Managed Services: Let MIPRO Take the Burden Off Your Hands – Part 2

In part 1 of this blog post, we introduced the concept of managed services, breaking down the different types – functional support, technical support, application management services (AMS), and infrastructure management. Next, we explored the critical role of AMS in continually enhancing and optimizing your PeopleSoft applications. Then we shifted to infrastructure management, highlighting how managing the hardware and cloud environments behind PeopleSoft can ensure performance and security, whether your system is on-premises or in the cloud. Following that we discussed staffing considerations, offering guidance on how to assemble a strong managed services team, blending functional, technical, and infrastructure specialists. We also introduced the cost-effective hybrid onshore-offshore model that many organizations use for 24/7 support. Now, let’s move on.

For part 2 of this blog post:

We will look at customer responsibilities – they are critical. Governance, business process ownership, and security are areas where the customer must stay involved, even with managed services in place.

Next, we delve into Service Level Agreements (SLAs)—the metrics that define success for managed services. You’ll learn how SLAs measure uptime, response times, system performance, and a host of additional suggested SLAs, and how regular reviews and monitoring ensure these targets are met, keeping your PeopleSoft environment running smoothly.

By the end of part 2, you’ll see how managed services for PeopleSoft can transform your business, providing peace of mind while ensuring that your IT systems are always aligned with your strategic vision.

Customer Responsibilities in a Managed Services Setup

Even when you outsource to a managed services provider, some responsibilities stay with the customer:

• Governance & Oversight: It’s still up to you to make sure the service provider aligns with your business goals and objectives.
• Business Process Ownership: You’re responsible for your internal processes, making sure the system is configured to support them.
• Security & Compliance: The customer must ensure that their internal security standards and compliance rules are followed by the service provider.

Infrastructure Management in PeopleSoft on Cloud

Managing infrastructure in a cloud environment is critical to ensuring PeopleSoft remains secure and scalable. Here’s what it involves:

1. Patching and Updates: Regular patching, using tools like PeopleSoft Update Manager (PUM), keeps your system secure and optimized.
2. Security Management: From access control to vulnerability management, managed services enforce security policies and ensure your data is protected.
3. Performance and Observability: Using tools like Oracle Cloud Monitoring, managed services keep an eye on system performance, quickly detecting and addressing any issues.
4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: By setting up high-availability systems and regularly testing disaster recovery plans, managed services minimize downtime and ensure business continuity in case of failure.

Monitoring Success and Managing SLAs

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are the yardstick for measuring the success of managed services. SLAs clearly define expectations for system uptime, response times, and performance. These metrics are a good starter and need revisions to suit a particular customer’s needs.

Key metrics include:

• System Uptime: Maximize (Preferably 99.9%) uptime or better, with planned downtimes kept to a minimum.
• Incident Response: Defined timelines for responding to critical issues, ensuring quick resolutions.
• Performance Metrics: These track how well the system handles transaction processing, keeping things running smoothly.
• Security and Compliance: Regular audits and fast response to vulnerabilities are key components of security-related SLAs.

Additional SLAs can be found in the table below:

Metric Name	Description	Examples
Application/System Uptime	Tracks the percentage of time the PeopleSoft system is operational and available.	Maximize (For example: 99.9%) uptime with scheduled maintenance during off-peak hours.
Incident Response Time	Measures time to acknowledge and start working on an incident after it’s reported.	Critical incidents responded to within 15 minutes, low priority within 24 hours.
Incident Resolution Time	Tracks total time taken to resolve an incident from report to full resolution.	Critical incidents resolved within 2 hours, minor issues within 24 hours. As one gathers critical mass, you can implement a host of intelligent inference and find gaps for additional focus within the performing entity.
Backup and Recovery Time	Monitors backup frequency and time to recover systems following an outage or data loss.	Daily backups, 1-hour recovery time objective for critical systems.
Patch Management and Updates	Tracks the frequency and effectiveness of patching PeopleSoft environments.	Critical security patches applied within 48 hours, OS updates monthly.
Performance Monitoring (Response Time)	Measures the speed and responsiveness of the PeopleSoft environment.	Average response time under 2 seconds during peak business hours.
Scalability and Load Testing	Assesses how well the PeopleSoft environment handles increased loads or users.	Load testing before upgrades, maintaining performance with 20% more users.
Security Management (Vulnerability Scans)	Tracks the frequency of vulnerability scans and ensures timely remediation.	Daily/weekly scans with zero critical vulnerabilities identified.
Compliance Audits and Reporting	Ensures compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.	Quarterly audits for GDPR compliance, SOX controls reviewed annually.
User Satisfaction	Measures end-user satisfaction with the performance and support provided.	Regular surveys with high (For example: 90%) satisfaction, feedback on support resolution times.
Service Request Fulfillment	Tracks time taken to fulfill service requests, such as access changes or configurations.	Percentage (For example: 80%) of requests completed within 3 business days, access changes in 24 hours.
Change Management Success Rate	Measures success rate of system changes without causing business disruptions.	Percentage (For example: 95%) success rate for changes, less than 2% causing downtime.
Customization and Feature Deployment	Tracks the number of custom features or enhancements deployed and their speed.	10 new features deployed per quarter, 3-week turnaround for requests.
Incident Reoccurrence Rate	Measures how often the same issues reoccur, indicating root cause effectiveness.	20% reduction in reoccurring incidents quarter-over-quarter.
Business Process Optimization	Tracks improvements to business processes through AMS efforts.	15% process efficiency improvement from automated workflows.
Regulatory Compliance Updates	Measures how effectively AMS implements updates to meet regulatory standards.	GDPR-compliant procedures implemented within a quarter.
Issue Resolution Through AMS	Tracks how well AMS resolves issues without escalating to technical support.	80% of incidents resolved by AMS, reducing reliance on technical support.
Customization and Enhancement Request Turnaround	Measures time taken to complete customization or enhancement requests.	2-week turnaround for minor enhancements, quarterly reviews for major changes.
Application Performance and Optimization	Monitors application performance and optimization efforts.	Query optimization reducing report time from 15 minutes to 5 minutes.
Release and Change Management Compliance	Tracks the success rate of PeopleSoft releases without causing disruptions.	95% compliance with release windows, less than 2% causing outages.

By tracking these SLAs, both customers and providers can ensure the managed services arrangement is delivering the value it promises.

Conclusion

Managed services for PeopleSoft offer a way to lift the burden of daily system management from organizations, allowing them to focus on growth and strategy. Whether it’s application management services (AMS), infrastructure management, or maintaining well-defined SLAs, managed services ensure that your PeopleSoft environment remains secure, high-performing, and closely aligned with your business goals.

Please contact MIPRO for more information on Managed Services.