Feedback interview

Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, has been a flagship customer of Maltem Insight Performance (MIP) for 6 years. So why did this listed multinational company choose to outsource IT performance monitoring? Global Network & Telecom Director Cyril Briard tells us his view of this fully transparent outsourcing model.

 

Cyril Briard, Global Network & Telecom

Director at Sodexo

 

What prompted you to contact MIP?

Several years ago Sodexo deployed a multi-operator WAN network called ISONET (International Sodexo Network) in which each operator offered their own portal and supplied network access statistics. However, Sodexo wanted to take it a step further by having measurements independent of those provided by operators so it was in a position to challenge them, in addition to gaining a consolidated view of the various operators.

As we rolled out the solution to monitor network access, we started to develop contacts with application teams who expressed a need to have a better view of performance. So, working with MIP, we deployed application monitoring solutions on our critical applications (ERP, intranet, etc.). This enabled us to set up dashboards consolidating network (LAN, WAN) and application information. These dashboards show at a glance where the performance problem lies, preventing us from involving numerous teams unnecessarily. The other advantage of these application solutions is being able to obtain measurements at a reasonable cost.
Based on this success, we are now planning to deploy the solution to our videoconferencing tools (CPU, RAM, etc.).

 

Why did you chose MIP specifically?

At first, the network and telecom team was too small to have its own monitoring solution so Sodexo opted for a managed service to monitor ISONET access. The human scale of the MIP team has enabled us to develop a solid partnership, with MIP providing the required level of responsiveness and monitoring. In addition, MIP’s monthly analysis provides added value and identifies problems in order to be proactive in Sodexo regions.

 

What advice would you give to IT managers when choosing a performance measurement solution as a managed service?

It is crucial to measure performance from end to end as overall performance is what matters to the user.

The service provider needs to be chosen according to their ability to provide this overall view. When the problem is in a specific area (servers, applications, networks, etc.), a service provider must also be able to help the client to find a solution to the performance problem (application tool, APM, network sniffer, etc.).

In the performance monitoring sector, tools are usually comparable so the benefit of facilities management does not lie in simply providing a tool, no matter how comprehensive it is, but in offering a value-added service for the customer. The way I see it, to meet the requirements of their business, IT managers need to find real partners who can provide them with strategic support rather than mere service providers.

 

Interview by MIP