On-premise software acquisitions and updates can be costly and time-consuming. This challenge is faced mostly with businesses that implement and use ERP systems. However, with a model such as software-as-a-service (SaaS), these challenges can be mitigated.

What is SaaS?

SaaS is a type of cloud computing model where the licensing and delivery of the model is centrally hosted and runs on a subscription basis. Instead of installing and maintaining software, you simply use the Internet to access it. SaaS liberates businesses from the insolvencies of installing, updating softwares and device maintenance.

You rent the use of an application for your company that allows employees to access via the Internet. The service provider’s data center houses all the underlying infrastructure, middleware, application software, and application data. SaaS service providers oversee the hardware and software. With the right service agreement, the service provider will ensure the app’s availability and security.

With SaaS, your company can quickly get an app up and operating for a low upfront cost.

Common SaaS scenarios

You have already used a version of SaaS if you’ve used a web-based email service like Outlook or Hotmail. These services need you to log into your account over the Internet, most commonly through a web browser. Your communications are also saved on the service provider’s network, where the email program is hosted. You may access your email and saved messages from any device with a stable internet connection.

The preceding examples for SaaS cloud computing services are personal use free services. You may rent productivity applications. General applications as well as sophisticated business software like customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and document management, for organizational usage. These business applications are available for a monthly fee or on a per-user basis.

SaaS Characteristics

Consider a bank that respects each customer’s privacy while offering dependable and secure service on a large scale. Customers of a bank can utilize the same financial processes and technology without fear of unauthorized access to their personal information.

1 Multitenant Architecture

Multitenant architecture is one in which all users and apps share a single, centrally maintained infrastructure and codebase. Because all SaaS vendor clients share the same cloud infrastructure and code base, vendors can innovate faster and save on development.

2 Easy Customization

Each user’s capacity to readily customize programs to meet their business operations without compromising the shared cloud infrastructure. These customizations are unique to each firm or user, and they are always kept during upgrades, according to the way SaaS is designed. As a result, SaaS companies can upgrade their software frequently, with minimal risk to their customers and a reduced cost of adoption.

3 Better access

A key characteristic of cloud computing in general. A SaaS platform will bring advantages such as improved data access, improved privilege management, data usage monitoring, and guaranteeing that users can see the same information at the same time.

Why SaaS?

The key benefit of adopting a SaaS cloud model is the ability to offload all infrastructure and applications to the service provider, giving the user to follow 3 simple steps: creating an account, paying the fee and starting using the application.

Other benefits of SaaS include:

• Pay for what you use – A SaaS model will automatically scale up and down based on the usage levels. This allows the user to save money and only for what is being used.
• Access to application data from anywhere – All you need is a stable internet connection and a device to access the application. Application data that is stored in the cloud is also kept secure 24/7 even though the user’s device fails mid-way.
• Minimal Risk – IBM indicates that SaaS products are often offered on a free trial OR at a low monthly fee. This gives users the chance to test out the applications and test and identify the key applications that are required.

How ADL can help your cloud journey

Our cloud practice has partnered with leading cloud service providers. Platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Huawei Cloud provide you with world-class solutions. Our certified team of cloud engineers has delivered a variety of rapid and scalable cloud solutions to businesses around the world.

What we offer:

An in-depth understanding of the context of your business, allows you to gain the agility to expect and take advantage of market movements.

Extensive automation and self-service capabilities that are delivered with cost savings, efficiency, and flexibility.

Flexible pricing and a range of integration, delivery, and management models that incorporate world-class methods, processes, and tools that provide on-demand scalability and agility.

Overall, SaaS provides a wide range of advantages that benefit both suppliers and users. As data continues to drive the strategies of smart companies in a technologically connected world, SaaS choices are becoming a more convenient and inexpensive option across industries. 

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