 |
  |
|---|
| For End Customers | Partners | Services | IT Hosting | Press & Events | Company | Support | Contact Us |
GoIWx IT Hosting Frequently Asked Questions
Categories of IT Hosting questions for our Strategic Integration Partners Strategic Partner Program Questions Sales Support Questions Technical Support Questions Licensing Questions Billing and Accounting Questions Partner Program Questions Q - What does the upfront partner program fee include exactly? A - We believe in any strong relationship there is a high level of commitment. On the front end of our relationship, we are going to invest a lot of time/money around marketing your company on our web site, co-marketing efforts, press and trade show materials and more. This fee helps us realize you are committed and serious about working with GoIWx as your HSP. You will also be trained on our partner portal, proposal calculator, and total access to your environment with administration licenses. Q - How are leads from the GoIWx website distributed? A - Like any partnership, for example Microsoft, if you are engaged actively with GoIWx and closing business and active with us, then the lead would go to those active companies. Q - What is the partner / customer on-boarding process? A - It starts with a signed partner program document. We then educate you and your staff on the partner portal which is an authenticated SharePoint site which contains all of your end customer activity, signed orders, partner news, sales information and tools, marketing programs and materials. You have access to those documents at any time. We will review the end customer on-boarding processes and the customer facing documents and how the steps work so you can communicate with your customer and be prepared to answer questions that arise. Sales Support Questions Q - We are ready to place an order and start using the hosting services. What do we do next? A - Go to the on boarding web page. There you find the process steps from start to finish getting up and running in the hosted environment. Q - What is your typical Partner target company? A - We work with MS Gold Certified partners in the Dynamics suite, CRM, Sharepoint, and other MS products. Software integrators and solutions providers, Software developers and firms who have business models that encounter opportunies for hosted applications who turn the leads to our partner base. Q - What differentiates GoIWx from other HSP's? A - We work exclusively through a partner channel. We do not call on your end customers. We keep you in the trusted advisory role. We have specific rules of engagement in our partner program and invest a lot on the front end to help with marketing and getting your firm educated and engaged with our offering. This way the expectations are clear and you are prepared for communication with your end customers. Q - What agreement(s) do my end customers need to sign? A - Only one agreement. A Hosting Services Sales Order (HSSO). Other references to documents like Terms and Conditions, Service Level Agreements (SLA), etc. are available on the GoIWx website. |
  |
|---|
Technical Support Questions
Q - As a partner, our clients are on your servers, we want to be able to login and handle support for them, how are administrator licenses handled? Do we pay for those or are they included with our installation fees? If they are SPLA or Managed?
A - As part as of the Partner Agreement your business partner signed with GoIWx, they are provided administrators rights into the end customers environment so they can perform and satisfy server side requirements. Managed of rented licensing has no barring on the ability for the business partner to administer accounts.
Q - Can I install software and customize application and configurations on the server(s)? Do I have the ability to do server side activities?
A - The answer is yes. We have the ability to provide the business partner with as much or as little control over the end customer environments as possible. Depending on the level of administration into the environment, it will have a direct impact on the uptime promise. Our uptime promise starts at 99.99% and can change to 99%.
Q - We have an internet connection today. Will we need to get a PTP, VPN or T-1 directly to GoIWx?
A - As long as your internet connection has sufficient bandwidth you will not need a dedicated circuit for bandwidth. If required a VPN can be pined up between your location and GoIWx for increased security. Most always the internet will be an adequate solution for connecting to the hosted environment.
Q - What is considered adequate bandwidth/Connection?
A - It all depends on the application(s) whether they are browser based on desktop based plus the number of users who be connecting as the same time. Most of the time (excluding OCS/VOIP solutions) a single user connection requires 25 to 35k of bandwidth per user per connection. As stated earlier, bandwidth is very reliable and most of the time a connection over the public internet is adequate. Each site is evaluated for the best bandwidth solution, based on their requirements.
Q - What timeframe can we expect from project start to deployment/production? Or what should I tell my end customer to expect for timeframe?
A - Some applications can be up and running within an hour, others may require a more complex implementation strategy. The answer to this depends upon how quickly documentation is provided to us as well as the quality of that documentation. Other aspects of implementation timeframe can include the migration of data, and how much data is to be migrated.
