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Hosted applications/apps | Development tools, database management, business analytics | Operating systems | Servers and storage | Networking firewalls/security | Data center physical plant/building |
Common SaaS scenarios
If you’ve used a web-based email service such as Outlook, Hotmail, or Yahoo! Mail, then you’ve already used a form of SaaS. With these services, you log into your account over the Internet, often from a web browser. The email software is located on the service provider’s network, and your messages are stored there as well. You can access your email and stored messages from a web browser on any computer or Internet-connected device.
The previous examples are free services for personal use. For organizational use, you can rent productivity apps, such as email, collaboration, and calendaring; and sophisticated business applications such as customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and document management. You pay for the use of these apps by subscription or according to the level of use.
Advantages of SaaS
Gain access to sophisticated applications. To provide SaaS apps to users, you don’t need to purchase, install, update, or maintain any hardware, middleware, or software. SaaS makes even sophisticated enterprise applications, such as ERP and CRM, affordable for organizations that lack the resources to buy, deploy, and manage the required infrastructure and software themselves.
Pay only for what you use. You also save money because the SaaS service automatically scales up and down according to the level of usage.
Use free client software. Users can run most SaaS apps directly from their web browser without needing to download and install any software, although some apps require plugins. This means that you don’t need to purchase and install special software for your users.
Mobilize your workforce easily. SaaS makes it easy to “mobilize” your workforce because users can access SaaS apps and data from any Internet-connected computer or mobile device. You don’t need to worry about developing apps to run on different types of computers and devices because the service provider has already done so. In addition, you don’t need to bring special expertise onboard to manage the security issues inherent in mobile computing. A carefully chosen service provider will ensure the security of your data, regardless of the type of device consuming it.
Access app data from anywhere. With data stored in the cloud, users can access their information from any Internet-connected computer or mobile device. And when app data is stored in the cloud, no data is lost if a user’s computer or device fails.
Cloud computing is forecasted to reach up to 302 billion USD in revenues by the year 2021. Find out more about cloud computing and its three service models.
Companies are experiencing an unprecedented burden on their IT infrastructure as they struggle to meet growing customer expectations for fast, reliable, and secure services. As they try to increase the processing power and storage capabilities of their IT systems, often these companies find that the development and maintenance of a robust, scalable, and secure IT infrastructure is prohibitively expensive.
Luckily, there is another option; instead of acquiring extra hardware, your company can embrace cloud computing. Cloud computing is a rapidly-growing industry which allows companies to move beyond on-premise IT infrastructure and, instead, rely on internet-based services. Cloud-based providers often offer services such as software, storage, and processing at affordable prices. In fact, your company can save up to 30% by implementing a cloud-based solution.(1)
Cloud computing is offered in three different service models which each satisfy a unique set of business requirements. These three models are known as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
SaaS
PaaS
IaaS
Cloud computing has been around for quite some time now; however, it will continue to evolve as faster and more reliable networks offer increased benefits to service providers and consumers alike. With these advancements, there are growing opportunities to develop business models in an increasingly-connected economy.
Open Smartflex is the only holistic CIS solution that spans across the whole business lifecycle of Smart Utilities and runs on any service model and any cloud provider. It has a Customer Information System (CIS) at its core and has been extended with superior capabilities in four dimensions: on the metering side, with Meter Data Management (MDM) features; on the customer side with Customer relationship management (CRM) with digital customer engagement features such as self-service portal; on the field dimension with Mobile Workforce Management features; and, finally, with the Analytics dimension, all of them streamlined for mobility.