barely a blip on the radar. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing segments of the cloud computing market.

IDC estimates that between now and 2017, the PaaS market will grow 30% annually, reaching $14 billion by 2017. Another report published by 451 Research predicts PaaS spending to grow at 36% CAGR, exceeding $20 billion by 2016.

Of the various PaaS sub-categories, aPaaS is contributing more than its share to this torrid growth. That’s because several macro trends are converging, creating unprecedented demand for custom business applications while revealing the inherent limitations with tradition tools and approaches.

In other words, PaaS has become a must-have for today’s enterprise. In the pages that follow, we will explore why.

2012 2016

$5.7B

$20B

Projected PaaS SpendingTotal Growth by 2016

Page 15: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Trend #1: The Pace of Change is Accelerating

315The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Across the board, the pace of change is accelerating rapidly. New products and technologies are being introduced at mindboggling speeds. Moreover, these innovations are reaching mainstream adoption in a fraction of the time it took just a few decades ago.

This rapid change is forcing businesses to constantly generate new sources of growth, innovation, and differentiation. While opportunities are abundant, the window to capitalize on them is smaller than ever.

Consequently, IT teams are under immense pressure to find faster ways of delivering applications to support growing business demands. Equally important, they need to build frequent change into their process, delivering new software on a weekly or even daily basis to react to evolving needs or market conditions.

From No Telephone to Smartphones

Page 16: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Trend #2: Software is Disrupting Industries

316The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Disrupt or be disrupted. That is the harsh reality businesses face today. Thanks to the speed of innovation—and lower barriers to entry—new players are disrupting even the most mature industries.

For proof, look no farther than Uber in transportation, Nest in home hardware, Square in finance and so on. What these innovative companies have in common is the following:

New players disrupting the status quo

App-driven approach

Continuously releasing app enhancements

Whether you’re a startup or established enterprise, custom business applications have become a primary driver for growth and differentiation. Today, every company must think—and act—like a software company. To do so, IT must work more closely with the business and put in the right framework and processes to accelerate application-fueled innovation.

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Trend #3: Consumerization’s Impact on the Enterprise

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It’s easy to cast the “consumerization of IT” as just another overhyped buzzword. In reality, our personal experiences have radically transformed expectations for business apps in the enterprise.

Business users are demanding that IT deliver the same kinds of intuitive and intelligent apps they use every day. Having finally experienced how simple yet powerful software can be, they expect:

Multiple lightweight apps focused on specific needs, not a single monolithic suite

Apps that are so simple and intuitive that extensive training isn’t required

Apps that are available on-demand, from a central App Store

Multi-channel apps that work seamlessly on any device (PC, tablet, or smartphone)

Apps that are developed rapidly, and updated constantly

Page 18: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Reality Check: Enterprise IT Hasn’t Kept Pace

318The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

While the world around them has changed dramatically, many enterprise IT teams remain stuck in the past, bogged down in a quagmire of legacy systems and outdated development methods. They’re unable to keep pace with growing demands because they:

Focus on Keeping the Lights On –80% of IT budgets is spent on maintaining existing systems, leaving little resources for projects aimed at capitalizing on new opportunities.

Treat All Applications the Same – IT addresses all app delivery projects with a single, uniform approach geared towards large, complex and slow-to-change systems.

Rely Solely on Coding – IT continues to rely on code, which is a barrier to rapid, iterative and collaborative development. Developers and business stakeholders lack a common ‘language,’ which makes the process of translating requirements into software too long, too complicated and too risky.

“If we rely solely on coding, we’re

going to fail. It’s too slow. It’s too

inflexible… We can’t move fast

enough.”

John RymerPrincipal AnalystForrester Research

LEARN MORE ABOUT GARTNER’S PACE-LAYERED APP STRATEGY

Page 19: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Traditional App Delivery is Broken

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IT PROJECTS are failing BACKLOGS are growing The BUSINESS is unhappy

A recent McKinsey study re-

veals that 87% of IT leaders

think their competitors are

faster in bringing new ideas

to market. In other words,

only 13% think their organi-

zations are doing well.

$1T94% 87%

Gartner predicts that IT debt

(“the cost of delayed and

deferred maintenance of

the application portfolio”)

threatens to reach one tril-

lion dollars globally by 2015.

The scale of the backlog has

created a systemic risk that

is impacting IT organizations.

According to the Standish

Group, 94% of large IT proj-

ects are either “challenged”

(i.e., over budget, behind

schedule or didn’t meet user

expectations) or fail together.

