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ECC 6.0 customers looking for third-party SAP support, Rimini Street CEO says

The number of SAP customers transitioning to third-party support has already exceeded expectations with a slight majority of these customers running the current ECC 6.0 release, disproving the misconception that third-party support is only for customers running older R/3 releases. In this interview, Rimini Street CEO Seth Ravin also highlights how third-party support is a long-term strategy for SAP licensees with an average contract length of 10 years.

Rimini Street Expands UK Operations

UK businesses are increasingly joining their North American peers in switching to third-party technical support to cut costs of owning big-ticket enterprise software. The global economic downturn is driving more and more UK companies to cut costs yet many are constrained by their inability to make meaningful staff cuts. Instead, UK companies are looking to reduce maintenance costs as a non-political way of adjusting to economic change. Rimini Street is rapidly ramping up its UK operations in response to market growth.

Third-Party Oracle Applications Support Continues to Grow in Popularity

Demonstrating the growing popularity of third-party support, a recent research survey by leading industry analyst Ray Wang revealed that interest for third-party maintenance services more than doubled from Q3 2009 to Q1 2010. Further, 92 percent of end users were found to be considering third-party support for their Oracle applications in the first quarter of 2010. This article highlights the success of one organization that transitioned to third-party support. El Camino Hospital, the “hospital of Silicon Valley,” gets ultra-responsive support while saving in the neighborhood of 50 percent on support costs after switching to Rimini Street’s support program.

ERP: How and Why You Need to Manage It Differently

IT leaders have been frustrated with ERP maintenance costs for years. One company that heavily customized its ERP software and was never able to implement even one enhancement pack states, "We paid maintenance for nothing.” For a better value in software support, more companies are turning to third-party providers such as Rimini Street.

Global CIO: 20 SAP Add-Ons That CIOs Will Love

Analyst Ray Wang highlights third-party support as a top 6 category on his SAP Optimization List and names Rimini Street as the "clear leader" in the category. As a proven software support solution, Rimini Street offers maintenance, tax updates, and regulatory changes for half the cost of SAP support.

The top nine SAP stories of 2009

Rimini Street's launch of third-party support for SAP is a top story for 2009. Driven by client demand, Rimini Street expanded its SAP support program to include ECC 5.0, ECC 6.0, and BW 3.5 along with older R/3 releases. Early adopters validate that Rimini Street's ultra-responsive support methodology and premium services deliver more value than SAP support.

As SAP shows 'clear path forward,' some users look to stay behind

IT executives attending Sapience 2009 learned about strategies for extending the return on investment from their SAP software, including third-party software support. With SAP's decision to eliminate its lower-cost support option, Rimini Street's support program is touted as an attractive option for organizations looking for a better value in SAP software support.

Q&A: Rimini St. executive talks plans for JD Edwards support

Q&A with Ray Grigsby, Rimini Street vice president of global support services for JD Edwards software, discusses Rimini Street’s global support practice for the rapidly growing JD Edwards line of business.

An Emerging Threat to Oracle and SAP

Barron's highlights Rimini Street's rapid growth and the widespread interest in third-party software support alternatives.

Rimini Street ups the support ante: expands international support

Enterprise software expert reports that Rimini Street expansion of global support signals a sea change in the way companies contract for support services, with conservative Fortune 500-type companies now considering third-party support as a better value than vendor support. Already, Rimini Street's newly introduced SAP product line is generating 20 percent of its lead volume. Other signs of maturity: Rimini Street is providing support for 18 European countries and expanding its physical presence in Europe, has a footprint in China, and is talking about South America.

Have Oracle & SAP Hit Tipping Point With 22% Fees?

Rimini Street’s rapidly growing business in enterprise software support may be early indications of powerful seismic shifts in the software maintenance model, as more organizations object to excessive vendor software maintenance fees. Annual fees totaling 22 percent of software purchase price are driving vendor software maintenance margins above 90 percent at the expense of their customers. Reducing software maintenance “entitlement costs” through third-party support is becoming an acceptable option for retaining hard-fought IT budget dollars.

Apps Support Firm Plans to Expand into Europe, Asia

Private equity investment from Adams Street Partners supports Rimini Street’s global expansion, which includes the opening of offices in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Innovation Dreaming Won't Stop Enterprise Software Screaming

Enterprise software companies are failing to innovate by focusing on what's in it for them rather than what's best for their customers, especially related to expensive software maintenance fees. The "meteoric rise" of Rimini Street comes from applying innovation to enterprise software support. "Oversoftwared" companies are responding to Rimini Street's simple message: half-off ERP maintenance and support fees for Oracle and SAP customers looking to just use the software they already have.

