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Understand how SaaS works, when to use it, and what it can do for your business.
Published 21 Dec 2022
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a service model that allows users to access and use the application over the Internet. Users don't need to download or install the software on their computers. Instead, they can access it through a web browser or as a standalone application. Typically, SaaS applications are paid for by monthly or yearly subscriptions.
The benefits of SaaS include lower upfront costs, ease of use, and regular updates. Because users access the software via the Internet, they can also access it from anywhere in the world. It makes SaaS an ideal solution for businesses with employees who work remotely.
SaaS is only one of the many cloud computing solutions for business IT needs. Other common ‘as-a-Service’ options are:
SaaS applications have a few key characteristics that set them apart from other types of software. These include:
A multitenant architecture means that all users and applications share a single infrastructure and code base. The SaaS vendor centrally maintains it. Because all clients are on the same infrastructure, the vendor can innovate more quickly. They can save time on developing numerous versions of outdated code.
It is possible to customize SaaS applications to fit specific company processes without compromising the quality or integrity of the shared infrastructure. With SaaS upgrades being more frequent and less complex, providers can offer these services at a much lower cost while maintaining customer satisfaction.
Anyone with access to the network can easily access the data from all the devices. It is easy to track who can see what data and when they can see it. This way, everyone has the same information at the same time.
With the SaaS model, businesses can take advantage of the same technologies consumers use daily. These include social networking, mapping, and search. It makes it easier for employees to use the applications and get the most out of them.
There are many different types of SaaS applications available. Some common examples include:
SaaS is a way for organizations to use applications without installing or running them on their computers. They do not need to spend money on additional hardware, software licenses, or installation. Other benefits of using the SaaS model include the following:
Flexible Payments Rather than buying software licenses to install or getting new hardware, customers can subscribe to a SaaS. Thus, businesses can better plan for it. Users can also stop the SaaS offering anytime if they want to.
Scalable Usage SaaS offers customers the ability to vertically scale their service, meaning they can have more or fewer features as needed. It’s helpful for businesses that experience seasonality or sudden growth spurts. They can add features when needed and remove them when they don’t. Check out 10 Best Business Continuity Software of 2023.
Automatic Updates Users don’t have to waste time or money on updates and patch management because the provider will take care of them. In other words, SaaS takes a load off of your company’s in-house IT staff.
Customization SaaS applications can be customized to fit your needs and can be integrated with other business applications, especially if they come from the same software provider.
SaaS also poses potential risks and challenges that organizations should be aware of. These include.
Issues Beyond Customer Control If providers experience security breaches or service disruptions or make changes to their offerings that customers don’t want, it can cause serious problems. To prevent these issues from occurring, customers should be aware of their SaaS provider’s Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Customers Lose Control Over Versioning Any new version of an application released by the provider will automatically be applied to all customers, regardless of whether they want it or not. It may cause hardships for the organization, which will have to spend more time and resources training its employees to use said updated application.
Difficulty Switching Vendors It can be challenging and time-consuming when customers want to switch cloud service providers. They have to migrate petabytes of data, which is no small feat. And if the vendor uses proprietary technologies or data types, that further complicates things and creates what is called “vendor lock-in.”
Security Concerns When using SaaS applications, businesses must trust that their provider will keep their data secure. If the provider needs adequate security measures in place, it could risk the customer’s data.
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Although most software products are now cloud-based models, organizations still have concerns about SaaS products and whether they are secure. Some of these concerns include the following:
SaaS providers have different subscription models for customers. Below are some examples.
It’s possible to customize most SaaS software to a certain extent. You can add your company’s branding, change the color scheme, and add or remove features. Some users can optimize their workspace, like a task list or dashboard, to only show the needed information and boost their productivity.
In nearly all cases, your company still owns the data in a cloud-based system. Most service level agreements (SLAs) confirm your ownership of the data on the vendor’s servers and your right to retrieve this information. Most contracts have built-in provisions and prepaid fees that will allow you to maintain access to your data. Additionally, vendors usually permit users to export their data and create local backups at any time.
To ease cloud security concerns, software providers go to great lengths to show how well-protected client data is in their servers. Many SaaS providers use public cloud services that boast high levels of security to deploy and store their software instances and data. Most companies put their data at more risk by keeping it in-house. There needs to be more money allocated to IT security, and employees or others could unintentionally leak data or introduce security gaps.
Although software vendors may not always stick around, your data usually does. Most SaaS vendors prepay their hosting fees to ensure the customers’ data will still be accessible in case something happens to the company. This way, if the vendor goes under or is consolidated, at least the customer’s information will be safe and sound.
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Rob Paredes
Rob Paredes is a content contributor for SafetyCulture. He is a content writer who also does copy for websites, sales pages, and landing pages. Rob worked as a financial advisor, a freelance copywriter, and a Network Engineer for more than a decade before joining SafetyCulture. He got interested in writing because of the influence of his friends; aside from writing, he has an interest in personal finance, dogs, and collecting Allen Iverson cards.
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