Are you ready for Software+Services? Have you been thinking about your S+S strategy?

Software-plus-services is the next logical step in the evolution of software development and represents an exciting growth opportunity for independent software vendors.

By leveraging the software-plus-services model, you can expand service offerings and generate new revenue streams. And you can explore numerous options to fit your business. You can:

• Add Web services to your existing products.
• Build new products that are hosted in the cloud.
• Integrate your products through the cloud with services provided by others.
• Provide hosted online environments and communities for your customers.

Why S+S Is Important to ISVs

Sweeping changes in the software industry make now an opportune time to consider where software-plus-services fits for your business:

• Access to broadband Internet is now more widespread.
• Tight IT budgets demand more- economic solutions with less internal staffing.
• IT outsourcing is a more common business strategy.
• Pervasive Web services standards are making it easier to integrate remote systems.
• Improved Internet and data center security make remote data storage more reliable.

Emergence of cloud computing platforms, such as the Windows Azure Platform from Microsoft, and hosted business application development environments, such as Hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM, make it easier for independent software vendors (ISVs) to combine rich, full-featured solutions with a software-plus-services delivery model.

Assess Your Readiness for S+S

Evaluate your company’s readiness for the software-plus-services market with the software-plus-services readiness self-assessment tool. Start by using the tool to review your business and discover what you need now to be successful with software-plus-services. Over time, use the tool as a checkpoint to help gauge your software-plus-services adoption progress and think about next steps.

Some of the questions that the assessment will help you answer:

• Are you engaging in the most appropriate kinds of best practice activities for your stage of development?
• Have you missed any important steps or forgotten any considerations that will inhibit the success of your S+S ISV solution in the months ahead?
• How do you know what you don’t know or discover what is coming on the path ahead?

Start your assessment today at Microsoft Software + Services ISV Readiness Assessment.

How to Get Started

Whether you’re currently investigating software-plus-services, transitioning to software-plus-services, or already actively developing a software-plus-services offering, Microsoft can help you smoothly transition to the next phase in implementation.

Discover where you are on the software-plus-services roadmap and view next steps towards a successful software-plus-services implementation.

Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation