As more and more businesses experiment with software as a service (SaaS) as an alternative model to traditional software, installed individually on each employee’s dedicated desktop computer, firms have increasingly been questioning how to best integrate the technology into their existing operations in order to optimise their IT departments.
According to Liz Herbert of Forrester Research, businesses have been approaching SaaS in a more strategic way than in previous years, with 37 per cent of respondents interviewed about their concerns of the burgeoning technology having indicated a desire to openly embrace SaaS as a computing solution.
“This means the siloed, business-led SaaS deployments of the 2000s are yielding to greater due diligence, planning, and integration with existing sourcing and IT processes,” Herbert wrote for CIO.com.
Herbert also indicated that businesses should be aware SaaS has a much wider offering of software available for deployment than in its infancy. Rather than be limited to human resources and contact management, SaaS can deliver email and ERP applications as well.
SaaS also requires businesses to approach traditional computing concerns in new ways. They must weigh their vendor selections accordingly and security concerns for data protection also must be considered, she said.
Businesses must also adjust to the payment scheme of SaaS – often cited as one of the big draws of the technology – which may require contracts of several years billed monthly.
Selecting a vendor with good SaaS resources will also be a must, she said.
“SaaS buyers should consider where it makes sense to leverage these resources, particularly where they seek process help or lack in-house knowledge of emerging platforms,” Herbert wrote.
Written by Jason Morton
Source:-http://www.rackspace.co.uk/rackspace-home/media-centre/news/article/article/expert-offers-key-points-when-considering-saas/?tx_ttnews[backPid]=63&cHash=46924c85ce06ac0082c706c98f569f49
