The same factors that made India synonymous with software services are coming to the fore once again in the form of managed services. It is the same story, with the same players, but only with a slight change in the script. Indian companies, after proving their mettle in the area of software services, are now pursuing "managed services"which, according to s, could be the next big wave for the Indian services sector.After IT and IT-enabled services, managed services are the
buzzword in the Indian IT space. Players like Wipro, Satyam
Infoway, Datacraft, Microland, NetMagic, CMS, and HCL Comnet
have already forayed into the managed services business and
have carved a niche for themselves. What is more encouraging
is that, unlike in software services, even the domestic companies
are coming forward to avail managed services. A host of factors,
like India's low-cost labor, a vast pool of skilled professionals,
suitable government policies and a favorable environment,
that are believed to be the factors behind the success of
India's software industry, are again seen favoring the budding
market of managed services.
Managed
services are network-related services that are outsourced
to a service provider for installation, maintenance and management.
There are different areas of managed services like security,
storage, voice and data integration, maintenance, etc., out
of which management of Virtual Private Networks (also known
as VPNs, they are a company's private network that makes use
of the publicly available network like the Internet) is most
popular. Other areas of rising interest are voice over IP
(VoIP) managed services, remote storage and backup, as well
as support for monitoring and managing mobile devices. Companies
can outsource some or all network services to a managed service
provider (MSP). In turn, the provider can design, deploy,
and manage VPNs, Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, security,
and other network services, thereby freeing companies to focus
on core tasks.
As
more and more companies are realizing that focusing on core
competencies is the key to survival and success in the current
business environment, the market for managed services is gaining
momentum. Also, the emergence of new data technologies, like
the convergence of voice, video, and data, and the explosion
of e-business across many industries, have resulted in corporate
networks dramatically changing and becoming increasingly complex.
Adding to these woes, it is becoming extremely difficult for
companies to keep pace with the changing technological needs
and recruit, train, and retain the staff required for this
purpose. This trend has led to a complex spectrum of managed
services offerings with managed network services (MNS) forming
the foundation.
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