Running software drains
IT staff thoughts from business
Problems more weighty.
What is Software as a Service?
The Wikipedic definition is quite good: software that runs in the network (or more precisely, in a datacenter that is accessed via the Internet), provides a centrally managed application that is delivered in a one-instance-serves-many-customers model, and is updated on a regular basis without action by the customer.
For those of you who are more visually inclined, InfoWorld has an entertaining SaaS overview.
In its simplest terms, SaaS allows a company to introduce a new software capability without all the traditional steps. Consider the high-level steps needed to introduce new software in the traditional fashion:
- Select the software package.
- Select, purchase, and install a hardware platform.
- Install the software on the hardware platform.
- Notify users of the new server.
- Forever more spend precious time upgrading, patching and taking care of the software and hardware – or – let the software slowly rot away.
The SaaS version can be as short as
- Select the software package.
- Notify users of the new service.
Now, I have certainly simplified the comparison here; but the point is that SaaS has a real total cost of ownership benefit to business organizations.
Moreover, if the SaaS service works well with your network, there are no arcane network firewall configurations needed either (more on this in a later post).
Now, what does SaaS have to do with Managed Video? I’ll tell you that next time!