What is Software as a service ?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is one in which software applications are delivered to a client. In here, the software application is uploaded to the cloud infrastructure through which it is made available to the clients over the internet.Â
Why is Software as a service popular ?
In the recent times it has been popular due to the benefits it offers to the small scale businesses. Especially, businesses whose which operate in the cloud prefer to use Software as a service.Â
Although SaaS provides substantial advantages for a business environment, it aren't flawless. There are certain drawbacks of SaaS that cannot be ignored. These pitfalls should be considered before proceeding to make a final decision.
In this article, I will be addressing about 6 Advantages and Disadvantages of SaaS | Limitations & Benefits of SaaS. Through this post, you will know the pros and cons of using SaaS.
Let's get started,
Advantages of SaaS
1. Implementation
Since SaaS is pre-existing it is already installed. There is no delay in software development. Therefore, its setup is much easier and less time consuming. This is one of the reasons why businesses are able to make faster decisions using SaaS.
2. Cost Effective
SaaS is free of upfront cost since it is a subscription based service. There is no cost involved in purchasing, installation and maintenance. The expenses are split among various users. And also, the SaaS follows a Pay-As-You-Go approach. Meaning, users only pay for what they use which makes businesses of small scale to be able to afford the software.
3. Accessibility
As long as the users are having a computer with an internet connection, the SaaS is made accessible all the time. Any device with a stable internet connection will allow SaaS to run 24/7. This is not an issue today since most of the devices are equipped with internet capability. Thus, this method is more accessible compared to other ways of software installation.
4. Scalability
When your business needs to expand, SaaS provides the option to make it scalable. For an example, if the number of users using the service increases, SaaS can be scaled up accordingly to fulfill the business requirements based on the needs. There is no need to change the subscription plan. The expansion can be done by updating your current subscription plan.
5 . Reliability
Reliability is another benefit of the Software as a service. All the data of the SaaS is present inside the data center of the cloud service provider. Hence, in case of any failures or disasters the software can continue to function regardless of the location. The only requirement here is having access to an internet connection.
6. Upgradeability
Some businesses find updating the software to be a difficult process. In SaaS, the users does not carry the burden of updates. It is the responsibility of the vendor to provide both software and hardware updates without needing to purchase upgrade packages. The users can always enjoy newest version of the software with less time and efforts.
Disadvantages of SaaS
1. Performance
Compared to an application running on local machine, the speed offered by SaaS is somewhat slower. The reason behind this is the increase of latency in SaaS solutions. Thus, to compensate this speed limitations, companies must invest in a fast internet connection. At the same time, there are tools to monitor the performance level of individual apps in SaaS.
2. Security
All the data related to the business are stored inside the vendor's server. As a result, vendors will have access to these data leading to confidential issues. Some of the them are unauthorized access and identity theft. Hence, it is the responsibility of businesses to impose strict measures to safeguard sensitive information from the service provider.Â
3. Control
Lack of control is a major pitfall when using SaaS. Unlike traditional software models, the control of applications are not in the hands of businesses here. The entire management is carried put by the provider. Therefore, businesses have to rely on a third party for management of critical business applications.
4. Connectivity
SaaS is a web based solution. Hence, constant internet connection is a must in SaaS. Now that is a problem if the users reside in locations with poor network coverage or internet services experiences any issues. In that case, the users cannot access the software.
5. Data Transfer
Not all the software service providers are reliable. There can be instances where the software undergoes failures and needs to change the service provider. Now it is not a simple task to transfer data. Always it is better to have data backup as much as possible to avoid such problems.
6. Application Support
Even though the businesses that use the SaaS have been increased in the recent times, still there are applications without a hosted platform. This is a major problem for the businesses with multiple software solutions. The only solution here is hosting applications on site.
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