Gartner defines custom software development (CSD) services as the professional services engaged by organizations to design, build, modernize or iterate custom applications and software products to meet their unique business needs. CSD services entail gathering business requirements and coding applications from inception, building applications on a platform as a service (PaaS), or assembling applications from existing web services or other reusable pieces of code. Services marketed as “software product engineering” or “digital product development” likely fall under the CSD services category as defined by Gartner. These solutions are typically not available as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and require custom development.
Gartner defines Microsoft product support services as support for Microsoft products, delivered either directly from Microsoft or indirectly from an alternative support provider. Technical support services for Microsoft products help customers in medium to large organizations resolve operational problems. (Smaller organizations likely use free support.) Gartner considers any provider of support services for Microsoft products — including Microsoft itself — to be part of the market for Microsoft product support services.
Gartner defines public cloud IT transformation services (PCITS) as services designed to deliver transformational outcomes via the utilization of cloud-native professional and managed services. It includes migration, modernization, optimization and the building of new, transformational solutions on public hyperscale cloud infrastructure and platform services. Organizations seeking to use public clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and similar platforms engage with providers in this market to realize the greatest transformational benefits. PCITS transforms client applications, workloads and data to the public cloud to achieve their clients’ business outcomes. It promotes use of cloud-native tools, AI/generative AI (GenAI)/data and analytics (D&A) and manages IT operations in the public cloud. It employs globally consistent cloud management, optimization and modernization to continuously manage reliability, scalability, interoperability and more.
Gartner defines software asset management (SAM) managed services as services that expert providers deliver to manage the software, SaaS and cloud assets of end-user organizations. Their delivery includes skills, processes, technologies and governance to transform and run the SAM discipline on behalf of the client. SAM managed services employ the providers’ proprietary skills and methodologies to transform and run SAM and FinOps disciplines on behalf of the client, augmenting the client’s resources. Delivered by skilled resources and leveraging the provider’s expertise, intellectual property (IP), rigor and best practices, SAM managed services address the gap in available SAM and FinOps skills, enable scalability and enhance maturity. At the same time, they deliver day-to-day SAM and FinOps activities and oversee the full life cycle. SAM managed services are delivered directly to end-user customers, on either a continuous or a project basis, employing required discipline to meet software and cloud cost optimization, and governance objectives.
Gartner defines software resellers as enablers of software and cloud solutions acquisition. Software resellers engage in responsible supply, operating as intermediaries between end-user organizations and an extensive array of over 1,000 software and cloud vendors. The mix of vendors will vary for each reseller but must incorporate Microsoft’s Licensing Solution Partner status. The primary competence is provision of licensing expertise by specialist resources navigating licensing options, nuances and changes to inform acquisition and preparation for renewals. Core software reseller functions and revenue are typically augmented by tail spend management, commercial consulting, software asset management, FinOps, and adoption services.
Workspace Security Platform is designed to protect modern hybrid workers, including their endpoints, mobile devices, collaboration channels, and end-user application access. These solutions are primarily delivered as cloud-native platforms and offer tight integration of security components, including unified agents, centralized deployment and policy administration, data lakes, reporting, and security event aggregation. They include features like multi-factor authentication, real-time risk assessment, and AI-powered threat defenses to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. By combining user education, well-defined security policies, and modern technology, Workspace Security Platform helps organizations maintain a robust security posture and respond swiftly to potential threats. The key customers typically include large enterprises, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies, all of which require stringent security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.