Of those that fail, 71% do so

because of poor require-

ments management, notes

CIO magazine

Page 20: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

What are the common features of aPaaS?

320The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Page 21: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

At the beginning of this eBook, we

defined an application Platform

as a Service (aPaaS) as a single,

comprehensive platform that supports

the entire application lifecycle. In

this section, we will use that lifecycle

to illustrate the key features of an

enterprise aPaaS.

Design

Build

Deploy

Manage

Collaborate

Iterate

One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

321The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

COLLABORATE

APPPLATFORM

DES

IGN BUILD

DEPLOYMANAG

E

ITERATE

An aPaaS supports the entire application lifecycle

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Agile Project ManagementTo facilitate rapid, iterative and collaborative

development cycles, the aPaaS should be

aligned with the agile/scrum methodologies,

with built-in features for:

Capturing, refining and prioritizing user stories, and managing the project backlog

Estimating and planning sprints and releases

Monitoring sprint progress using scrum boards and burn-down charts

One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

322The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

The Mendix App Platform Buzz feature has Facebook-like activity streams.

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

An aPaaS supports the Design phase of the application lifecycle through agile project

management and social collaboration features.

Social CollaborationMoreover, it’s essential to break down

walls between departments with a central

collaboration space that’s as fun and easy

to use as Facebook. Activity streams,

threads, polls and chat features help spark

conversations that generate new ideas

and refine applications. They also help

keep stakeholders aligned and engaged

throughout the project lifecycle.

Page 23: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Visual Model-Driven DevelopmentModel-Driven Development (MDD)

has emerged as one of the leading

approaches for enabling rapid, collaborative

development. MDD uses visual models

for defining data models, application-

and process logic, user interfaces,

etc. Consequently, both developers

and business users can quickly build

applications, without low-level coding. MDD

also ensures short feedback cycles as

changes can directly be tested in the actual

application.

One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

323The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

The visual modeling environment of the Mendix App Platform.

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

In the Develop phase, it is important to that the aPaaS leverage a development paradigm that

fosters greater communication, productivity and short iterations.

Extend Models with Custom CodeStandard MDD functionality is more

than sufficient for most applications.

However, there may be instances where

developers need to fall back on a general

purpose language to extend a model.

Thus, integration with a 3rd generation

programming language (like Java) is an

important part of a model-driven aPaaS.

Page 24: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Accelerate Development with an App StoreMany aPaaS vendors help further accelerate development productivity with an App Store

populated with pre-built templates, widgets, plugins and even complete business components.

In this sense, developing an app becomes more like “composing” the necessary building

blocks. You’re able to jumpstart the process by easily reusing common components versus

reinventing the wheel each project.

There are two main types of App Stores:

One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

324The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

The Mendix App Store is fully integrated with the development environment, enabling 1-click reuse of application components.

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

Public App Store – A central place for community members to share reusable templates and components. Most are open source, but many App Stores also feature commercial templates and full applications.

Enterprise App Store – A secure app store for IT teams to manage, share and re-use all internal apps and components.

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One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

325The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

One-Click Cloud DeploymentHaving sufficiently improved speed of

development, the last thing you want

is for your team to get bogged down

with deployment issues. Instant cloud

deployment is therefore an essential feature

of aPaaS. With platforms that use executable

models, a single click is typically all that’s

required to run your app in the cloud.

Monitoring Dashboard and AlertsIn addition, an aPaaS typically includes

a central dashboard for managing your

applications, (including availability, security,

performance and scalability), as well as the

ability to easily configure alerts.

Flexible Deployment ModelsWhile the public cloud is often sufficient,

there are scenarios necessitating alternate

deployment options, whether private

cloud, on-premise, or hybrid. Thus, it’s

important that the platform offer flexibility of

deployment Even if this is not an immediate

need, this flexibility can save you major

headaches down the road.

Instantly deploying an app to the Mendix Cloud.

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One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

326The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

Since high-level, visual languages enable domain experts to be part of the development

process, there is an increase in so-called Business Unit Application Development. This should

not be something to be afraid of. In fact, an aPaaS can IT to become more scalable and

responsive, allowing the business to take advantage of more opportunities.

Platforms typically include built-in features that help ensure availability, security, performance

and scalability. In addition, they provide IT with tools to manage all applications from a single

dashboard and enforce workflows around deployment, testing, and configuration. In short, an

aPaaS can help IT can control the app jungle!

A monitoring dashboard showing the status of applications in test, acceptance and production environments.

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One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

327The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

Unique or innovative applications are often marked by unclear requirements, as well as frequent

ongoing changes as needs evolve. Thus, the iterate process extends across the entire lifecycle,

from the initial project phases to apps already in production.

