In recent years, many businesses have faced numerous challenges and missed opportunities due to ineffective application management. Key business applications frequently encounter problems and downtime due to inadequate maintenance, which greatly impacts productivity and employee morale, while also leading to data security issues. So, what is the solution? The answer lies in adopting robust management strategies.

In the article below, join us as we explore what application management is, its benefits, strategies, and tools that can help businesses optimize their application management.

What is application management?

If you still don’t understand what application management is, it refers to the process of overseeing, executing, and optimizing procedures for an organization’s applications. This process includes the entire lifecycle of an application, from planning to deployment, maintenance, and retirement. Application management can help increase productivity and prevent potential errors in managing application performance.

Benefits of application management

If a business’s applications are managed in a suitable and systematic way, the business can achieve several benefits outlined below.

• Cost reduction: Reduce unnecessary expenses by standardizing workflows, reporting mechanisms, and work protocols.
• Improved compliance: Application management ensures systems meet compliance standards and improves vendor risk assessments. It also involves the right stakeholders to complete compliance-related tasks holders in compliance-related tasks.
• Boosted efficiency: Efficiently managed and consistently maintained applications are less prone to technical issues and downtime. Greater transparency in application usage and engagement allows companies to allocate training and learning initiatives more effectively, enhancing technology proficiency and unlocking more application capabilities.
• Strengthened security: Application management streamlines compliance tasks, enabling IT and security teams to enforce systems that protect software assets from unauthorized access. This includes managing user access, implementing data governance policies, and monitoring networks to prioritize security programs based on application needs.
• Optimal IT resource use: Application management Encourages strategic use of IT resources and better decision-making; prevents rash decisions when addressing IT bottlenecks.
• Scalability and flexibility: One of the benefits of application management is helping organizations forecast business needs and align IT resources with long-term goals.

• Data-driven decisions: Provides tools for informed decisions throughout the application lifecycle. Makes it easier to align IT projects with business targets.
• Enhanced user experience: Efficiently managed applications consider the entire user lifecycle, enhancing user experience and driving adoption and engagement. Stronger partnerships between IT teams and department leaders help build better user education programs, gather feedback, and establish workflows for efficient issue resolution.
• Proactive risk management: Application management identifies and addresses risks before they become problems.
• Long-term sustainability: Strategic management applications help companies view technology projects as long-term investments rather than short-term tactics. This approach builds processes that keep stakeholders accountable and consistent as they develop and grow their IT infrastructure.

Application Management Strategies

Starting application management blindly is not ideal. At a minimum, businesses must implement effective management strategies to maximize the value and performance of their software applications. Here are some strategic management applications that businesses should consider:

1. Ensuring compliance and managing licenses

Staying compliant with software licenses is crucial. Regular checks on license terms and usage help avoid legal issues and ensure everything is up to date. Tools that automate license management can make this process easier and help prevent mistakes. Keeping on top of these details ensures that software practices meet all necessary standards and agreements, which is vital for smooth operations.

2. Managing your application inventory

Managing your application inventory helps in making better decisions about which applications are still useful and which ones are redundant. This practice simplifies managing resources and ensures you’re not overspending on unnecessary tools.

3. Monitoring performance proactively

This is one of the most important application management strategies. Keeping tabs on how applications perform can prevent issues before they impact users. Regular monitoring of metrics such as uptime and network speed helps catch problems early and ensures consistent service quality.

4. Prioritizing security

Securing sensitive data is a must. Using strong encryption and setting up proper access controls helps protect against unauthorized access. Regular security checks are essential to keep data safe and maintain user trust.

5. Embracing automation

Automation can greatly enhance efficiency in application management. Automating routine tasks like updates and deployments reduces errors and speeds up processes. By setting up automated systems for configuration management and alerts, companies can ensure consistency and address issues quickly, freeing up IT resources for more strategic work.

6. Investing in user training

Effective training is crucial for making the most out of software applications. Providing users with clear instructions and support helps them use applications effectively and handle common issues. Well-trained employees contribute to smoother operations and higher productivity, reducing the need for frequent support.

7. Building strong vendor relationships

Good relationships with vendors are one of the application management best practices. Open communication and clear agreements help in negotiating better terms and aligning on goals. By working closely with vendors and involving them in strategic discussions, companies can ensure they get the best value and support for their software investments.

8. Fostering continuous improvement

Continuous improvement is essential to keep software performance at its best. Setting up processes to regularly monitor performance and gather feedback helps identify areas for improvement. This ongoing approach allows IT teams to adapt to new needs and maintain effective software solutions.

9. Managing cloud and data resources

As cloud storage becomes more common, managing it effectively is crucial. Companies need to oversee cloud resources, handle data migrations, and ensure good data governance practices. Proper management helps maintain data quality and security, supporting business goals and ensuring smooth operations.

