Software in the cloud, also called SaaS (Software as a Service), is a software deployment model in which an application is hosted on the Internet. as a service for customers who contract it.
In this Euroinnova article, we tell you the characteristics that a software must have to be considered SaaS and what are the benefits that companies get by hosting their data in the cloud and hiring a SaaS. In addition, we give you a couple of examples of cloud software that will surely sound familiar to you. Get started in the world of cloud computing. cloud computing with us!
Benefits of cloud software
More and more companies are moving to contracting software services in the cloud. And it's no wonder, as this alternative has many benefits compared to hosting software in-house:
Omnipresence
The cloud is everywhere and can be accessed by anyone from anywhere. Its ubiquitous nature makes it easy to access the software's functionalities and to store data permanently. At the same time, because it is not hosted on an individual computer, users can work together on joint projects without hindrance.
Cost reduction
However, migrating from one software to another entails additional costs, It is cheaper to hire a SaaS than to host it in-house. First of all, with a SaaS a company would save on maintenance and storage costs. In addition, cloud software services often offer a variety of affordable plans that are tailored to the extent to which the product will be used.
Data storage
If a company opts for cloud software to store information or carry out its work processes, all data generated and stored will be sealed on the Internet.
This means that in the event of a computer being accidentally formatted or malware attacking the memory of the computer network, information will be secure and all work processes can be resumed. as a matter of course.
Cybersecurity
SaaS companies continuously monitor the security of their products and make sure that there are no security loopholes for hackers to break through. In fact, it is not uncommon for have in-house cyber-security teams dedicated to addressing vulnerabilities, The SaaS products are tested for cyber-security and their correct end-to-end encryption is ensured.
In addition to cybersecurity, the physical security of the colossal servers and databases in which the information is safely locked away under lock and key and the monitoring of teams of security personnel.
Cloud software features
Like other software, SaaS products can also use a service-oriented architecture to enable communication between different software applications.
Software services can act as suppliers, They can offer to integrate their functionalities into other programmes through brokers. They can also act as the service seekers to incorporate new functionalities and data from other software products into your own system.
Thus, a fundamental characteristic of any cloud-hosted software is that it is it must be able to process peak usage requests and numerous transactions simultaneously in a secure environment.
A cloud software service would have to meet certain requirements in order to be considered a SaaS as such. Its architecture should be sufficiently robust for scalability and accessibility. There are three indispensable characteristics that cloud software applications must meet.
Scalable
When we say that a software is scalable, we mean that can continue to maintain optimum performance and successfully adapt to increasing demands. Therefore, a good SaaS must be flexible enough to be able to process multiple requests and respond to them adequately without slowing down or crashing.
Multi-user
Moving from creating single-user software to multi-user programs is a radical change for an architect who is used to operating with single-user programs. For example, when a company accesses a customer's business data in a CRM, the instance to which the user has logged in can be hosting the data of hundreds of different companies.
This requires an architecture that maximises the sharing of resources among owners, but who also knows how to discern between different customer data.
Configurable
If a single instance of an application has to accommodate users from different companies at the same time, it is not possible to customise the user experience by modifying the code, The changes would be reflected for all other users.
That is, instead of customising the application code for each customer, the cloud architect should do the following provide users with customisation options so that they can easily tailor the SaaS themselves without incurring additional costs for the company.
5 examples of cloud software
There are many companies that actively use SaaS and some SaaS products that anyone can use in their daily lives. Here are some examples of cloud software:
Netflix
This world-renowned film and series streaming service hosts its audiovisual content on cloud servers in order to provide a scalable and secure service. In this way, it provides users with a paid platform where they do not have to download content to view film productions.
Slack
Office environments often use one of two messaging applications: Teams or Slack. Slack differs in that it provides real-time collaborative messaging and communication services hosted in the cloud. Its large infrastructure can process a huge number of users and message exchanges.
Salesforce
Salesforce's cloud CRM services were pioneers in the world of cloud computing. The company, whose products are focused on the world of business management, offers solutions for managing customer databases, automating workflows and streamlining sales processes.
Dropbox
This software is known for its useful functionality of storing files of all kinds in the cloud to free up space on the internal memory of computers. It also offers other collaborative tools, robust security measures and a pricing plan according to the needs of the user or company.
Google Drive
This is probably the best example of SaaS that is the most widespread in the population and the most multifunctional. These cloud services combine storage functionalities, email and a range of very practical office tools. It is therefore a very powerful alternative to programmes such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel.
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