News Analysis: Rimini Street Launches Third Party Maintenance for SAP

In his Software Insider's newsletter, industry analyst Ray Wang highlights Rimini Street's launch of its SAP support program at Sapphire 2009, citing significant interest in the third-party support among Sapphire 2009 attendees. Wang states that demand for third-party support appears to be strong and encourages customers to include third-party support options as part of an enterprise applications strategy.

Rimini Street Says JD Edwards Support Business Quadrupled Last Year

While new software license sales are down, more and more software licensees are turning to third-party maintenance and support to maximize the return on their software investment. Last week at the Collaborate 2009 Conference, Rimini Street announced a quadrupling of its JD Edwards support business and unveiled a multi-million dollar expansion of its global JD Edwards support capabilities.

Rimini Street Keeps Cashing in on Half-Off Oracle and SAP Maintenance Fees

Q&A with Rimini Street President and CEO Seth Ravin at SAP's 2009 Sapphire conference examines the broad customer interest in third-party SAP software support and explains why enterprise software companies are struggling to address customer concerns over escalating support and maintenance costs. As a result, notes Ravin, software licensees are increasingly making the strategic decision to leverage third-party support and maintenance to cut annual support fees in half, run their current releases for the next 10 to 15 years, and avoid the ongoing costs of upgrades every two to three years.

Rimini Street Chief: Where's the Maintenance Cost 'Peace Dividend'?

Current software releases are more stable than ever, with more functionality and increasing life spans compared to a decade ago. Yet as the costs to support these systems go down, enterprise software vendors are keeping this 'dividend' to themselves and in some cases even raising support fees. As Rimini Street President Seth Ravin points out, the economics of enterprise software today look a lot like ink cartridges in the printing industry, where vendors give away the licenses to gain the maintenance and consulting revenue streams.

Cutting Software Maintenance Costs 101

Tips for lowering software maintenance costs include waiving maintenance fees on software not being used; cancelling non-essential maintenance contracts; and choosing a reduction in maintenance fees over a license discount.

SAP Sapphire 2009: Big Show, Big Questions, Big Stakes

SAPPHIRE 2009 wasn't your standard SAP show. There was a different feeling at the 2009 event due to the global financial recession and a growing user backlash against rising maintenance and support fees.

Rimini Street Readies SAP Support Services

SAP software support program expands from an R/3 focus to include newer ECC 5.0 and 6.0 platforms. Broader SAP support coverage was driven by growing interest among SAP customers for savings of at least 50 percent off their current SAP support bills; support through 2020 and later for existing releases; and customization support at no extra cost. In the article, industry analyst Ray Wang warned customers to resist vendor appeals to combine multiple support contracts under a single new agreement.

Rimini Street launches third-party SAP support for SAP ERP, BW releases

At SAP's Sapphire 2009 show, Rimini Street announces support services for SAP that are designed to reduce SAP support costs by at least 50 percent.

Oracle fees for maintenance and support under fire

Oracle customers are balking at the high annual fees for software maintenance and support, which is calculated at 22 percent of the software license price. As these fees are bolstering Oracle's revenues, any effort from Oracle to cave on support would lead to severe financial repercussions. This makes third-party support from Rimini Street an attractive option, for both Oracle and SAP licensees.

Software Maintenance Fees: Time For This Model to Change?

This cover story exposes how the software maintenance model is coming under intense CIO scrutiny and details how CIOs are using options like third-party software maintenance to avoid paying non-negotiable 22% vendor maintenance fees. The success of Rimini Street client Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company is highlighted as third-party support continues its fast-paced growth.

Five Tips to Create a Recession-Proof ERP Vendor Strategy

Industry analyst Ray Wang details five tips for optimizing existing investments in packaged applications as part of a recession-proof ERP strategy. Included as one of his five tips, Wang advises companies to consider third-party software support from Rimini Street to free up money to fund not only budget cuts but also potential revenue sources for innovation.

Ditching Siebel for Rimini Street CRM support the right move for Enable Holdings

Since switching from Oracle Annual Support to Rimini Street Support two years ago for its Siebel CRM system, Enable Holdings has significantly reduced its support costs and received personalized support and service that they could only dream of from Siebel. Plus, they can run their current Siebel version through at least the year 2020 with no costly, required upgrades.

UBid Confirms Software Support Switch for Rimini Street

Online auction retailer uBid.com validates the value of third-party support, confirming they have realized significant annual support cost savings and more responsive service in the two years since switching to Rimini Street Support.

Challenges Adding Up For SAP

Interview with Seth Ravin, CEO of Rimini Street, regarding Rimini Street's launch of Support Services for SAP at a 50% savings as one of several challenges facing SAP going forward.

SAP support dilemma highlighted at Sapphire

SAP eliminates lower cost support option, effectively raising support fees to 22%, just one day after Rimini Street, a third-party support provider for JD Edwards, Oracle and Siebel products, announced plans to begin offering an SAP alternative.

