Gartner defines cloud financial management (CFM) tools as tooling that provides the ability to collect, organize, display, optimize and manage the investments in cloud computing infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS). They leverage algorithms, statistical models and/or AI/machine learning (ML) in support of cost reports, dashboards and/or other mechanisms/interfaces that provide capabilities to monitor cost, utilization and value indicators. This allows users to identify trends, anomalies and misaligned expectations, as well as opportunities to increase the efficiency of cloud configurations, architecture and contracts. CFM tools enable enterprises to collect and analyze public cloud cost and usage information and apply controls to define budget and cost policies to optimize spending on a continuous basis.
Gartner defines an endpoint management tool as a platform or tool that provides configuration management, patching and deployment of operating systems and applications for computers or mobile devices. Endpoint management tools are used to provide management capabilities for endpoint devices of various operating systems. These tools help maintain cybersecurity hygiene and enable end-user computing operations and automation by facilitating operating system and application deployment, patching and configuration management.
Gartner defines the managed mobility services (MMS) market as a set of bundled vendor-provided IT services, outsourced business process services, software as a service and managed services commonly aimed at enterprises’ IT and procurement teams. These life cycle services typically include procuring, provisioning, activating, kitting, shipping, managing, securing, supporting and decommissioning mobile devices. A mobile estate here comprises smartphones, tablets and/or ruggedized devices. MMS services can be applied to both corporate-liable and individual-liable (or “bring your own device” [BYOD]) devices. MMS helps ensure operational and commercial effectiveness for an organization and its mobile device users. This includes securing information created/accessed/modified by mobile devices; maximizing device (and consequently user) availability, visibility and control of the mobile estate; inventory and usage optimization; lowering total cost; and improving ROI and the employee experience (EX).
Telecom expense management (TEM) services enable enterprises’ IT, procurement and finance departments to order, provision, support and manage the costs of corporate telecommunications services, associated IT services and their inventories. (These may include fixed and mobile telephony and data services, cloud services, unified communications as a service [UCaaS] licenses, and Internet of Things [IoT] connectivity.) TEM services also include business intelligence (BI) and reporting suitable for supporting C-level strategic decision making. Gartner’s TEM research coverage focuses on SaaS-based applications and platforms, managed services, and associated professional services.