What is SaaS?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a new way to deliver software freeing the user from having to worry about what version they are using, ensuring their computer is capable of running the software, keeping track of product keys and many other hassles the average user has to deal with from time to time.
SaaS stands for “Software as a Service” meaning you pay for the ability to access the software over the internet instead of the traditional method of purchasing the software and installing it locally.
As with any technology, there are both advantages and issues with this way of delivering software.
The Advantages of SaaS?
SaaS is a great way to deliver software, it means that as a user you don’t need to install anything and you can access the software from anywhere in the world. This also means that the programs aren’t reliant on the stability, file-space or operating system on your computer, removing the need to check whether you can run the application.
Security is all managed for you and (generally speaking) better than what you could provide, with backups occurring regularly and being handled by the provider. With some programs incorporating API’s and web services you can also access and manipulate the same data across different programs and websites.
Updates are handled by the provider and occur without you having to do anything personally, should you encounter issues, support material is updated regularly by most of the providers.
Payment is another advantage of SaaS consisting of a drip feed of small payments instead of one lump sum, eliminating a big up-front cost and allowing you to pay for as long as the software is useful (with flexible or non-existent contracts) and then cancel and move on.
The Issues with SaaS?
Because the vendor is providing you the software over the internet, you have to assume they are doing everything they say they are (do you know backups are there and the security is in place?). Which can come back to bite you when something goes wrong on the vendors end.
Updates are great until you receive an update you didn’t want, whether it is cosmetic or fundamental, having the updates applied for you can fundamentally alter the program whether you want to update or not (though many companies allow you to opt out of updates)
Because you can’t purchase the product outright, should the company go bust or the price go up, there isn’t anything you can do about it. To make matters worse, many SaaS companies lock your data into their systems, removing the ability to go to a different provider.
The Moral?
The Moral of the story is to be wary about which SaaS companies receive your business. The underlying infrastructure and business is equally if not more important than the program itself, it doesn’t matter how great the program is if there are no backups and the company goes out of business or has a hardware failure.
Always ensure you can get your data out of the software, and be sure and read the company’s privacy policy to see how they will handle any information you enter..
