Magic Quadrant for Infrastructure Platform Consumption Services
Gartner defines the infrastructure platform consumption services (IPCS) market as a consumption-based, as-a-service offering for mission-critical infrastructure. IPCS-based offerings need to be native to the platform vendor control plane and must include either storage as a service (STaaS), compute as a service (CaaS) or network as a service (NaaS). They can also support data protection as a service (dPaaS). IPCS vendors use SLA-based outcomes rooted in automation and software-defined infrastructure to provide adaptable and modern platforms that support digital transformation. IT outcomes include improved productivity, cyberresilience, continuous workload infrastructure and cost optimization. IPCS's primary purpose is to provide a platform-services-based infrastructure to service the hybrid-cloud infrastructure data environment.
Vendors must, among other requirements:
A: This research covers infrastructure platform consumption services (IPCS) vendors that provide consumption-based, as-a-service offerings for mission-critical infrastructure including storage as a service (STaaS), compute as a service (CaaS), network as a service (NaaS), and data protection as a service (dPaaS). The report evaluates vendor capabilities across platform features, business models, SLA-based outcomes, AI-powered operations, ecosystem integration, and their ability to modernize IT operations through an on-premises cloud operating model.
A: Heads of Infrastructure & Operations (I&O) should use this research to assess and compare IPCS vendor platform capabilities when modernizing infrastructure operations and shifting from traditional capex sourcing to consumption-based operational models. The research helps evaluate vendors on their ability to deliver SLA-based outcomes, support hybrid IT operations, provide comprehensive platform services across compute/storage/network domains, and enable digital transformation through pay-for-use subscription pricing models.
A: Mandatory features for vendors included in this market are: (1) A domain-specific as-a-service offering (storage, networking, or compute) that is native to the vendor's platform control plane; (2) A central AIOps-based tool for monitoring, observability and proactive SLA management; (3) A centralized control plane for infrastructure orchestration, provisioning and life cycle management; (4) A self-service portal for managing as-a-service features including metering, billing and capacity additions; and (5) A domain-specific enterprise platform data management service.
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A: Ability to Execute evaluates vendors' current capability to offer and support infrastructure platform services, covering features, viability, sales execution, market responsiveness, marketing execution, customer experience, and operations. It focuses on present-day execution and delivery. Completeness of Vision evaluates vendors' market-driven ability to envision future infrastructure platform services capabilities, covering market understanding, strategies (marketing, sales, product, vertical, geographic), business model, and innovation. It focuses on forward-thinking vision and strategic direction for platform evolution.