Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Value adding and Consulting
Systems integrator
is in charge of the integration of the
different modules (software, hardware) required to complete
the Grid solution and brings the players together. With a tech-
nical role, the Systems Integrator may also do consultancy
work besides installation, deployment and IT support.
Solution provider
offers a package of network, middle-
ware and applications for the end-user. It may also provide
consulting or Grid expertise so that solutions to problems can
be determined and implemented.
Business consulting
offers a solution to business problems,
optimises processes, assists in preparing the business case,
quantifies and does due diligence on business models, advises
on business development and marketing.
IT consulting
provides expertise for assistance in information
technology processes, computing services and training.
Payment provider
owns infrastructure and management to
allow the payment transactions between actors. The financial
flows among the different players may be managed by a sepa-
rate player, it can be a financial entity, a business consulting
company, a broker, a network service provider, etc.
A
reseller
is a company that resells/distributes an existing
solution provided by another company. It can be the whole
suite, or one or more of its components.
The
broker
is an intermediary, who can also be the trusted
third party. Brokers can advise which Grid solution is the best
fit for a particular requirement. It provides services based on
specific quality of service levels required by the end-users.
Trusted third party
deals with contractual arrangements,
financial settlements, and authentication of users (e.g. a bank
or other financial entity).
Risk management
services minimize the cost of services
by finding the best deal from existing offerings based on the
customer's requirement and profile.
SLA/contract development and management
services
provide both consultancy and software tools to monitor and
manage SLAs.
Insurance
services provide financial assistance in the case of
system disruptions and/or failures causing monetary losses.
Content providers
create, aggregate and distribute data, infor-
mation and experience that are delivered to the end-users. The
end-user can also provide the content themselves. Such content
may be required to be processed and/or transformed in order to
build the final “product”.
It is important to note that not all the roles listed in the table are required to build a
Grid solution. The composition is determined by how simple or complex the solu-
tion may be. In addition, it is quite common for one market player to perform more
than one role. In these cases, the delivery of a complex solution can be simplified.