Understanding SaaS Applications

1. Article 2: Horizontech.com UNDERSTANDING SAAS APPLICATIONS Software as a Service, an acronym of SaaS is referred as “on-demand-software”. It is an online application developed, hosted and maintained centrally by a software company. It is a software delivery model allowing the system and its associated data get centrally hosted in the internet or ‘cloud’. It is a subscription based web application hosted on an online server which can be accessed from anywhere without any extra infrastructure and manpower. This application enables the user to access their work using only a web browser and a secure internet connection. Thus, the necessity of occupying hard disk bearing MS Word and Outlook has now become superfluous. We shall discuss in detail about SaaS applications which has revolutionized the IT world nowadays. As per the need, SaaS applications can be based on Multi-tenant architecture as well as single-tenant structure for hosting services. It is easy and fast to upgrade. It has reduced set-up cost as compared to licensed software purchases. It bears foolproof security for source code. SaaS applications provide many advantages that include bug fixing, access for small to medium business to enterprise-level application, fewer software responsibilities like regular updates and smoother integration. The main benefits of using SaaS applications are that its centralized system maintenance takes care of everything, nominal rental fees, scalability, no initial expense and variable cost of integration. SaaS users can simply borrow or rent through internet at nominal cost instead of purchasing word processing software. More so they can access SaaS applications anytime and anywhere through their web-enabled computing devices or computers. Users may enjoy an SaaS application since it has low-maintenance responsibility. But the risk of connectivity, service disruption and online security of database are points of concern for the users. The risks involved in SaaS applications include: Security & protection of file privacy rests on vendors, documents remain in hostage of SaaS vendors, high level of trust needs to be placed on SaaS vendors. Every application has pitfalls. SaaS application is also not free from them. Hence, it is always advisable to choose their SaaS software vendors carefully. Saas has now become a common delivery model. SaaS applications are being integrated in most of the business applications like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), content management (CM), Management Information System (MIS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Financial Services Management, Retail, Accounting and Healthcare Services etc. SaaS Applications have become so popular due to its concept of centralized computing system. Nowadays, every company or organization (large or small) is using some type of SaaS to perform various complicated process efficiently and effectively. SaaS is subscription based, so organizations only need to pay the cost for subscription. The service providers offers support, training and upgrades to subscribers. This implies that the organizations avoid all extra expenses incurred on developing, managing, updating IT team. By adopting SaaS applications, the organizations can reduce the expenses on hardware equipments required to host & run an in-house enterprise application as well as provide them the facility to focus only on the essential business strategies. Horizontech.com offers multiple cloud based services such as SaaS applications and PaaS solutions that effectively automate customer enterprise business applications. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tony Rogers is an expert in modern computing and related services who likes to write many interesting articles and blogs, helping people to understand the nuances of the industry. He recommends Horizontech.com as the best name to trust for the most reliable cloud computing services.