How to Master IT Application Management Across the Cloud
Each year, organizations generate an unprecedented number of applications, many of which are modern and complex. These apps often consist of sophisticated containerized workloads bundled as collections of microservices.
Here’s how to manage the flood of modern applications: start with understanding their lifecycle, apply proven DevOps practices, and use the right tools for cloud-native workloads.
Key Takeaways:
- Application management is a set of processes that developers and operators can follow to ensure consistent performance and reliability for apps at every stage of their lifecycle.
- The application lifecycle is a crucial element of management, as apps have different needs at different phases of the lifecycle in order for them to achieve peak efficiency.
- Modern application management methods, such as self-service and DMaaS, are suitable for extracting the most value from cloud-native workloads.
What is IT application management?
IT application management refers to the processes by which IT teams operate, maintain, control, and update apps throughout the application lifespan. These processes include the actual design and development of an app as well as testing, iterating, and ultimately retiring the app.
The goals of application management are consistent and sustainable performance, efficiency, and governance. The enterprise and end-users alike can rejoice when applications regularly run at peak performance with minimal dips in functionality.
Effective application management yields efficient and reliable code, enhancing the end-user with experience and enabling the dev team to prioritize innovation rather than problem-solving for a poorly managed app.
Stakeholders at every level also benefit from competent application management. Not only can IT application management improve the cost-efficiency of apps on an enterprise-wide level, but it also improves business continuity through comprehensive monitoring and frequent update patterns.
Map the stages of the application lifecycle
Application management and lifecycle management are practically synonymous, as modern apps go through several stages in their life that each require unique management solutions.
The application lifecycle consists of the following basic states, each of which an organization can bolster through effective management practices. Managing applications effectively means understanding their lifecycle and applying the right practices at each stage of development. Here’s how to approach each phase:
Planning – Define requirements and goals.
Align business needs with IT capabilities, select cloud strategies, and establish governance early.Development – Build with efficiency in mind.
Use cloud-native tools, modular design, and version control to create scalable, reliable applications.Testing & QA – Validate before launch.
Automate testing where possible, focus on performance under load, and ensure compliance with security standards.Deployment – Deliver with confidence.
Leverage CI/CD pipelines and orchestration tools to push applications into production quickly and reliably.Monitoring & Maintenance – Optimize continuously.
Track usage, performance, and costs in real time. Apply regular updates, patches, and dependency management. Monitoring should encompass both application performance and the underlying infrastructure. Learn more in our comparison of app monitoring vs. infrastructure monitoring.
There is a wide range of tools that enterprise leaders can employ in their application management strategies, some of which cater directly to cloud native developers. Much of the modern application lifecycle takes place in the cloud, making it especially important for IT decision-makers to become familiar with these cloud native solutions.
For example, there is a need for a solution that can manage large amounts of apps in complex environments such as the hybrid multicloud deployments that are increasingly common in today’s IT landscape. The Nutanix Lifecycle Manager (LCM) is one such solution that enables centralized upgrades and seamless dependency management with one-click simplicity, even on the most complex cloud infrastructures.
Greater efficiency in IT application management is possible at every stage of the application lifecycle by adopting certain DevOps philosophies. It is the developer’s role to manage an application from the backend, but collaboration with operators on the other side can streamline the process greatly.
To dive deeper into managing the underlying systems that support your apps, explore our guide to application infrastructure management.
Modernize application management
Once you understand the lifecycle, the next step is to adopt modern practices and tools that streamline operations and improve performance.
Use Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to centralize control
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) provides a modern means of application management. Through VDI, users can access a digital workspace in which to configure and operate any applications from any location.
In addition to the accessibility benefits of VDI, it is also important to note that the implementation of virtualization serves to centralize the management process in such a way that security, efficiency, and control capabilities pertaining to applications all become available from one unified console.
Adopt self-service to empower teams
Another modern staple in an application management strategy is the potential for self-service. The self-service capabilities available on Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM), for example, include simple provisioning of role-based governance solutions and end-to-end automation for the creation and consumption of applications.
Leverage Application Management Services (AMS) when needed
Application management services provide an alternative solution for organizations that lack in-house expertise regarding IT application management or that wish to explore potentially more cost-effective measures. Application management services providers are outsourced solutions that specialize in the maintenance, monitoring, and updating of modern applications without the need for businesses to dedicate their own resources to the endeavor.
Allied Market Research reports that the global application management services market was valued at $17.12 billion in 2020, with a projected increase to $94.786 billion by 2030. This growing market size is not only indicative of third-party service being an increasingly valid investment but also that there is a clear value in application management as a practice for individual businesses to integrate into their own IT teams.
For teams managing a growing number of mobile apps, see our definitive guide to mobile application management to ensure secure and efficient control.
Optimize for the cloud: Master IT application management
Applications are the lifeblood of modern businesses, and so those businesses need an equally modern method of managing and optimizing those applications. This becomes difficult as organizations prepare for a cloud native future that is both inevitable and complex. Enterprises need simple application management solutions even as all other aspects of IT become more complicated.
Nutanix accelerates the process of integrating application management and brings simplicity to every aspect of managing cloud deployments with the Cloud Manager tool. Organizations operating in the Nutanix environment can also take advantage of other success-oriented services like virtual desktop modernization.
Applications are becoming more sophisticated, and the environments they run in are also growing more complex under the surface. The IT application management solutions that organizations use to keep their operations under control do not have to be so complex, though. Rather, development and deployment can continue unimpeded through the smooth integration of cloud-focused management solutions.
Learn more about the role of DevOps in application management and generating business value.
IT Application Management FAQs
What are the main stages of the application lifecycle?
The lifecycle includes planning, development, testing and QA, deployment, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Each stage requires unique management practices to ensure reliability.
How can I modernize IT application management?
Modernization involves adopting tools like Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) for centralized control, self-service platforms for automation, and application management services when in-house expertise is limited.
Why is DevOps important for application management?
DevOps fosters collaboration between developers and operators, streamlining updates, accelerating deployments, and ensuring security and compliance throughout the application lifecycle.
What tools help manage complex, cloud-native environments?
Solutions like Nutanix Lifecycle Manager (LCM) provide one-click upgrades, dependency management, and centralized control across hybrid and multicloud environments.
When should I consider outsourcing application management?
If your IT team lacks the skills or bandwidth to monitor, update, and optimize applications, outsourcing to an application management services provider can reduce overhead and improve efficiency.
How does Nutanix support application management?
Nutanix simplifies IT operations with tools such as Cloud Manager for self-service automation, VDI for unified app access, and LCM for lifecycle governance across complex cloud infrastructures.
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