Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Product
A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Product is a software product that is a Cloud-based solution.
- Context:
- It can (typically) be instantiated as a SaaS Solution Instance, such as Palo Alto's Finance BI SaaS Solution.
- It can be instantiate in a SaaS-based System.
- It can (typically) be accessed through an Internet-based API.
- It can (typically) not require any Hardware Configuration.
- It can (typically) not require any Software Installation.
- It can (typically) be referenced by an Internet-based API Directory, such as http://www.programmableweb.com/
- It can (typically) be provided by a SaaS Provider.
- It can (typically) be used by a SaaS User.
- It can (typically) be associated with a SaaS Release Process.
- It can range from being a Web-only SaaS Application to being a Mobile-only SaaS Application to being a Web & Mobile SaaS Application.
- It can range from being a Single-Tenant SaaS Application to being a Multi-Tenant SaaS Application.
- ...
- Example(s):
- a SaaS Customer Relationship Management Service, such as Salesforce.com's CRM service.
- a SaaS Content Management Service, such as WordPress.com CMS service.
- a SaaS Payment Service, such as a PayPal's payment service or Stripe's payment service.
- a SaaS Messaging Service, such as Twilio's text messaging service.
- a SaaS Search Platform.
- a SaaS File Sharing Service, such as Dropbox's Datastore.
- a SaaS NLP Service, such as LinguaSys' GlobalNLP service[1].
- a SaaS Image Classification Service, such as Clarifai's image classification service.
- a SaaS Fraud Detection Service, such as Sift's Fraud detection service.
- a SaaS Forms Service, such as Typeform's form service and SurveyMonkey's survey form service.
- a SaaS Product Management Service, such as SaaS Bug Tracking Service.
- a SaaS Collaboration Service.
- a SaaS Business Intelligence Service, such as a SaaS Finance BI System, such as OpenGov's Finance BI SaaS System.
- a SaaS Clinical Research Service, such as Medable's SaaS.
- a SaaS Productivity Collaboration System, such as Google Workspace.
- a SaaS AI Platform.
- …
- Counter-Example(s):
- a Internet-based Application?
- Backend as a Service (BaaS), Data as a Service,
- Desktop as a Service (DaaS),
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) such as: hardware as a service.
- Information Technology Management as a Service (ITMaaS),
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) such as: Database as a Service or Google's Firebase service;
- Security as a Service (SECaaS).
- On-Site System, such as a custom IT system.
- See: Internet Hosting Service, Web Browser, Gamification, Virtualization Software Licensing, Custom Cloud-based Solution, On-Site IT Solution.
References
2023
- chat
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Programs: Cloud-based applications hosted on remote servers and delivered via the internet. Users access and interact with these applications without installing them on their local devices. Some common types of SaaS programs include:
- SaaS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Help businesses manage their interactions with customers, track leads, and monitor sales. Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM.
- SaaS Project Management Tools: Enable teams to plan, track, and collaborate on projects. Examples: Trello, Asana, Basecamp.
- SaaS Collaboration and Communication Tools: Facilitate teamwork, file sharing, and communication among team members. Examples: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace.
- SaaS Human Resources (HR) Software: Assist companies in managing employee-related processes, such as hiring, onboarding, performance tracking, and payroll. Examples: BambooHR, Workday, Gusto.
- SaaS Marketing Automation Tools: Enable businesses to automate marketing tasks, track customer behavior, and analyze marketing data. Examples: Mailchimp, Marketo, HubSpot.
- SaaS Learning Management Systems (LMS): Designed to deliver and manage educational content, track learner progress, and facilitate online learning. Examples: Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle.
- SaaS Accounting and Financial Software: Help businesses manage their finances, track expenses, and generate financial reports. Examples: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks.
- SaaS Helpdesk and Customer Support Software: Assist businesses in managing customer queries, tracking support tickets, and providing customer assistance. Examples: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout.
- SaaS Content Management Systems (CMS): Help users create, manage, and publish digital content, such as websites and blogs. Examples: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal.
- SaaS Document Management Software: Help organizations store, organize, and manage electronic documents. Examples: Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box.
2019
- (Stratechery, 2019) ⇒ https://stratechery.com/2019/aws-mongodb-and-the-economic-realities-of-open-source/
- QUOTE: ... In this case what is being sold is not the software per se, but rather the utility of the software: the company doing the selling does everything else, including making the software available reliably. ...
2015
- (Wikipedia, 2015) ⇒ http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing#Software_as_a_service_.28SaaS.29 Retrieved:2015-2-8.
- QUOTE: In the business model using software as a service (SaaS), users are provided access to application software and databases. Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications. SaaS is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software" and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis or using a subscription fee.
In the SaaS model, cloud providers install and operate application software in the cloud and cloud users access the software from cloud clients. Cloud users do not manage the cloud infrastructure and platform where the application runs. This eliminates the need to install and run the application on the cloud user's own computers, which simplifies maintenance and support. Cloud applications are different from other applications in their scalability — which can be achieved by cloning tasks onto multiple virtual machines at run-time to meet changing work demand. Load balancers distribute the work over the set of virtual machines. This process is transparent to the cloud user, who sees only a single access point. To accommodate a large number of cloud users, cloud applications can be multitenant, that is, any machine serves more than one cloud user organization.
The pricing model for SaaS applications is typically a monthly or yearly flat fee per user, so price is scalable and adjustable if users are added or removed at any point.
Proponents claim SaaS allows a business the potential to reduce IT operational costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the cloud provider. This enables the business to reallocate IT operations costs away from hardware/software spending and personnel expenses, towards meeting other goals. In addition, with applications hosted centrally, updates can be released without the need for users to install new software. One drawback of SaaS is that the users' data are stored on the cloud provider's server. As a result, there could be unauthorized access to the data. For this reason, users are increasingly adopting intelligent third-party key management systems to help secure their data.
- QUOTE: In the business model using software as a service (SaaS), users are provided access to application software and databases. Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications. SaaS is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software" and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis or using a subscription fee.
2014
- (Wikipedia, 2014) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_service Retrieved:2014-10-4.
- Software as a service (SaaS ; pronounced or ) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. It is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software". SaaS is typically accessed by users using a thin client via a web browser. SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications, including office & messaging software, DBMS software, management software, CAD software, development software, gamification, virtualization, accounting, collaboration, customer relationship management (CRM), management information systems (MIS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM), content management (CM) and service desk management. SaaS has been incorporated into the strategy of all leading enterprise software companies. One of the biggest selling points for these companies is the potential to reduce IT support costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the SaaS provider. According to a Gartner Group estimate, SaaS sales in 2010 reached $10 billion, and were projected to increase to $12.1bn in 2011, up 20.7% from 2010. Gartner Group estimates that SaaS revenue will be more than double its 2010 numbers by 2015 and reach a projected $21.3bn. Customer relationship management (CRM) continues to be the largest market for SaaS. SaaS revenue within the CRM market was forecast to reach $3.8bn in 2011, up from $3.2bn in 2010. The term "software as a service" (SaaS) is considered to be part of the nomenclature of cloud computing, along with infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service (DaaS), backend as a service (BaaS), and information technology management as a service (ITMaaS).