10. Controlling costs and resources

Effective cost management is important for staying within budget. Regular reviews of software expenses and resource allocation can reveal opportunities for savings. By focusing on cost-effective solutions and efficient practices, companies can manage their budgets better and adapt to changing needs.

Application Management Best Practices

Application management involves multiple facets and stakeholders, requiring a strategic approach to stay effective. Here are some best practices to optimize application management:

• Prioritize key applications: Focus on enhancing processes for applications that are crucial for achieving organizational goals. Use both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback to identify and address the most critical optimization needs.
• Define management framework: Develop a structured framework for application management, detailing stakeholder roles and expectations. Clear communication of these policies ensures everyone is aligned and informed.
• Automate administrative tasks: Reduce manual work by automating routine processes such as approvals and license renewals. 
• Implement ongoing performance monitoring: Continuously track application performance to identify and address issues before they affect users or breach service level agreements (SLAs).

• Ensure compliance and license management: Stay proactive with software licenses and compliance by using tools that offer reminders and track important deadlines. Regular compliance checks prevent last-minute issues and ensure adherence to regulations.
• Strengthen security practices: Regularly update and audit applications to protect against vulnerabilities. Implement comprehensive security measures including updates and patch management.
• Promote IT-business alignment: Foster collaboration between IT and other departments to ensure that technology initiatives support overall business goals and efficient resource allocation.
• Adopt continuous improvement: Establish a culture of ongoing optimization by regularly reviewing application performance, collecting feedback, and making necessary adjustments.

Application Management Tools

When developing an application management strategy, choosing the right tool is crucial, as different tools offer varying features tailored to specific needs. Here are 5 Application management tools to consider:

1. Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager

This platform helps manage and streamline Microsoft software across an organization. It integrates with technologies like Microsoft Intune and Azure, providing a cohesive system for coordinating software management tasks.

2. HCL BigFix

HCL BigFix centralizes tasks such as license optimization, application audits, and risk compliance. It supports IT and security teams by scaling cybersecurity measures and aligning patching efforts with business goals.

3. Flexera Software Asset Management

Flexera helps organizations streamline their license management by automating the monitoring of license usage. This includes identifying licenses that are not fully utilized, detecting unauthorized or shadow IT, and reducing overall software costs.

4. Dynatrace

Dynatrace provides a cloud-based solution that uses artificial intelligence to monitor and enhance software infrastructure. It delivers comprehensive visibility into application performance, server response, and analytics to help prevent and address issues effectively.

5. AppDynamics

AppDynamics offers cloud monitoring that links IT performance metrics to business KPIs. It helps in tracking network performance and identifying software issues quickly through data intelligence.

Application Management Trend & Future

The landscape of Application Management Services (AMS) is evolving rapidly, driven by several transformative trends. These developments not only enhance efficiency but also help businesses stay competitive in the digital marketplace.

1. Embracing cloud-native technologies

Cloud-native applications are becoming central to modern IT strategies. AMS providers are increasingly adopting cloud-native technologies to simplify deployment and management. This approach offers significant benefits in scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency, allowing businesses to optimize operations and adapt to changing demands effectively.

2. Implementing DevOps and Agile methods

DevOps and agile practices are now essential in application management, promoting faster development and delivery through collaboration and iterative processes. These methods improve efficiency and reduce errors, allowing teams to respond quickly to changes and enhance application management.

3. Security and compliance focus

With growing concerns about data security and regulatory compliance, AMS providers are focusing on robust security solutions and practices to protect applications and maintain industry standards.

4. Leveraging AI and machine learning

AI and machine learning are revolutionizing application management through automation and predictive capabilities. These technologies streamline routine tasks, enhance predictive maintenance, and improve application reliability and user experience. 

5. Adopting serverless computing

Serverless computing is emerging as a key trend in application management, reducing the need for server management. This model lowers costs and improves agility, allowing organizations to focus on core business activities and innovation, while enhancing overall efficiency and competitiveness.

6. Advancing with application containerization

Containerization is reshaping application management by encapsulating applications with their dependencies. This approach ensures consistent behavior across different environments and simplifies deployment and scaling. 

Conclusion

Through this article, you should now understand what is application management and the benefits it can offer to businesses, such as improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and driving innovation. By implementing a good application management strategy and choosing the right tools, your business can maximize the value and performance of its applications.

If you are looking for a partner to assist with application management, Luvina is a choice you should consider. Luvina’s solutions empower businesses by enhancing application management strategies, guiding the use of new applications, increasing user engagement with IT investments, and reducing error rates. To find out what Luvina can do for your application management project, contact us and request support today.

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