Rimini Street Will Now Offer Maintenance Support for SAP's R/3 Products

At SAP's annual Sapphire Conference in Orlando, Fla., Rimini Street announces the expansion of its industry leading support program to include SAP software.

Rimini Street Adds SAP, Passes on TomorrowNow

After making a name for itself with lower-cost support for Oracle, Rimini Street will attack the SAP market next year -- but passes on a potential acquisition of TomorrowNow, as clients of the SAP division are already moving to Rimini Street for stability and long-term support.

The Man Behind 'Half Off' Third-Party Software Maintenance

Rimini Street's Seth Ravin has quietly amassed nearly 200 customers who don't want to pay Oracle's annual maintenance fees. In an interview, Ravin discusses why that's so, the turbulence in the market and whether SAP is next on his product offering list.

How to Spend (and Not Bust) Your 2008 IT Budget

With a recession looming, IT budgets are under pressure. eWeek surveys influential industry analysts for tips to prioritize and allocate scarce IT dollars. Third party software maintenance is highlighted by Forrester Research principal analyst Ray Wang as a way to maximize your IT dollars.

Stop overpaying for support

Feel like your vendor is failing to live up to its maintenance fees? This article explains the value gap and why companies are considering 3rd party support. Forrester analyst Ray Wang details how you may be paying 2.5 times your original license cost to maintain your applications and that customer analysis reveals 3rd party support is performing as well or better than vendor support.

School District Picks Rimini St. Over TomorrowNow

Birdville Independent School District selects Rimini Street's more innovative support features and better value over Oracle and SAP's TomorrowNow for support of its PeopleSoft system. Birdville has achieved savings of up to 60% on their annual support costs and in side-by-side service comparison tests over 6 months, Rimini Street outperformed Oracle on every support case - resolving each issue before Oracle even responded.

Oracle Support Services Get Mixed Reviews

This article highlights customer challenges and frustrations with Oracle's support model, and why customers are turning to Rimini Street for personalized, ultra-responsive service directly from experienced engineers assigned to each customer. Rimini Street clients also save more than 50% in annual support costs when compared to Oracle.

Interview: Seth Ravin on Third-Party Software Maintenance

In-depth Q&A session with Rimini Street CEO Seth Ravin touches on a wide range of topics including the origins of third-party software maintenance, how software company strategies reinforce the need for alternative support, and the debunking of several third-party software maintenance myths.

High Five: Meet Seth Ravin, CEO Of Rimini Street

InformationWeek profiles third-party support pioneer and Rimini Street founder & CEO Seth Ravin, highlighting his unusual journey to Rimini Street.

Siebel maintenance costs cut 50% by third-party support vendor

This profile of Rimini Street client Beekley Corporation addresses the increasing trend and reasons why organizations are looking to someone other than their enterprise software vendor to support their enterprise applications. Ray Thomas, Beekley's acting director of operations, explains why 3rd party support is the right choice for their Siebel system, including poor vendor support, steep upgrade costs, and expensive maintenance fees. Thomas also details how Rimini Street has resolved all their support wishes at a 50% savings in support costs.

Is There a Street Corner for a Vendor-neutral Third Party Support and Maintenance Provider?

Industry Analyst P.J. Jakovljevic explores the growing trend of software customers turning to third-party support and maintenance as a way to improve the return on their existing software investments. Jakovljevic also details the inherent advantages of a software vendor-neutral provider of alternative support as opposed to the possible taint and hidden agendas associated with alternative support providers that are aligned with major software vendors, like TomorrowNow and Systime.

The pros and cons of third-party software support: Oracle-SAP suit sparks discussion of going with a third party

This analysis of the growing third-party software support market highlights the success of two Rimini Street clients as examples of the hundreds of organizations who are now successfully using third-party support to significantly reduce support costs while receiving better service than previously provided by the software vendor. An industry analyst and the Rimini Street clients detail the advantages of third-party support over standard vendor support, including Rimini Street's support for customizations in addition to vanilla code, no required upgrades, code fixes that do not require huge bundles of prerequisite fixes be installed, and significant savings in annual support costs.

Oracle vs. SAP: Rimini Street Weighs In

Interview with Rimini Street CEO Seth Ravin where he notes that Oracle is a big proponent of third party support with launch of its own third-party support options for SAP and Red Hat at 50% savings. Ravin also clarifies that the Oracle vs. SAP lawsuit is about specific alleged SAP/TomorrowNow business activities in recent months, not about third-party support in general. The lawsuit has put SAP/TomorrowNow clients in the middle of increasing hostilities between Oracle and SAP.

DST arrives; time switch appears to have been smooth

Article features Rimini Street's proactive work with clients to prepare for Daylight Saving Time changes, and includes discussion by a Rimini Street client about how Rimini Street's customized step-by-step instructions and expert engineering assistance helped assure a smooth and successful Daylight Saving Time transition for the client's mission-critical 24x7 enterprise software.

