14 DAY TRIAL // If you were looking for a way to measure the effectiveness of your Application Platform, then look no further. The Application Platform Optimization website is now live, courtesy of Microsoft Canada. The website offers a small questionnaire that focuses on the key aspects of Application Platform optimization, starting with the way an organization handles data storage via centralized databases or data warehouses.
"APO (Application Platform Optimization) Self Assessment site is now Live. Companies can now self profile using this assessment tool to compare their company's IT infrastructure to that of similar-sized companies in their industry across Canada, by leveraging IDC data", revealed Adam Gallant, Developer Tools Technical Specialist, Microsoft Canada.
"Deliver a flexible, scalable application platform - use this assessment tool to compare your company's IT infrastructure to that of similar-sized companies. Use the results to help prioritize your IT investments and more effectively align your IT and business priorities", reads the invitation posted on the Application Platform Optimization website.
The test also looks at an organization's capabilities to analyze, report and centralize data by using dedicated Business Intelligence Tools, the existence of a comprehensive strategy for high availability of server uptime, the implementation of database performance testing and tuning tools. But the test is also designed to assess the optimization of applications to deliver streamlined operational procedures, the digitalization of data transfers and the developing of in-house applications.
In the end, the test will reveal its conclusions divided into four key areas Business-Intelligence, Data Management, Business Process Management and Application Development. In this regard, there are four levels that point to an optimized Application Platform from Basic, to Standardized, rationalized and Dynamic.
At the same time, Microsoft is also illustrating via statistics made available by IDC that the industry average in terms of Application Platform optimization is no more than Basic. This generalized level leaves a great deal of room for improvement.