SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Defined

August 16, 2011

By Shaun Whitlow

Here's just a few thoughts on SaaS for those unfamiliar with why it has become so popular. Software-as-a-Service has quickly become a mainstream business resource for sharing and collaboration over the Internet. Content management software and customer relationship management software were once only available to larger corporations that could afford the expensive network infrastructure required. SaaS has now made these technologies accessible to even the smallest businesses.

Here are just a few of the advantages of SaaS for businesses of any size:

Greater Availability: SaaS applications can be easily accessed anytime from any computer or mobile device anywhere an Internet connection is available. SaaS applications typically have a lower learning curve for new users, as most people are familiar with using the Internet to find what they need.

Lower and Easier IT Costs: Network hardware and infrastructure costs and software license fees are managed by the SaaS provider, rather than the end user. This greatly reduces the impact of the significant startup and ongoing maintenance costs required for these services.

Automatic Upgrades: All updates and upgrades are managed by the SaaS provider. Customers do not need to worry about installing software patches or updates, or keeping up with changing compliance requirements. Scaling is also managed by the SaaS provider, so the customer can grow and increase usage without worrying about added infrastructure costs.

Those of us here at SaaShost.net are excited for the opportunity to provide the newest SaaS technologies with the same levels of service and reliability as we did at The Message Center for many years.