What is SaaS?
Software as a Service (SaaS) provides you with a completed product that is run and managed by the service provider. In most cases, people referring to Software as a Service are referring to end-user applications. With a SaaS offering you do not have to think about how the service is maintained or how the underlying infrastructure is managed; you only need to think about how you will use that particular piece of software. A common example of a SaaS application is web-based email which you can use to send and receive email without having to manage feature additions to the email product or maintain the servers and operating systems that the email program is running on.
Benefits of SaaS
- Accessibility: Ability to run via an internet browser 24/7 from any device
- Operational Management: No installation, equipment updates or traditional licensing management
- Cost Effective: No upfront hardware costs, but flexible payment methods such as pay-as-you-go models
- Scalability: Easily scale a solution to accommodate changing needs
- Data Storage: Data is routinely saved in the cloud
- Analytics: Access to data reporting and intelligence tools
- Increase Security: SaaS providers invest heavily in security technology and expertise