Frequently Asked Questions

What is Skytap?

Skytap offers a complete self-service cloud automation solution for dynamic application workloads, such as application development and test, ERP migration, Lotus Notes migration, Microsoft Exchange migration, , custom applications, virtual training or software demos. Offered as a service, Skytap empowers users to gain immediate access to cloud-based virtual data centers, while enabling IT to maintain complete control over security policies and usage.

How does Skytap work with Google Apps?

Skytap is available through the Google Apps Marketplace. Once an organization adds the Skytap service to their Google Apps account, users enjoy seamless access between Skytap and Google Apps using Google’s Universal Navigation. Skytap and Google utilize the secure OpenID standard to enable user access through Google Apps.

What are the use cases for Skytap?

Skytap is ideal for any dynamic application workload that requires scalable capacity, rapid provisioning, ability to run applications without code or architectural changes, quick set-up and change management and self-service access. Skytap is used by enterprises for thousands of projects including application development, quality assurance, ERP migration, virtual training, and software sales demonstration projects. Explore Skytap’s use cases to learn more.

Why should I choose the Skytap Cloud over investing in my own infrastructure?

Enterprise data centers are optimized for predictable application workloads. They are not ideal for dynamic application workloads with fluctuating demand patterns, rapid set-up, frequent changes and self-service access requirements. Managing dynamic workloads with static IT investments often results in over or under capacity usage, expensive capital investments and frustrated users that complain about slow response times, In contrast, Skytap’s cloud automation solution is a cloud-native solution designed to enable enterprise IT to deliver scalable and flexible computing capacity that can run thousands of applications while maintaining corporate security policies. Users can be empowered with self-service provisioning and management capabilities. The Skytap Cloud can also be integrated with existing data centers so current investments are leveraged. Using this approach most enterprise customers find their total cost of ownership reduced by 50% or more. More importantly, they find the amount of time IT spends to deal with dynamic workload requirements is drastically reduced, enabling them to focus on core IT projects. Users also get improved productivity and application response time with the Skytap cloud.

What does Skytap cost?

Skytap subscriptions start at $250/month. The subscription includes access to:

• The Skytap Cloud application
• Ready to run application, OS and database images in the Skytap Library
• Scalable cloud infrastructure, including server, storage and networking resources to power dynamic application workloads

Additional capacity can be scaled up as required for usage hours, storage, and data transfer.

Can I use my current physical or virtual images in Skytap?

Skytap enables virtual images to be uploaded, imported, and utilized to leverage previous virtualization investments. Skytap also supports industry standard physical to virtual conversion tools and self-service import of virtual machine images to the Skytap cloud.

What are the financial benefits of utilizing Skytap?

Skytap users typically experience financial benefits in 3 primary areas:

1. Deferred and/or reduced capital cost: Users can easily save 70% or more over the life of their projects as they only pay for what they use and don't have to live with under-utilized, depreciating hardware and software on their balance sheets.
2. Rapid data center deployment: The Skytap Library™ enables users to rapidly build and deploy multi-machine configurations utilizing pre-configured and fully patched virtual images. The Skytap Library includes major operating systems, databases, and applications in multiple languages.
3. Team collaboration and resolution: Skytap's capability for instant collaboration using a Web-based project environment enables global teams to create and share complete virtual data centers with multiple servers, databases and networks that represent their actual deployment. This unique capability enables global teams to identify and resolve any application issue including functional gaps, software bugs, quality issues, performance bottlenecks, capacity challenges and security gaps immediately. Skytap's instant snapshot functionality enables global teams to create an identical copy of an entire virtual data center environment, and share them to with distributed members to enable parallel reproduction, diagnosis, and resolution of application issues.

How quickly can my Skytap account be provisioned?

After signing up for Skytap, an account representative will be in touch to finalize account and security details. Users typically have access to their account immediately after speaking with a representative.