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NetForecast, Inc.
Consulting services based on hard data
NetForecast helps performance vendors educate customers and clarify the value of their products and services through a methodology that:
- Assesses the product or service within a comprehensive performance framework
- Determines business value of the technology based upon real customer data
- Identifies circumstances in which the technology provides the greatest benefit
Performance Framework Assessment
Given the abundance of products and approaches to improving performance, placing a product within a larger context is key to understanding its value. The NetForecast Performance Framework is used by many organizations, including the Open Group, as a foundation for classifying technologies by performance functions impacted and applications served.
NetForecast performs a technical review that places a product into the Performance Framework and summarizes the features in a product brief.
Customer Business Value Report
The best proof of a product’s value comes from customers’ experience. To be credible, however, such data must be gathered in a structured way by an impartial third party. NetForecast works with clients to develop targeted interview guides, which are used by the NetForecast staff to interview customers who have used the product.
Using data from about 10 interviews, NetForecast performs an impact analysis to identify common themes and, where possible, to quantify the business value of the solution. The process also identifies key business benefits driving the adoption of the technology.
The goal of the analysis is to create one-to-three return on investment (ROI) business cases highlighting the benefits directly attributable to the use of the product.
Performance Evaluation Report
Each product has a unique performance impact based upon the application supported and the customer scenario. Identifying the ideal target market for a product can be challenging due to almost limitless application/scenario combinations. Furthermore, accurately finding a product’s “market sweet spot” must be based upon real application behavior. The NetForecast Performance-Mapping Library, which is based upon application profiles that were created using actual application measurements, is used to find the most promising customers.
NetForecast works with clients to build four realistic, beneficial, and fully documented performance modeling scenarios. NetForecast’s evaluation report illustrates how a product influences the way an application performs in each modeling scenario. The report shows key performance metrics before (the baseline) and after solution deployment. These before-and-after views can make a clear and compelling case for deploying a product in a particular set of circumstances.We have extensive experience with a wide range of applications and users as shown in the lists to the left.
Market Education Support
NetForecast supports its clients’ marketing efforts with programs that build on our reports and we work with clients to integrate NetForecast study results into our clients’ messaging.
We take part in user group presentations, tutorials, road shows, and Webinars. Live events such as tutorials can include interactive exercises that involve the audience in the education process. Events such as these are useful for generating qualified leads, since participants self-qualify by their interest in the topic presented.
Buying NetForecast Services
Clients may purchase these studies separately or as an integrated package. NetForecast works with its clients to modify these studies and integrate any unique client needs into a statement of work that is then delivered under a fixed-price contract.
We invite you to visit our Web site to learn more about our methodology and to review our reports on the many aspects of performance.
* NFR 5069 Application Performance Framework – A Guide to Performance Technology Selection, available at: www.netforecast.com/framework
A list of NetForecast consultants and contact information is available at netforecast.com. Call 434 249 1310