Software as a service questions

The cloud computing concept boomed way back in the s. However, the idea of developing web-based technology that supports SaaS sparked during the late s. But in the last 5 years, there has been a dramatic development on the SaaS system and SaaS solutions become a prominent and inevitable thing for large companies all over the world.

Well, many may use SaaS products without knowing it as a SaaS product. Here are the few SaaS products that are commonly used by people all over the world.

Many users or vendors feel difficult to understand the functionality of SaaS products mainly because of the ways in which SaaS services are delivered by the SaaS product. SaaS products deliver services in a variety of ways. SaaS is well-known as the branch of cloud computing and it requires proper internet connectivity for delivering better performance and to carry out functionality for delivering its services.

People from various niches prefer SaaS products for their business operation. Apart from that people who are involved in marketing and copywriting niches also prefer SaaS products for availing digital shopping platforms delivered by SaaS services.

Apart from that, updates of businesses can be delivered to potential audiences faster in SaaS when compared with software. Here are the lists of niches on which one can utilize SaaS effectively for witnessing a better performance. The majority of the companies are utilizing the SaaS services under the license of a perpetual license. Well, the perpetual license permits the users or vendors to store the SaaS data and use the SaaS services without owning rights.

In simple terms, you can term it as a pay-as-you-go. However, in the case of software, the user or vendor owns the complete solution. Also, SaaS vendors or users provided with the license on the subscription basis but the SaaS licenses are for a lifetime. In the technical world, multitenancy is usually referred to as the software architecture that permits rendering certain services again and again on a specific server or certain group of servers.

There are many reasons that make SaaS solutions famous among large companies. Here we have listed the top few reasons that make SaaS as the talk of the town. Here are the few vital challenges and limitations developers face while developing a potential SaaS product or application. Being a branch of Cloud computing, SaaS attracts not only the start-ups and medium-scale businesses; the advantages of SaaS solutions are attracting even large companies with a giant workforce. Take a look over the future of SaaS applications.

Also, do test the SaaS services with the real data and make sure it meets the expectation of the business operation. However, organizations that are likely to experience growth in the nearby future will benefit a lot by implementing the SaaS solution when compared with others. The advantage of using the latest software solutions allows predicting and monitoring the cash flow of the business effectively.

Moreover, the advantage of accessing the SaaS system through the internet allows employees to access it at any time with any device that supports the internet. But be aware that there can be subtle differences in functionality and visuals from browser to browser.

A common example these days is how Google Docs prompts you to use shortcut keys when you try to copy and paste something through the right click context menu in Firefox. In addition, think about mobility. If you have employees who need to access your SaaS product on the move like in warehouses or shipping service drivers, make sure that your SaaS provider offers Android and iOS apps.

Check the functionality of those apps thoroughly since the interface could quite differ from the web interface of the SaaS product and hide a few nasty surprises. Having a responsive design is also a necessity these days if you intend to use the SaaS product on devices with different screen size. Thinking about how to cut with a SaaS provider before even starting the relationship may seem odd, but in the fast-evolving space of the internet it is a must-have feature.

Companies get acquired, change strategy or simply go bankrupt. If you intend to build parts of your business workflow on a SaaS product that is by nature out of your control, you should explore your exit options. In short, never choose a SaaS provider that locks you in without any exit routes. Look whether they enable you to export all your data, including user account information, customization, etc.

Or maybe they have migration options with de facto standard products of your category. Some SaaS products are also open-source software that you can set up and host on premise. If the SaaS provider promises to export the data for you in case you want to leave, make sure you write that down in your contract as attitudes can change in times of divorce.

Also keep in mind that some providers tend to keep at least parts of your data for a certain period of time. Create a trial account and fill support tickets to see how they respond. Do not associate the trial account with your company as this could bring preferred support. Ask about the help procedures. Our workflows rarely fit into a single software and one of the major drives for moving to the cloud is to have better integration options.

Most reputable and mature SaaS providers offer great APIs and integrations with common productivity and office applications. This is where a good understanding of your current environment and applications will help you greatly. Also think about the skills that are needed to implement those integrations. Are they just drag and drop or one-click good-to-go options or do you need to hire developers? Does the SaaS vendor cover the implementation? What are the costs? It defines the measurable aspects of the promised service in terms of things like quality and availability.

It also clearly states the consequences of failing to live up to the promised standards. Even small outage times can lead to severe consequences for a business. Customers lost to the competition; bad reviews showing up on social media and even vital data losses can happen. Be sure you have covered every possible misunderstanding in the SLA. Make sure that the SLA covers the consequences of where the SaaS service provider fails to live up to their commitments.

These consequences must be roughly equal in value to your losses. Before going full force for a SaaS service vendor consider the possible change in IT support requirements.

This essentially depends on 3 factors:. One of the main advantages of the SaaS model is to reduce maintenance costs. We have already covered the Service Level Agreement with the SaaS vendor where the quality you are entitled to receive and the compensations for failing to do so are clearly defined.

But if you intend to run a vital operation to your business with this vendor, it may not be enough. Plan ahead for a worst-case scenario where the SaaS vendor goes out of service for a longer period of time. But if not, have contingency plans to keep your business running—even with a low profile—in case of a failure. The fact that implementing SaaS is much easier than traditional software can increase the chances of neglecting proper employee training.

Many SaaS providers offer training programs for new customers. There are also third-party companies that partner with SaaS providers and specialize in training and implementing new SaaS instances.

Importing your old data into the new system can become a time-consuming and expensive process. Particularly in higher education and academic research, deep industry knowledge is the foundation of a strong SaaS partner. Access to advanced software functionality, often without incremental costs, is one of the many benefits of SaaS. Many vendors, however, stop short of educating users around how new features can transform business operations.

Where is the benefit of features that go unnoticed? This is where service becomes critical. A strong SaaS provider emphasizes the tools, techniques and outreach to help institutional leaders evaluate the newest features and decide how or why to deploy a new feature.

Once a solid connection is available again, all the data is synced to the system. Beyond the internet connection, some buyers worry about compatibility with different operating systems. At the most, you may need to download a different web browser that will work best for your SaaS system.

The cloud refers to a set of incredibly complex infrastructure technologies. The computing power is scalable so that buyers can dynamically increase or decrease the amount of computing power they lease. Workfront , a SaaS-only work management tool, allows users to collaborate with any web browser.

While all cloud programs are run by underlying software, SaaS refers specifically to business software applications that are delivered via the cloud. Today, nearly every type of core business function—from human resources to enterprise resource planning—is available via SaaS providers.

A private cloud takes all of the infrastructure technology that runs a public cloud and stores it on-premise.

Users achieve the same functionality and ability to access their data through a web browser. However, instead of sharing the computing power with the general public, the computing power is shared among users at one company. Contrary to the quickly growing public cloud model full content available to Gartner clients , a private cloud requires an IT department to perform maintenance and upkeep. Establishing your own private cloud can be costly and requires an investment in the infrastructure required to develop and maintain a cloud environment.

Private clouds also require large or complex projects to generate a return on investment. You can make sure your business is ready for cloud migration by reviewing these frequently asked questions with important stakeholders. If everyone understands how the technology works, you can then determine the most effective type of deployment for your specific needs.

Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations.