Question

• Define and describe SaaS.

• List the advantages and disadvantages of SaaS solutions.

• Define and describe OpenSaaS.

• Define and describe mashups.

• Discuss the wide range of SaaS solutions and their providers.

Answer 1

1. Define SaaS :-

• Software as a Service
• It is a software distribution model where customers and users access application via the Internet, and application are hosted in cloud environment
• With SaaS , business service provider hosts an application at its data center and customers access it via web browser
• It is one of three categories of cloud computing , infrastructure as a service(IaaS) and a platform as a service ( PaaS).

Describe SaaS : -

• When using SaaS , you don't need to install or run applications in your own computer.
• You don't want to install files on your computer, All data is stored in the cloud
• You can access SaaS applications from any device which has internet and location.
• Some SaaS applications are available for installation on your web-server.

Saas offerings are very common and available ,such as financial managements,document editing , ,Enterprise Resource Planning model ,etc.

So, SaaS is a software model in which a third party provider makes applications available to customers over the internet .

Advantage and Disadvantage of SaaS Solutions

Advantage : -

1. Subscription based and has no up front license fees resulting in lower initial costs and highly usable.
2. The SaaS application is already installed and configure in the cloud computing,you don't have to install extra software for this,all you need is a username and password.
3. The SaaS providers deal with hardware and software updates.
4. All you need to access SaaS is a browser and Internet connection.
5. It provides generally offer many subscriptions at low cost.

Disadvantages : -

1. Lack of Control
2. Security and data concerns
3. Limited range applications
4. Connectivity requirements
5. Performance

OpenSaaS

OpenSaaS refers to a software as a service based on open source code. Similar to SaaS applications , Open SaaS is a web based application that is hosted and maintained by a service provider.It is open source and you can use it without paying a single penny

Mashups:-

A mashup is a technique by which a website or web applications uses data,presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create a new service .

They are made possible via web services or public APIs that allow free access most mashups are visual and interactive in nature.It is also beneficial to developers because it requires less code , allowing for a quicker development cycle.

Architecture of Mashup divided into three layers:

• Presentation
• Web services
• Data

Wide Range of SaaS Solutions and their providers : -

Saas commonly known as on-demand software is a software distribution model where the software can be accessed from any device via an online connections,access to the software is provided to the users if they've subsribed to the service.

It has widely adopted by enterprise organizations .

• American Red cross
• Jet(dot)com
• Netflix
• Rovio T

Are some of the companies that uses SaaS , list is even more long.

Some of the companies that provides SaaS in cloude computing , listed below :-

1. Amazon web services
2. Blackbaud
3. Procore Technologies
4. Medallia
5. Workiva
6. Netapp
7. Servicetitan
8. Salesforce