Datalink Adds ‘Quick Start’ Cloud Readiness & Service Automation Programs

5/27/2014

Services Help IT Teams Begin Cloud & ITaaS Journeys with Short Engagements & Defined Deliverables

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2014-- Datalink (Nasdaq: DTLK), a leading provider of data center services and solutions, today announced two new “quick start” services designed to simplify planning and initiation of cloud delivery and self-service user portal automation projects. The company’s new Cloud Readiness Assessment Workshop and Service Automation Jump Start programs enable IT teams to launch initiatives in both areas with short engagements and small investments, removing time, cost and complexity barriers that discourage many organizations from embarking on these critical activities.

The two-day Cloud Readiness Assessment Workshop offers:

  • A qualitative analysis of current readiness and capabilities for moving into a cloud delivery model focusing on the organization’s resource pooling, broad network access, rapid elasticity, measured service, on-demand service, and application and workload hosting abilities.
  • A report on strengths, weaknesses and prioritized recommendations for improvement in each area of focus, including actionable recommendations to lay the groundwork for cloud implementations.

The Service Automation Jump Start program provides up to five weeks of consulting that covers:

  • Identification and prioritization of the customer’s service automation needs, based on both IT and business unit input, to help pave the way for building IT self-service portals.
  • Automation of three workflows for selected functions such as virtual desktop, server or database provisioning, enabling immediate use of initial services without a lengthy rollout cycle.
  • Knowledge transfer for completing the remaining workflow automation projects, including a roadmap, documentation of finished work, and demonstration of the use of automation tools.

Both services are extensions of Datalink’s IT as a Service (ITaas) and cloud service management portfolio, which also offers full-service cloud readiness assessment, cloud strategy and workload alignment, service automation and orchestration planning, and process design and deployment in support of an organization’s entire cloud initiative. Organizations have the option to engage the company for additional consulting services as well as technology sourcing, deployment and support.

“Every organization today understands the importance of migrating to the cloud and transitioning from a technology provider to a service broker role, but day-to-day operational responsibilities and challenges make it difficult to set aside time to do so. In addition, they may not have the full range of skill sets in-house and are stymied by the size of these projects,” said Steve Zipperman, Datalink Vice President of Advanced Services. “We introduced these two quick start services to help break the logjam and get our customers on a path to pursue their cloud and ITaaS journeys without a major investment or a multi-quarter deployment commitment.”

Datalink’s cloud service management practice is part of its Advanced Services portfolio, which also includes a rich suite of data center transformation and IT resiliency offerings. The company’s dedicated in-house Advanced Services consulting team works closely with the company’s infrastructure and deployment specialists to ensure that recommendations match technology capabilities, best practices and the customer’s specific business environment.

For more information on Datalink’s cloud service management practice, visit https://www.datalink.com/Solutions/IT-Operations/Cloud-Management

About Datalink
A complete data center solutions and services provider for Fortune 500 and mid-tier enterprises, Datalink transforms data centers so they become more efficient, manageable and responsive to changing business needs. Datalink helps leverage and protect storage, server, and network investments with a focus on long-term value, offering a full lifecycle of services, from consulting and design to implementation, management and support. Datalink solutions span virtualization and consolidation, data storage and protection, advanced network infrastructures, business continuity, and cloud enablement. Each delivers measurable performance gains and maximizes the business value of IT. For more information, call 800.448.6314 or visit www.datalink.com

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Source: Datalink

Press Contact for Datalink:
Mallory Snitker, 847-415-9300
S&S Public Relations, Inc.
msnitker@sspr.com