Interruption or opportunity?
We have seen a dramatic shift in the role of systems integrators in the last couple of years. It’s no longer about piecing disparate systems together and getting it to work. In other words, the role of SIs has gradually shifted from being technology-driven entities that ensured complex systems work together towards understanding the complexity of today’s business demands. According to IDC, an increasing number of strategic business partnerships are being forged between vendors, systems integrators, consulting companies and distribution channels to bring complete solutions to the market. Vendors are looking to form stronger relationship with SIs to meet customer needs, and services companies, in turn, are looking to work closely with vendors, given the increasing complexity of new-gen technologies.
With the advent of cloud, mobility and social media, the industry is truly at a crossroads. There are concerns that cloud and virtualisation might put them out of a job. No doubt, cloud will have serious implications on the ecosystem of systems integrators who are accustomed to a series of integration projects at enterprises, especially the large ones. Now, CIOs have the option to just acquire the services they need from a cloud provider instead of hiring system integrators to add capabilities into existing IT environments. Despite all the dire predictions, cloud represents more of an opportunity than an interruption for SIs, as it still require a lot of integration chores, maintenance and support. The trick is figuring out how to hop on to the cloud bandwagon and cash in on the opportunity – right now, the best bet seems to be taking the managed services route.
