Cloud ERA SaaS changes the entire IT industry pattern

The cloud era of SaaS dynamism has given new impetus to small and medium enterprises, but only the choice of solutions that meet the basic principles of SaaS application will give businesses the benefits and rewards they deserve.

SaaS is changing the pattern of the entire IT industry. If the IT industry is viewed as a big stage, the original IT company is the actor, and the SaaS service provider is the usher (sometimes they are actors) and the user is the audience. On stage, each manufacturer tries to show its advantage, such as function, cost, efficiency, try to attract the attention of the user. This means that customers can choosers when choosing a suitable it vendor. However, if a user really needs to choose a SaaS solution, it's important to be clear about which aspects of the SaaS vendor you need to focus on, and don't be fooled by SaaS service provider hype.

The most obvious thing is that while migrating to SaaS may be a move for the SME to seek efficiency, only the solution that fits the principles of SaaS application will give you a corresponding return. Because some SaaS vendors still use the method of tying up small and medium-sized enterprises, it is not easy for small and medium-sized enterprises to select a supplier in the SaaS domain to truly meet their own needs. In fact, just do some simple research, and follow these 10 recommendations, you can pick the most suitable for their own requirements of SaaS vendors.

1. Dynamic Billing

It is a basic principle that we should pay only for the part of the service we use. The company's business is dynamic, it is likely to have a few months of business volume growth, a few months of business volume reduction. If there is a change in the usage of the enterprise, the cost of the SaaS payment should also change. This is particularly important for some industries, such as retailing or services, which are affected by seasonal effects. In addition, do not promise to pay "software maintenance fees" or purchase predetermined "user Licenses", as this makes it easier to simplify IT management by switching to one of the primary purposes of the SaaS model.

2. Safety

Security is overriding. Most users simply ask whether the SaaS vendor is using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, and security is not the only area to cover. Ask the following questions to potential SaaS vendors:

Is there 24x7 physical security in the data center where the server is placed?

is the data center protected (security is not 24 hours at least around the perimeter)?

Who has access to these servers (accessible only to internal employees, or to contractors?) ）

Is there a log of who will enter and when to leave? If so, how often do you audit these logs?

Does the application use industry-standard 128-bit encryption technology?

If multiple customers use applications that are placed on the same server, are they logically or physically separated to ensure that your data is not seen by unauthorized people?

Are there any criminal background checks on the staff of the SaaS vendors who can access your corporate data? It is important to know that convicted felons are not able to access sensitive personal data from your business.

Does the vendor have a formal business continuity program (BCP)? is the other person willing to share the program with you, and can it dispel your worries?

3. Completely based on B/s

It is also important to choose a SaaS partner who can provide a fully web-based solution. This means that users should stay away from vendors who need to install applications on their computers. If you still want to maintain client software, one of the main benefits of web-based applications is gone.

Also, ask whether SaaS applications can run on all browsers, or just run on Internet Explorer? True SaaS products can be run on any platform, any web browser. Now that browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Chrome are on the line, you need to be sure that once the computer you're using crashes, you can immediately access the application on a new computer (without worrying about local installations). True seamless switching means your business continuity will not be affected.

4. Manufacturer's Experience

You need to be sure that the SaaS vendors you choose are experienced in running applications and hosting applications. Many software companies try to "network" the existing client/server applications, and simply reinvent themselves and start hosting them. In fact, they only make some superficial modifications to traditional software products and replace them with SaaS brands. This is actually passive rather than active software development, and usually does not solve the extensibility problem, more importantly, can not solve the security problem. The SAAS vendor you choose should have at least 3-5 years of experience in application hosting to avoid some of the problems experienced by early adopters.

5. Upgrade Cycle

One of the main advantages of using SaaS Solutions is that it is easy to get automated upgrades. Upgrades ensure that you always use the latest version and use the latest features. This upgrade should not require any fees, and there is no need to retrain your staff. This means that once new features are deployed, they should have no disruptive impact on the way you conduct your business.

6. Integration Capability

Can the SaaS solution integrate with your existing software? SaaS Services should provide you with the ability to use only file-based (Excel files or. CSV file format) or using Web services to seamlessly exchange data with internally deployed applications, allowing data to be freely accessible between software.

7. Backup

Enterprise data is critical, so it's critical to be sure that the other side has the appropriate backup mechanism when choosing a SaaS vendor. At the very least, it requires a backup every night, in addition to a weekly offsite backup. Other questions to ask are how often the service provider tests the database recovery, and whether the vendor can easily recover a large amount of data in an emergency.

8. Data Centre

Confirm who hosted the solution. Some vendors run and manage SaaS software (that is, internal managed software), while some vendors have managed agreements with third parties (called management Services or hosting providers). It is necessary to investigate which datacenter the vendor is using to host the SaaS solution. The data center is best to pass some industry audits, and may wish to require manufacturers to produce one such report. Also, make sure that the data center has a n configuration, which means that each system has at least a separate backup mechanism. In the event of a system failure, availability can still be ensured. However, many data centers do not allow door-to-door visits, but they can always take a virtual tour of their websites for more information.

9. Scalability

Scalability is always relevant to the user experience. The chosen SaaS vendor needs to prove that it can develop with the company. Ask the manufacturer what are their biggest customers? Will your business requirements exceed their current biggest customers? Will the manufacturer need any special preparation to adapt to your future development? What about the development plans of the manufacturers? Don't think of course that all SaaS vendors will grow up with your company. This is not always the case, and you need to investigate it carefully beforehand.

10. Monitoring

It is important to have a mechanism to implement the monitoring of SaaS systems. This key issue is often overlooked, or just around the neighborhood. Ask the manufacturer whether to perform a "ping test" or a monitoring software to check the system inside and outside the firewall. After all, even if the server runs smoothly inside the firewall, the user cannot access the external system if there is a problem with the firewall or routing.

Once you have selected the SaaS service provider and established a partnership with each other, it is best to evaluate the vendor's service every six months to ensure that the manufacturer complies with these 10 standards. There is no doubt that SaaS will continue to change the software industry and even the entire IT industry. SaaS vendors will continue to scramble for users on this big stage, so users should be selective about their vendors. Remember, and most importantly, as a user to do a good job, in other words, users must be sure that the SaaS provider has done a good job.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)