As people change the perception of the Internet service, SaaS software is the place of traditional software, many companies continue to be the choice.
Xiao Bian often receive some specific questions about SaaS software, and differs from traditional software and SaaS software model. Therefore, this sort of answer 10 of the most frequently asked questions about SaaS, allowing you to learn more about what SaaS is, I hope to help you.
1. What is SaaS?
SaaS is a software delivery model that allows access from any device through an Internet connection and a Web browser data. In this Web-based model, the software vendor maintenance server, database and code up an application. This is the traditional software delivery forms are very different. First, companies need to invest in hardware to manage and maintain software, SaaS vendors will be responsible for all of this, buyers can solve most IT outsourcing and maintenance duties required software out.
In addition to allowing the Web remote access software applications and data outside, SaaS also with the pricing of different traditional software. Traditional software is usually purchased by permanent, which means that buyers have a license for the software. They have to pay 15% to 20% of annual maintenance and support costs. On the other hand, SaaS allows buyers subscribe to pay per year or month, usually including software licenses, technical support and other expenses. In the long term, one of the main benefits of the SaaS model is the ability to reduce the average cost per day.
2, how to choose between SaaS and traditional software?
First, you need to determine the complexity of your company's business. SaaS solutions for cost-effective, so we usually recommend have a straightforward business processes of small and medium enterprises to choose SaaS software to reduce upfront costs, but also to undertake large-scale SaaS service the complex needs of enterprise business.
Although SaaS functionality gap is narrowing, but there are still a considerable gap between the two. For example, a medium-sized custom manufacturers of aerospace parts may be best suited to the traditional software model, because the traditional software already exist longer and have more features. On the other hand, a manufacturer specializing in the nuts and bolts can find the solutions they need in the SaaS. So, how to choose between the two, really comes down to understanding what your business needs are, what kind of solutions can best help you out.
3, SaaS is a new software model?
Cloud computing and other shared resources and environmental origins can be traced to the 1960s. In 1961, the famous computer scientist John McCarthy (but had made contributions to artificial intelligence and the Turing Award) for a speech MIT students in and said, "computing may someday be organized as a public utility." in other words, cloud computing refers to shared resources with computing power you have. Although this idea has been around for some time, but in the late 1990s, support for web-based technology really needed to mature SaaS. For example, Salesforce started offering traditional enterprise solutions through SaaS model, such as customer relationship management.
Initially, the industry did not really take seriously the SaaS model. However, in the past five years, with the development of SaaS companies to prove that they can increase revenue and customer base through the subscription-fee, SaaS began to become a recognized software model. At the same time, buyers are increasingly concerned about the experience.
4. Can I customize SaaS software?
When SaaS software for the first time, do not support customization, the solution is the same for each user gets, and the need to adapt. Today, customized SaaS software is very common, but also according to your needs and business processes, the initiative to adjust and optimize SaaS software.
For example, users can customize a UI to change the appearance of the program, and to modify a specific area (e.g., data fields) to change the data displayed, can choose to enable or disable. However, the ability to customize SaaS software still does not have the ability to part of traditional software. With the maturity of the SaaS market, software vendors are developing a wide range of investment to get accustomed to using traditional software companies to provide more opportunities for customization.
5. Who owns my data?
Many buyers worry SaaS software vendors to "own" their data, buyers should be noted that the terms of a service level agreement (SLA) listed, in addition to software reliability standards, SLA also lists the parameters of the problem, such as data ownership, security requirements and maintenance schedules, SLA is actually quite an important and complex documents, we can not elaborate here.
In terms of ownership of data, you should make sure that there is a clear indication SLA clause that owns the data. Most SaaS contract will indicate some unexpected event, if the supplier of business (see below), they will provide you with access to the data, ensure that you have the data. In addition, most SaaS vendors will allow you to export data at any time and backed up locally. Any SaaS vendors insist that they retain ownership of your data is very strange, if you see this in terms, please refuse to sign the agreement.
6, my data safe?
Are considering using SaaS software companies, this is one of the most important issues. Once allow others to protect your business data, security is an important consideration. However, with online banking and payroll systems become the norm, how we do not seem to pay attention to security issues. Although there is nothing more important than our bank account information, most people are still willing to put that information in the cloud.
In fact, data security and server is set up next to you has nothing to do or located in different cities. In fact, more than any small and medium enterprises, SaaS vendors to invest more in security, backup and maintenance. For this reason, Web-based systems typically have more security than traditional software systems. In addition, most SaaS vendors are subject to stringent SAS70 Type II audit security program that can test the security level of the data center, IT departments are individual may not achieve the same standard.
7, if my SaaS software provider of business how to do?
This is a reasonable question. Typically, the business data you want to keep. Most SaaS vendors to backup their data center to the hosting company to ensure that when the vendor having some trouble, users can still access their data.
What is important here is to make sure that you have a clear statement of SLA You can export data terms from suppliers, most of the SLA have it as standard practice. This provision should also include you can visit frequency and format of the data. SLA usually also provide suppliers will charge some fees to help migrate your data.
8. What is the Internet / operating system (OS) limit?
The main disadvantage is that the normal use of SaaS need to rely on a good Internet connection. While many people believe that traditional software more reliable, but can not be completely exempt from any system downtime. Traditional software might risk a range of other power outages, hardware failure occurs. As a protective measure, a number of SaaS vendors have developed "offline" feature that allows continued operation when the Internet fails. Once a reliable connection is available again, all data are synchronized to the system.
In addition to an Internet connection, some people worry about operating system compatibility. Most enterprise systems are running on a Windows or Linux constructed. That has begun to change. As Mac users, we are pleased to see a lot of SaaS software supports Mac OS. With Mac applications in the enterprise continues to grow, we expect to function for Mac support will be more and more. In addition, most SaaS software supports multiple Web browser access.
9, SaaS and cloud computing What is the difference?
Cloud refers to a set of extremely complex infrastructure technology, fundamentally speaking, it is a collection of computers, servers and databases, they can rent access to users to share their combined ability to connect together. Computing capability is extensible, so that buyers can dynamically increase or decrease their ability leased computing.
Clouds can refer to any remotely hosted content via the Internet and delivered. All cloud computing run by the underlying software, SaaS especially through cloud-delivered business software applications. Given the cloud accessibility growing, traditional on-premise software and development compared to, SaaS developers to launch applications easier, faster and less costly. Today, almost all types of core business functions are available through SaaS.
10. What is private cloud?
Private cloud infrastructure using all technical operations of public cloud and store locally. Users can achieve the same functionality through a Web browser and has the ability to access data. However, not shared with the public computing power, but sharing the same computing power between a company's users. In contrast with the public cloud, private cloud need for a dedicated IT department maintenance.
For can invest in the development and maintenance required for cloud infrastructures of large enterprises, private cloud is really just a viable option. For private cloud, it requires large-scale investment to pay off. For do not want to access their information into the public cloud large enterprises, this is a very attractive option.