Executive Summary
When CxOs choose platforms to build next-generation applications for their organizations, they can choose between packaged platform-as-a-service (PaaS) tool suites that provide separate, atomic offerings with separate versions, or PaaS suites that allow installation/product/service and offering bundles on a single version.
While both can build the same use cases, the path, value proposition, and licensing are fundamentally different. PaaS tool suites offer a “Chinese menu”-style selection of PaaS tools across a wide range. This offers more flexibility in the uptake of different tools and service,s but puts the selection and integration risk on the enterprise selecting them for each use case. PaaS tool suites usually allow for building new offerings faster because they don’t have to integrate and test all services with each other. That burden falls on enterprises, and while vendors in general do a good job making sure offerings work together, it is a trade-off that CxOs need to make. Leaders should also look at the Constellation ShortList for PaaS suites.
PaaS platforms are key for enterprises to build next-generation applications (for more, see here).
Threshold Criteria
Constellation considers the following criteria for these solutions:
- More than 3K production installations
- More than 3K production installations in at least three of the Constellation 7 Next-Gen Application use cases
- Customers on at least five continents
- Availability on at least five continents
- The ability to utilize AI models in code assets
- Increased developer velocity from AI automation
- Substantial CI/CD support
- Substantial high availability/disaster recovery for production applications
- Advanced logging/observability support
- DevOps support
The Constellation ShortList
Constellation evaluates more than 15 solutions categorized in this market. The Constellation ShortList is determined by client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research.
- AWS ELASTIC BEANSTALK
- GOOGLE CLOUD PLATFORM / GOOGLE APP ENGINE
- MICROSOFT AZURE / AZURE APP SERVICE
- ORACLE CLOUD PLATFORM
- SALESFORCE (FORCE AND HEROKU)
Frequency of Evaluation
Each Constellation ShortList is updated at least once per year. Updates may occur after six months if deemed necessary.
Evaluation Services
Constellation clients can work with the analyst and the research team to conduct a more thorough discussion of this ShortList. Constellation can also provide guidance in vendor selection and contract negotiation.