The Scoop on SaaS
Software as a service is a form of IT outsourcing in which users tap into the applications they need on the servers of other companies rather than license or develop software and run it in-house. Although it is hardly new -- companies have done that with their payroll systems for decades -- it is part of a rising wave that includes utility computing, cloud computing, grid computing and virtualization. In all of these, hardware or software recedes from the view of users. And, often in the case of SaaS, from the control of the users' IT department.
SaaS lets you get up and running quickly, and it offloads to someone else the development, testing and maintenance chores, not only for the software but for the hardware it runs on. Users say it is especially attractive in these times of economic difficulty because it allows you to "buy IT by the yard," in amounts appropriate for changing needs and budgets.
On the downside, ongoing fees paid to the vendor can be high, and the user arguably has less control over application features, the timing of new releases, reliability and security.
ZeroTouch IT Ltd
