what is end to end 
end to end describes a process that takes a system or service from beginning to end and delivers a complete functional solution usually without needing to obtain anything from a third party it often refers to vendors that can see a project through from beginning to end and supply everything needed to create a workable solution be it hardware software labor written materials and procedures end to end solutions also adhere to a philosophy that eliminates middle layers or steps which helps to optimize the performance and efficiency of a business this includes pulling in minimal parties along the full project life cycle to ensure minimal disruptions are incurred from start to finish it is most commonly used in the information technology it sector investopedia laura porterunderstanding end to end in information technologygenerally end to end solutions are used with vendors that offer comprehensive systems that keep pace with a business s ever changing infrastructure requirements and the changing demands of the it sector itself end to end suppliers generally handle all of a system s hardware and software including installation implementation and maintenance an end to end solution might cover everything from the client interface to data storage a company that offers end to end video conferencing products for example will provide everything including the monitors and network connections in e commerce end to end processing occurs when one company provides a service to another in which it manages the sales order tracking and delivery of a product 