The Application Packaging Standard (APS), an industry initiative by Parallels, has gathered significant momentum in 2011. Earlier this month, Tier 1 Research commented on a larger trend among ISVs and service providers of every stripe looking to rapidly scale the benefits of the Cloud. „Cloud computing has demonstrated that ease of access and programmatic, automated portability of service are the way forward. Furthermore, widespread consumerization means end users expect more ability to access applications and federate services than ever,“ indicated Carl Brooks, Analyst, Infrastructure Services, Tier 1 Research.
Parallels launched the APS in 2009.Today, the entire catalog of packaged and updated applications in the APS ecosystem approaches 300. More than 100 applications have been added or updated under the APS certification program in 2011 alone. By enabling the automated provisioning, configuring, billing, and support of cloud-based properties, APS makes deployment and billing of Cloud services fast and easy for service providers as well as for ISVs such as Open-Xchange.
Open-Xchange actually was one of the very first 3rd party key applications to support APS from the beginning. It has opened up vast new sales channels for all involved by connecting 10,000 Parallels service providers and resellers serving more than 10 million small and medium businesses. Service providers like Dotster and Irish Domains have already implemented Open-Xchange using APS and Parallels´ automation software.
And this steam is not just hot air, it is a momentum Open-Xchange fully supports as Telcos and Carriers need to position themselves as Cloud providers offering a wide range of applications for SMBs. They might consider APS being the standard of choice for them to ensure fast time to market, flexibility and security all based upon proven technology.
We see a strong chance that APS will continue to grow its presence in many different areas of the Cloud market, eventually becoming a true open standard for implementing and selling SaaS applications.
We are excited to be meeting with the Parallels APS team in Orlando next month at the Parallels Summit as a presenter in the APS Theater at 3:45 p.m. on February 15th.
