The services sector encompasses a broad spectrum of intangible activities such as nursing, education, training, finance, hospitality, entertainment, consulting and software development. The sector is typically the largest part of any advanced economy in terms of value-add and is usually subject to intense international competition despite protectionism. Information technology is tightly integrated with most aspects of service provision and is shaping the way business in the sector operates.
Why is IBM i so strategic in the Services sector?
The IBM i remains a popular platform in the sector because of its scalability, security and low cost of ownership. Traditionally the sector has been well served by software package vendors and additionally millions of lines of custom code in-use within the sector. New service-based applications are leveraging the flexibility of the cloud.
How do ARCAD solutions benefit the Services sector?
ARCAD tools and expertise help simplify, automate and accelerate software development on IBM i. ARCAD tools go deep on the platform and provide robust solutions for mature DevOps, application analysis, modernization, data anonymization, multi-platform orchestration and more. Thanks to the advanced IBM i-specific automation within ARCAD solutions it is now easy to integrate IBM i applications with the latest digital technologies and empower development teams with industry-standard enterprise DevOps tools.
Beyond the IBM i, ARCAD technology for data anonymization is wholly DBMS-agnostic offering, a central point for piloting anonymization rules across multiple database technologies and platforms.
These capabilities can help you respond effectively to the following important service sector challenges.
What are the key Services sector challenges in 2021 and beyond?
LEGACY APPLICATIONS
Intense competition in what has become known as the knowledge economy is accelerating the adoption of digital technology to better understand and respond to customer needs. Digital technology is also being used to increase speed and efficiency and cut down the number of employees required for operation. Modernized IBM i applications maintained as part of a mature DevOps culture can easily integrate with the latest digital technologies.
DATA PROTECTION
The service sector stores millions (sometimes billions) of sensitive data elements. Although much of the news coverage about data breaches focuses on large organizations, sixty percent of targeted attacks impact small-to-medium-sized businesses. As more data is stored and the value of that data increases so does the incentive to access it illicitly. Data breaches can have a long lasting effect on a company: loss of reputation, stock decline, lost business and direct financial impacts. The IBM i is one of the most secure systems in the world. Not only is it the only operating system that has never been infected by a virus, the IBM i was one of the first general-purpose computer systems to attain a C2 security rating from the NSA (National Security Agency in the US). Combine DevSecOps techniques with effective use of a data anonymization tool and you have a best of breed solution against data breaches.
REGULATIONS COMPLIANCE
The services sector also has a challenge to keep up with changing compliance regulations which have been implemented by governments because self-regulation by businesses in the recent past had led to failures. This includes the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 which caused the Great Recession and more recent abuses of consumer privacy rights to name a two. Governments can be a friend to business and a friend to consumers and they use ever changing regulations and business incentives to act as a neutral referee. The IBM i coupled with mature DevOps practices, DevSecOps and data anonymization provides a solid grounding for compliance with any government regulations.
[1] IBM i’s TCO Advantage Widens, According to Reports
| Your challenge on IBM i ? | Arcad’s solution |
|---|---|
| Legacy Applications
Digital Disruption Intense Competition Cultural Shift |
IBM i Modernization |
| Data Protection & Security
Growing Data Volumes |
Data Anomyzation |
| Regulations compliance | DevSecOps |
| Application integration | ARCAD API |
| Continuous Improvement | ARCAD Dashboards |
| Governance of outsourced development | DevSecOps |
| Business continuity
Application resiliency |
Unit Test, Regression Test |
| Application security | DevSecOps |
REQUEST A DEMO
Let’s talk about your project!
Speak with an expert