New apps (or functionality) often start with an idea. Business and IT need an environment that

facilitates collaboration, allowing them to work from ideas to apps through frequent iterations.

Since key feedback comes from end-users as they lay their hands on an app, the ability to

provide frequent demos/prototypes and easily incorporate feedback are key aPaaS features.

Closed-Loop FeedbackFor instance, feedback mechanisms can capture end-user feedback and feed it directly to the

development team, fueling ongoing enhancements. Ideally, these mechanism will automatically

capture additional context (user, browser, form, etc.) that allows developers to more easily

understand and address needs.

A feedback form within a Mendix application.

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One Platform for the Entire App Delivery Lifecycle

328The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

DESIGN BUILD DEPLOY MANAGE ITERATE COLLABORATE

Like the iterate phase, collaboration is something that must extend across the entire app

lifecycle. A model-driven aPaaS includes features that bring IT and the business together,

fostering greater collaboration and communication. These features include:

The Mendix App Platform feature for instantly inviting other users toyour app.

Social collaboration capabilitiesto keep all stakeholders aligned and engaged, and facilitate the process of translating requirements into working apps

Model-driven developmentwhich provides a common language for business and IT, allowing them to jointly build, understand, review and refine applications

Sandboxes environments for instantly deploying and sharing demos and prototypes with other users in order to gather feedback and iterate towards a final version

Feedback loops to capture end-user feedback and feed it directly to the development team

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What is the businessvalue of aPaaS?

329The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

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aPaaS Unlocks Significant Business Value

330The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

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Business Value of aPaaS

331The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Greater IT-Business CollaborationHistory has shown that improving developer productivity alone has only marginal impact on app delivery success. Model-driven aPaaS helps organizations deliver outsized results by bringing IT and the business together, fostering greater collaboration throughout the entire app lifecycle. Organizations find that they’re able to dramatically improve the time to market and quality of business applications, while minimizing the traditional complexity and risk.

“We put developers and business

users together and they can

collaborate very rapidly. We create

prototypes and make changes

quickly and easily…. Creating

software at LV= requires much

more than coding. You need to

understand business processes,

first and foremost.” Rod WillmottFast Track Director

Smaller, More Efficient TeamsModel-driven aPaaS changes the dynamics of project teams. Instead of a dozen or more specialist developers, you’re able to have smaller, cross-functional teams of 2-5 people. These teams are typically made up of “business engineers” that combine strong domain knowledge with an affinity for technology.

Because they bridge the gap between IT and the business, this new breed of developers can deliver apps at faster speeds, higher quality and lower costs. For instance, companies like Arch Re Fac, Capgemini, LV= insurance, Teraco and TNT Express all built large or complex apps with just two business engineers.

With only two developers working

in weekly sprints, Teraco built

a core back-end system that

supports business processes

across the entire organization,

including CRM, operations and

billing.

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Business Value of aPaaS

332The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Faster Time to MarketHands down, model-driven aPaaS offers the fastest way to deliver custom business applications. As illustrated in the Capgemini analysis discussed earlier, when you replace traditional coding with MDD, building applications becomes orders of magnitude faster. Coupled with instant cloud deployment, these massive productivity gains can shrink what would have been a 6 month project literally down to 6 weeks.

“Even though we started a couple

of months later than planned, we

still delivered the new sales app on

time – and the reason was Mendix.

We had initially estimated about 30

days of development time for each

interface. But with Mendix, we had

working interfaces in two days.” Matthias BartelsBusiness App Leader

Significant Cost Savings & ROIaPaaS generates significant cost savings over traditional application development and delivery methods. Here are a few different ways how:

Fewer People – In addition to small teams, you need fewer highly-skilled, expensive developers.

Shorter Projects – Higher productivity results in shorter projects and lower overhead.

Better Software – A collaborative, iterative approach leads to less rework.

Better Software – Instant cloud deployment eliminates large infrastructure investments.

The Boston Globe uses the

Mendix aPaaS to rapidly deliver

custom applications. As a result

of faster time to market, greater

staff efficiency, and lower software

maintenance fees, Globe VP of IT

notes, “it’s almost a clean ROI in 3

months.”

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Business Value of aPaaS

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Ease and Frequency of ChangeAs one industry analyst recently notes, time to market means two things:

Fast delivery of the initial release

Prompt updates and changes “designed in”

The latter is equally as important given the accelerating pace of change. Frequent updates are required, even demanded by the business. Fortunately, model-driven aPaaS makes updates as fast and as easy as the initial release.

