You can share one AIMMS Cloud Platform between different departments or user groups in your organization. Here are some tips on how to set it up without friction.
When apps from different user groups are published on the same AIMMS Cloud Platform, they share certain Cloud functionalities.
Who is responsible for creating User Accounts for the Cloud Platform?
User Accounts for a shared Cloud platform are created in one admin console. Any user with admin rights can, among other things, create accounts for other users.
Make clear rules about who will create and remove user accounts to avoid duplication, accidental removals, and so on. An admin can create an unlimited number of user accounts.
Do you need User Groups to control access to apps?
If you do not want all users to access all apps, you can create User Groups and configure app access so that certain groups only see certain apps.
How many Concurrent Users do you need?
There is a limit on the number of users who can be logged in and using apps at the same time.
Decide in advance how many Concurrent Users you need in total. Peak usage gives a good indication for this. If you have too few seats, you can upgrade to accommodate more users.
How many Solver Sessions do you need?
AIMMS is mostly used for optimizations, which make a connection between AIMMS and a solver. To use that connection, you need a Solver Session.
If you have 1 solver session and 2 users press the optimization button at the same time, 1 of those 2 users will be queued. If user 1 is running a long execution, you want to be sure that user 2 can still carry on with their work in a reasonable time.
The amount of available Solver Sessions is part of the contract. Decide in advance how many Solver Sessions you need in total. Peak usage gives a good indication for this.
How will you handle upgrades to new versions of AIMMS PRO?
You will a need testing process in place for new versions, on a Test Cloud environment. Decide what will happen if a user encounters a major issue when testing a new PRO release.
Consider what you will do if, for example, one group is waiting for functionality from a new AIMMS PRO release and another group finds an issue with the new version. It’s good if there is clarity about what to do within what time frame.
Although backward compatibility is an important focus when we test the new release, it is impossible for us to test everything for all our customers. That is why we always ask our customers to test our new PRO releases internally and to set up a governance process for handling issues.
How do you distribute the Cloud-specific costs across the organization?
Think about dividing costs up front. Costs may be split among divisions, or use a central budget. Consider whether to base it on the number of apps per user group, the number of solver sessions, or concurrent users.
Considering these topics carefully from the beginning ensures better cooperation and clarity for those involved.
If you have more tips to share, please add them in the comments below!