For data-driven organizations, the benefits of software vendor consolidation for database tools can provide a competitive edge.
Vendor consolidation is the process of reducing the number of vendors required to supply the materials required to fulfill business needs.
It is a technique that can be used in many areas of a business, including in its information technology (IT) procurement.
In the IT world, the two major components are hardware and software. Data-driven organizations especially can enjoy substantial financial and operational benefits through the process of software vendor consolidation.
A large percentage of companies manage more than ten vendor relationships to provide the necessary IT resources. This level of management requires a considerable investment in time which could be better spent bolstering other areas of the business.
If you are using database software tools from multiple vendors, there is a good chance that software consolidation can improve your company’s efficiency and strengthen its bottom line. This post will focus on the benefits of software vendor consolidation for database tools.
The Benefits of Software Vendor Consolidation
Modern IT environments are notoriously complex and show no signs of devolving back into the simple systems of the past. The increased complexity is being driven by several factors, including the rise of multi-platform database environments to handle the increased volume of information available to data-driven businesses. These diverse environments require a wider range of software tools to manage, monitor, protect, design, and develop databases.
Software vendor consolidation is not a new idea and has been employed by multiple types of businesses with varying degrees of success for many years. The practice strives to improve efficiency, control complexity, and save money.
Reducing the number of vendors involved in the software pipeline can provide the following benefits throughout the organization:
Cost Savings
Consolidating software vendors will result in higher volume orders placed with a single vendor as opposed to multiple smaller orders made with an array of providers. This can lead to bulk discounts or preferred pricing with certain vendors. But the real economic benefits can go far beyond the software’s price tag, as evidenced by the other advantages of vendor consolidation.
Time Savings
Using a single software vendor can save an organization time, and by extension money, in multiple ways.
- Performing less vendor management frees up employees for more value-added activities.
- Reduced training time is required for new employees involved with the software procurement process.
- Less time can be spent ensuring that software tools work together as advertised when they are coming from a single vendor.
Process Simplification
Associated with the aforementioned time savings is the process simplification that accompanies software vendor consolidation. Teams using database software tools from multiple vendors need to learn how to navigate multiple interfaces which can negatively impact productivity.
Integrating software tools with a computing environment can be a daunting task that presents many challenges and can introduce unexpected security risks. The tool integration process will be more consistent and go much more smoothly when working with a single vendor, reducing the risk of faulty installations that leave enterprise data exposed to unauthorized access.
Strengthen Partnerships
Finding a partner that can be trusted to provide superior database tool solutions can be challenging. Once you identify the right candidate, it is in the organization’s interests to develop and foster a strong relationship with the vendor. This is much easier to accomplish when dealing with a single vendor than when working with a group of providers.
A strong vendor partnership benefits both the provider and customer. Both parties can operate without fearing sudden changes in the directions the businesses are moving.
Building a strong vendor relationship may enable customers to suggest new software features or improvements that will be adopted by the provider. Both parties benefit as the relationship grows.
IDERA’s Database Tools Solutions
IDERA offers a comprehensive portfolio of database software solutions that simplify the process of managing, monitoring, securing, designing, and developing databases on multiple platforms. The tools address the needs of modern database teams operating in the data-driven business world.
The database tools offered by IDERA cover a range of capabilities from SQL Server administration to multi-platform development environments. The majority of IDERA products are available with a fully-functional and free 14-day trial so organizations can test-drive the tools before making a financial commitment. We suggest that many enterprises can consolidate their database toolset with IDERA’s software offerings. Take advantage of the free trials and see what IDERA can do for you.
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