Q - Is there a testing/trial period available to us before we go live or to production?
A - This depends upon if you have a service related software package such as CRM, Exchange, and SharePoint or if it's an ERP product. Pilots are available and the standard rates and fees apply.
Q - Do I have to deal with (2) companies for on going support once we are live on the system?
A - Your partner who sold and implemented your solution is still your trusted advisor for support for all application related requests and answers. Your existing process for support with that partner does not have to change. In the event that you need technology related support during business hours or non business hours you can call our email GoIWx direct. GoIWx will always inform your business partner of the support we provide your company.
Q - Migrating over legacy data: Who migrates the End Customers data? How is this handled?
A - The business partner is the primary resource for data migration. GoIWx provides different mechanisms for uploading data via SharePoint, FTP, IIS, etc.; however the responsibility of the data migration is that of the business partner and the end customer.
Q - Is there a customized desktop for each user on your service?
A - Yes and No. The desktop is determined by the Application/User Matrix. It is configured by GoIWx through group policies. Each desktop can be different based on defined roles, but not customized specifically based on a user's desired configuration.
Q - Is there a limit to what we host in the future?
A - Not Really. The only real limitation is trying host CAD/CAM type applications. Due to the nature of the file sizes, the refresh rates will not meet acceptable tolerances.
Q - Which applications in the end customer hosted environment are deployed first, and how is that determined?
A - This is determined by the types of software that will be installed and by the business partner and end customer. There is usually a sequence to how multiple applications are loaded into an environment based on the integration to each application. We rely on the business partner and the end customer to provide us with direction of the proper sequence to load the software.
Q - Does GoIWx stay in contact with the Integration Partner throughout the entire deployment process?
A - Yes. In each step your primary P.O.C. will be available. Before the implementation process we will develop a strategy including timelines and mutual expectations insuring a timely completion.
Billing and Accounting Questions
Q - What happens after we're on board as an Integration Partner?
A - Its business as usual, but now from anywhere at anytime. There will be some issues that will arise like printers, access or forgotten passwords, but for the most part it is business as usual. As stated earlier, support for technology related issues is now available 24/7 and support of application related issues is available based on the business partner policies.
Q - What is the billing process or how does Billing work?
A - It is very simple. We bill the business partner and they bill the end customer. We bill monthly based on first of each month, with terms due upon receipt. In the event of a possible service problem, which could possibly lead to a service credit, that credit will be applied to the following months billing.
Licensing Questions
Q - In the SPLA model who does the installations, the business partner or GoIWx?
A - Whether Managed or SPLA software, both the business partner and GoIWx do the installations together for applications.
Q - Is the software Assurance (SA) fee included in our SPLA License?
A - Yes
Q - Additional "Support Enhancement Plans" - how are these handled in the SPLA environments? What are they, what do they include and how much are they? If the customer is interested in the Standard B Microsoft 1 hr support. Do you offer that in the price?
A - With the rented license model (SPLA) all SA (Software Assurance) is included. It is up to the business partner and the end customer to decide when to upgrade to new versions. This does not however include any support directly from Microsoft or business partners.
Q - What is the availability of test environments or sandboxes for upgrades or testing new applications? Do we pay double licensing? Is there additional fees?
A - Additional fees can apply but are based purely on the software's ability to run multi tenant. If the software limits the use to a single tenant, then there is a month to month fee of up to $495.00 per month per additional test environment. This does not require additional agreements. However there are restrictions to the duration of test environments which are based on the scope of the testing requirements. Additionally, if simple testing requirements are needed like a sample database, this is covered under your HSSO agreement as long as it's just a copy on an existing database.
Q - We have software we own that is going to be hosted and we will also be renting software. What do we do with our software? How do we get the rented software?
A - Customer owned software is referred to as Managed software. You will need to send the media and all the keys/serial numbers will need to be sent to GoIWx. There is nothing to do for the rented licensing as it covered in the monthly hosting fees charged to you by your business partner. If the hosted agreement is ended all of the Managed software will be returned. The rented licenses will come to an end as the customer has no ownership over the rented licenses.
 |
|---|
