IT Managed Services vs IT Consulting Services: Know the Difference

Information technology (IT) is big today and enterprises from every domain have adopted information technology in order to streamline their business operations and increase productivity and efficiency. Some of the biggest IT companies today provide an entire range of services to cater to the varied requirements of the enterprises and their distinct business goals and objectives. So, you have IT consulting, managed support services, managed IT services, software development services, and so on. Here let us look at two of these services – IT Managed services and IT Consulting services – to understand their differences.

What is IT Managed Services?

IT Managed Services refer to proactive outsourcing of one or more aspects of a company’s IT infrastructure support and management to a managed service provider. The service provider is an Information Technology firm with a team of domain experts and is referred to as Managed Service Providers (MSP). In this model, the enterprise that seeks the services (the client) holds complete ownership of the IT infrastructure being outsourced while the liability of the provider only extends up to providing the managed services. There is a contract or agreement signed by both parties that defines the criteria and metrics to be adhered to.

While most big IT companies have an in-house team that looks into the management of IT infrastructure, small and medium businesses, including startups, cannot afford to have a team of experts working for them. This makes it difficult for them to keep up with the latest technology updates and security threats. Often non-IT professionals in the firm are forced to research on management of IT infrastructure, which takes up time and drives the focus away from other aspects of business operations.

Common Examples:

Systems Management
Backup & Recovery of Data
Data storage & Management
Management and Monitoring of Network Security
Human Resource Management
Production, Support and Maintenance of Software
What is IT Consulting Services?

IT Consulting Services refer to the practice of companies seeking the advice of domain experts on different fields of information technology in order to gain insights on making the best use of information technology to achieve their business goals and objectives. It is also called technology consulting and IT advisory, and basically involves an experts offering advisory or consultancy services to an organization (the client). The IT consulting industry involves three major types of consultancy providers – IT companies and firms, staffing firms, and independent consultants.

With the introduction of new concepts in technology, such as the Cloud, mobility and Big Data changing the business scenario, businesses have to constantly evolve their strategies in order to stay competitive. However, having an in-house team to strategize on the IT-based work and operations is not viable option for many small and medium businesses, primarily because of the costs involved and also the obvious lack of expertise and domain experts.

A client organization can hire the services of a IT consulting firm for different purposes, depending on its requirements. So, you have some IT consultants providing objective advice, others sharing their expertise and knowledge with the organization’s development team, and still others offering temporary help to crack a complex project successfully. However, the common goal of the IT consultants is to develop long-term and short-term strategies that help the client organization to drive business growth, and generate new revenue streams.

Common IT Consulting Services Examples:

Website and Database Development and Management
Expertise in use of complex IT tools and processes
Advice regarding the right IT investments
Insights gained from experience to help companies make correct decisions
Both IT Managed Services and IT Consulting services help organizations achieve the common benefits of cost savings, access to expertise and experience, time to focus on core business issues, and more. However, the basic difference is that while consulting involves seeking advice and suggestions from providers, managed services are about seeking their involvement in undertaking the project.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Test Automation Management Tool

Test automation is the biggest thing to have happened to software testing in the recent years and has revolutionized the way organizations approach testing. The widespread popularity of the agile methodology, which focuses on continuous testing, has made test automation a necessity to meet the testing goals of an organization.

There are quite a few test automation management tools available in the market today, such as QARA Test, Watir, Appium, Tricentis Tosca, and more. These tools offer various features dedicated towards making the software QA process easier, faster and more efficient. If you’re looking for an automation tool, here are some key questions to ask in order to figure out which one will meet your requirements.

1] What are your requirements in software QA?

Every automation management tool is different and so before you choose one, you must have a clear idea of your QA requirements. Does your project primarily call for web/desktop testing alone? If it’s only a specific type of application your project requires, then you can opt for a software that caters to that type of application alone. For example, Watir is a platform for QA of web applications.

2] Are there any skilled resources in your organization?

Switching to automation not only calls for investment but also there’s the need to impart training to your staff, unless you already have skilled resources in your organization. If it’s the former scenario, you should choose a tool with a very short learning curve. QARA Test is one such tool that makes you learn automation in just 3 days.

3] What are the different integrations you want your tool to support?

Different test automation management tools support different integrations and what you choose depends on the type of integrations you need for your project. To begin with, closely study the different integrations and their purpose. The most common integrations are JIRA, BrowserStack, BrowseEmAll, SauceLabs, and Jenkins, among others. For example, JIRA integration is for complete test management while BrowserStack and SauceLabs are for grid execution.