The Next Generation of Leadership in Enterprise Software

Recognizing his role as the pioneer of third-party enterprise software support, Seth Ravin is named one of the Top 25 New Generation Leaders of enterprise software.

Rimini Street Going Global with Offices in Asia-Pacific

Rimini Street announces that it's going global at Oracle's annual OpenWorld conference in San Francisco. At the same time many Oracle customers, focused on maximizing the return on their existing system investments, are taking a wait-and-see approach to competing SOA technologies and to the next-generation suite of applications that will mature over the next decade.

Rimini Street Hires SAP Execs as TomorrowNow Expands Operations

While SAP subsidiary TomorrowNow was celebrating a new office expansion in Texas, two of its most senior leaders responsible for PeopleSoft technology support and nearly 500 tax & regulatory updates jumped to rival Rimini Street.

Rimini Street Offers JDE Support Services

Rimini Street launches support for JD Edwards products in addition to current support for Siebel and PeopleSoft products. Support is offered on 24/7 basis by US-based named engineers, at a 50% cost savings compared to current Oracle rates.

Lower-Cost Options Free IT From Software Maintenance Fees

Expenses from maintenance contracts can exceed the cost of the original software license over time. Third-party maintenance vendors like Rimini Street fill tech support needs by providing technical support, software fixes, and regulatory updates and offer 24-by-7 service with guaranteed 30-minute response time, all at half the price of what Oracle charges for support.

Chopping Software Maintenance Fee

Enterprise software customers are increasingly being forced to undergo major upgrades in order to receive support from enterprise software companies, highlighting the need for alternative support providers. With Oracle acquiring enterprise application vendors PeopleSoft, Siebel and J.D. Edwards in recent years, the need for alternative support providers has increased dramatically. This article profiles third-party maintenance vendors as well as gives an in-depth look at two of Rimini Street's clients.

Third-Party Companies Jolting Software Field

Buyers of business software have been totally reliant on the firm that sold them the software for bug fixes and routine support. That's starting to change. Rimini Street founder Seth Ravin is highlighted as the key creator and innovator of the third-party support market.

SAP division to support Siebel product

Rimini Street Inc. of Las Vegas, created by TomorrowNow co-founder Seth Ravin after he sold his stake in that company to SAP in January 2005, began supporting Siebel products in January this year and plans to support PeopleSoft products from the third quarter.

Should Siebel customers expect a hike in CRM support costs?

Rimini Street, Inc. is an example of a third-party provider of Siebel maintenance that offers more intimacy with a customer and a better understanding of their environment.

App Support Upstarts Promise Lower Costs

Rimini Street and SAP Division expand customer bases and continue to grow the alternative support sector.

TSANet Announces New Member; Rimini Street, Inc. Joins Multivendor Support Alliance

Rimini's membership in TSANet helps deliver a solid multivendor communication framework that helps in its provisioning of next-generation primary support services to ERP software licensees.

Siebel Support Company Rimini Buys ERP, CRM Consulting Group

Further expanding its presence and customer footprint, Rimini Street, the established leader in third-party support & maintenance for Siebel licensees, acquires Siebel specialist consultancy Sidney Blue.

Rimini Street Eyes Siebel Biz

Rimini Street stole some thunder of the Siebel North American conference by launching its own Siebel support services during the conference. Industry analyst Josh Greenbaum observes that Rimini Street has "tremendous potential".

Third Parties Eager To Offer Alternative To Oracle Lifetime Support

"Oracle Lifetime Support" likely to significantly raise support costs for licensees, while at the same time lowering service levels, making offers from alternative support providers such as Rimini Street even more attractive.

Oracle's Offer Of A Lifetime

Oracle details plans to raise fees and lower service levels on support & maintenance contracts.

Oracle Unveils Its First Fusion App

While Oracle works to get its Fusion plans noticed, Rimini Street comes forth with a strong value proposition. An alternative maintenance and support vendor, Rimini "has one-upped the nascent [Siebel] acquisition by offering maintenance contracts on Siebel software for half the price of Oracle [provided] contracts."

New Competitor Springs Up as Oracle and Siebel Execs Join Hands on Stage

Rimini Street makes a strong play in the third-party support market, attracting significant industry attention with its offer of superior support on Siebel applications at half the price of regular Oracle maintenance contracts.

Oracle to Face Competition for Siebel Fees

Rimini Street will offer Siebel software licensees a choice of maintenance and support programs that provide savings of 50 percent or more compared to current vendor annual maintenance fees.

"The City of Flint needed to save money on its PeopleSoft HR/Payroll support but also needed a support partner with a proven track record the City could trust to deliver. After reviewing the bids of several companies, Rimini Street was selected for the significant cost savings and the additional support features it offered over other software support providers."

Tom O'Brien
City of Flint Michigan