SINGAPORE, November 13, 2014 – Singapore-based software development company, Init Service Technology (Init), has chosen Microsoft Azure and .NET framework as its platform for building customised applications for its customers. The deployment has helped Init to focus on delivering quality software for its customers, and save up to 60 percent on costs incurred from hosting and licensing fees.
Init specialises in customised IT solutions, including building and maintaining custom business workflow applications, custom ERP solutions, project management software and hardware-oriented project management applications. Additionally, Init provides consulting and support services for Microsoft Office 365 deployment for Singapore-based companies.
With customers from diverse industries and backgrounds, including manufacturing, trading, retail, medical and surveying – all with differing application needs – Init needed to ensure that the underlying technology for its applications is reliable and easy to manage, while still having adequate control over the infrastructure.
“Microsoft Azure’s support for mixed platforms, including open source software like Java, is a big plus in building applications meant to run on a bevy of web-based and mobile platforms, including iOS and Android,” said Mr Sing Kwang Eng, Director, Init Service Technology. “We chose Microsoft Azure because it has the right balance of reliability, flexibility and cost efficiency along with the fact that our team has prior experience in developing with ASP.NET.”
With Microsoft Azure, Init no longer has to pay upfront fees for hardware, or pay a fixed fee for unused resources, with a pay-per-use model. The deployment has also offered more flexibility in resourcing for Init as a growing company, as compared to alternative options such as running an on-premise setup, co-located server setup, or third-party hosting.
Delivering better value to customers with greater efficiency and security
Developing on Microsoft Azure has enabled Init to simulate application development environment closely, ensuring that the applications developed are already close to actual environments, thus reducing time spent on development and delivering custom applications for its customers in a shortened timeframe.
It is also easier for Init’s developers to stage demonstration sites and applications, and assess resources through the cloud, as well as remove the need to deploy customer applications within complicated infrastructures pre-owned by its customers. With Microsoft Azure, it is estimated that Init enjoys 50 percent efficiency gains from support, troubleshooting and response to application issues.
One such custom application developed on Microsoft Azure for Init’s customer is a gym membership and scheduling portal. The portal helps end-users at the customer’s different gym outlets to manage membership details as well as classes and appointment scheduling. Developing on the Microsoft Cloud has also enabled the application to be used by staff and gym members, which enables flexibility and agility of use and expansion.
Data security is of key concern as 70 percent of Init’s customers are local small and medium companies who are concerned about the security and reliability of their applications. This concern mirrors a previous survey conducted by Microsoft Asia Pacific with 125 Singapore-based partners in end 2013* which highlighted that security concerns were the second highest ranked misconception amongst customers and prospects.
With Microsoft Azure, the company was assured that the solution complied with key industry standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001:2005, and that the platform incorporates security practices at the application and platform layers, giving peace of mind to developers and service administrators. The Microsoft Operational Security Assurance (OSA) programme also provides an operational security baseline across all major Microsoft cloud services, including Microsoft Azure, helping ensure key risks are consistently mitigated. Microsoft also recently achieved the Multi-Tier Cloud Security Standard for Singapore (MTCS SS) Level-1 certification for Microsoft Azure.
Sing added, “With Azure, we are assured that the platform is up-to-date with the latest security patches. Our customers can also be assured that their applications are secure as it runs on a reliable platform like Azure.”
“Init is a perfect example of a partner who has transformed their operations and differentiated their solutions with Azure, delivering more value to their customers on the Microsoft cloud platform,” said Joey Tan, Cloud & Enterprise Business Group Lead, Microsoft. “Our cloud services provide significant opportunities for partners to drive business value for themselves and their customers in a mobile-first, cloud-first world.”
To find out more about Microsoft Azure, visit http://azure.microsoft.com/. To learn more about the security, privacy and compliance features and policies undertaken by Microsoft for Microsoft Azure, visit http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/support/trust-center/.
About Init Service Technology
Init Service Technology Pte Ltd is a young and upcoming company that specialises in providing customised IT solutions for businesses. It offers a range of solutions and services in the following key segments: Customised software solutions, IT consulting and support services, Infrastructure deployment and troubleshooting (hardware services).
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* The Microsoft Asia Cloud Partners Survey was an online survey conducted by Microsoft with its IT reseller partners across Asia Pacific in end 2013. Some 2,017 partners participated in this survey from 11 countries, with responses from 125 Singapore-based participants.