4] What programming language is your QA team most comfortable working with?

Having skilled resources is great but what’s more important is the programming language your team prefers to work with. Different tools are built using different programming languages, which makes it very important to choose one wisely. However, a test automation management tool built using the Selenium framework, such as QARA Test, is a clever way to go about it. Even though Selenium is built using Java, it offers support for a host of programming languages, including Perl, PHP, Python, and Ruby, among others.

5] Which platform(s) or browser(s) do you work or intend to work with?

Some QA projects just work with a single browser or platform, such as native mobile apps built for either Android or iOS. However, other projects require you to execute testing simultaneously across multiple browsers and platforms. If your project demands the latter, you should look for test automation tools that offer cross-browser/cross-platform testing.

6] What is your budget?

Your budget is often the deciding factor that you simply cannot ignore. Make a list of all the tools that fulfill the requirements and then go for the one that is most cost-effective. If the tool of your choice does not fall within the budget you set out with, you might have to cut down on a few bells & whistles and get them sometime later.

The Final Word

Discussing with your QA team and the decision makers of your company to figure out the answers to these questions will make it easy for you to choose a test automation management tool that will help you increase test coverage, reduce the testing time and offer other benefits. If you want to share your experience of choosing a test automation tool, drop us a message in the comments section below.

Male Organ Shaving – Making It a Sensual Experience

Manscaping has become increasing popular, with many men delving into the world of male organ shaving as a means to a new sensual experience, a way to present their packages in a different manner or simply to keep the crotch a bit cooler during warm weather. (Hopefully, all are being careful with the razor so that their male organ health is in no way compromised!) Shaving the groin is, of course, a personal preference, but those who wish to try it may want to consider ways to make mid-level hair removal into a sensual experience.

Partner up or go it alone
Clearly, there’s already a sensual element associated with male organ shaving. It’s going to involve manipulation of the genitals, and as all guys know, that often leads to a bit of manhood playtime. With that in mind, a guy should decide if he wants to undergo his shearing experience by himself or with a playmate. Either way can be rewarding, and there is no right or wrong answer. But it’s good to decide in advance, as working with a partner will require a bit more planning.

Whether shaving solo or under the ministrations of a second party, there are a number of steps one can take to ramp up the sensual quotient a bit.

Take a picture.
Sure, most guys have an intimate knowledge of just what their tools look like – especially in the age of selfies. Nonetheless, take a moment to snap a few “before” shots of the manhood in varying states of firmness.

Tune it up.
Give your ears something to feast on while the package is being shaved. Put on some music that matches the desired mood. Think relaxing yet seductive – maybe a little “Bolero,” for example. A guy wants his body to feel at ease while there’s a razor puttering around his manhood, so avoid any raucous tunes that might cause tension.

Trim it.
A thick bush needs to be trimmed down to about ¼ inch in length before it can be shaved bare. Often a man hurries through this part, but it’s a good idea to take it slow and enjoy it. If one has a partner helping, the partner can add in a few slow circular rubs or perhaps caress the area with kisses while trimming. If a man is going solo, take time to admire one’s handiwork in a mirror as the trim proceeds.

Soak.
It’s important that the skin is nice and moist when shaving. Taking a warm bath is an excellent way to hydrate the skin. And while in the tub, a guy or his partner can engage in a little caressing of the tool.

Cream up.
A very mild shaving cream is necessary after the bath in order to keep the skin supple and ready for the shave. Spend a little time applying it and rubbing it in slowly and tenderly. And then take time in applying the razor. One wants to be careful, of course, but going slowly allows a man to really savor the experience of having so much attention placed on his package as well.

Afterwards
Sensual male organ shaving doesn’t end with the application of the razor. After carefully washing off and drying the package, it’s important that a man rub in a superior male organ health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil). The area is going to be quite sensitive for several days, so regularly using a crème that includes a powerful combination of a high-end emollient (such as Shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E) is a must. This ensures that the member skin is appropriately moisturized. It’s also wise to use a crème that includes vitamin D, also called the “miracle” vitamin because it is so valuable in fighting disease. Adding vitamin D helps enable cell functionality, which boosts overall male organ health and is especially good on the sensitive skin of a newly-shaved manhood.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common manhood health issues, tips on improving male organ sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy member. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men’s health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.