In addition to allowing KPN to quickly build a new application that supports its 2G, 3G and 4G networks, the Mendix aPaaS has reduced time to market for subsequent modifications by 70%, saving about $300,000 per release. Consequently, KPN can roll out new service offerings months sooner than previously possible.

Massive Opportunity CostsLastly, it’s important not to overlook opportunity costs. By accelerating project timelines and outcomes, aPaaS unlocks greater efficiencies and revenues, resulting in a cascading effect. The true value becomes staggering when you multiply these benefits over dozens of apps. Suddenly, IT is in the position of being a true strategic partner that is driving the business forward, helping the company to grow, innovate and differentiate itself.

“We’re fundamentally

transforming the way IT enables

the business. We’re just getting

started in terms of how we can

leverage the platform to drive our

innovation and growth.”Harald SwinkelsCEO and Co-Founder

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Evaluating aPaaS:Key Questions to Ask

334The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

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Evaluating aPaaS: Key Questions to Ask

335The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

1. How easy is it to build applications?Incremental improvements to code-based methods simply won’t suffice. You’ll want to pay careful attention to how easy it is for non-developers to actively participate in the process.

Does it leverage a proprietary programming language that requires highly-specialized developers? Or is built around a visual paradigm that allows both developers and business users to build and review apps?

Is there an app store full of pre-built widgets and components that can be easily used in new apps, saving time and effort?

2. Can the platform be used to integrate with, or extend, any existing systems?While certain platforms are geared towards extending specific systems (i.e. CRM), they may fall short in addressing your full range of app delivery and integration needs.

Can you easily build new apps and extend existing enterprise systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle) with modern multi-channel apps?

Can you seamlessly integrate new apps with any existing process and system?

Are there capabilities like workflow integration, open APIs and prepackaged connectors?

aPaaS is an emerging market with a variety of different approaches, which can make for an apples and oranges comparison. To help IT leaders choose the best aPaaS for their needs—now and in the future— we put together this list of important questions to ask.

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Evaluating aPaaS: Key Questions to Ask

336The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

3. Are there capabilities to facilitate IT/business collaboration?Many aPaaS solutions overlook crucial capabilities for keeping all stakeholders aligned and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.

Are there native social collaboration features native, including Facebook-like activity streams and built-in chat?

Are there agile project management tools for creating user stories, managing sprints and releases, and tracking progress with scrum boards and burn-down charts?

Can developers quickly share prototypes that are working applications with the team or groups of end users for feedback?

4. Scalability and performanceCertain aPaaS solutions may only be suited for lightweight departmental apps, not core enterprise systems. Depending on your specific needs, you may want to ask:

Does the platform offer the required scalability, performance, security, etc.?

What are some performance benchmarks for the platform?

Are there clients who have successfully delivered core, back-end systems?

5. Can you deliver truly multi-device applications?While enterprise mobile apps are hot, it’s important to remember that mobile is not—and should never be—an island.

Can you build an application once and make it accessible to users via all devices?

Are there capabilities for easily building mobile and tablet-specific interfaces?

Can you manage all of the back-end requirements of enterprise mobile apps?

6. How fast and flexible is the deployment process?Deployment issues should not slow a project down or even concern your development team. When evaluating aPaaS, it’s essential that deployment is as fast and easy as plugging an appliance into a power outlet.

Can you literally deploy an app to the cloud with one click?

Can you move seamlessly from test to acceptance to production environments?

Are there flexible deployment options: public cloud, private cloud, hybrid or on premise?

Page 37: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Thanks to a groundswell of

technological innovation, the pace

of change is accelerating rapidly.

Businesses today need more and

more applications to innovate, grow

and differentiate themselves. The

challenge is that a continued reliance

on traditional app development

and delivery methods has put IT on

thin ice—struggling with growing

backlogs, project failures and

tarnished reputations.

With the world around them moving

at warp speed, organizations need to

transform their app delivery approach.

Application Platform as a Service

(aPaaS) offers much-needed light

at the end of the tunnel. With the

right platform, IT and business can

work together to deliver apps in a

more rapid, agile and collaborative

manner than they ever imagined.

Finally, there’s a way to deliver

custom business apps at the speed of

business!

3

Finally a Way to Deliver Appsat the Speed of Business

37The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS

Page 38: Cloud Computing: The Ultimate Guide to aPaaS eBook

Mendix is the app platform company for the enterprise. We enable companies to build, integrate and deploy web and mobile applications faster and with better results, effectively driving ROI in days not months. Learn more, join our user community and get started for free at now.mendix.com.

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