As different types of technology are becoming more and more prevalent, the number of acronyms used to describe the technology is also on the rise. This can be confusing for some, especially when the acronyms sound very similar. A pertinent example of this can be SaaS, IaaS and PaaS. These acronyms all relate to services on offer for individuals and businesses that can be found in 'the cloud'. IaaS stands for 'Infrastructure-as-a-Service' while PaaS stands for 'Platform-as-a-Service'. The third acronym in this grouping is 'SaaS' which stands for 'Software-as-a-Service' and forms the focus of this article. SaaS can be very useful for businesses and can make several processes much simpler and easier.

So what is SaaS? Software-as-a-Service is where a user is able to rent and use software but without the need to purchase and install the software on their own computer. SaaS will allow you to pay monthly to use software that is hosted on a provider's server. In order to access the software, you will need to be using the services of a SaaS provider and a computer that has web access. You can access the majority of SaaS software through your browser in a quick and easy way. SaaS depends on an internet connection in order to work - without one you will not be able to access and use the software.

A simple version of SaaS is an email client that you access in your browser. In the earlier days of the internet people were accustomed to accessing their email through a program that they had installed. Many people still use fully-fledged programs like Thunderbird or Outlook to access their emails. There are now, however, a number of alternatives. With Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo your email is now, more often than not, stored in the cloud. You can only access your emails through a web browser that is connected to the internet. This email evolution meant that you could check your emails while you were on the go or while you were in a different country. The mobility and ease of use was vastly improved.

How can SaaS be useful in a business environment? There is a wide range of software that is available by SaaS that can be very valuable to businesses and companies. For instance office and administration software is available so there is less need to download or install word processing software or spread-sheet software on every computer in the company. Users can simply access it from the cloud. In addition users can choose from Customer Relationship Management systems, project management tools, accounting systems and planning tools amongst many others. SaaS can provide many different types of businesses the computer tools they need to run their business successfully.

There are, therefore, a large number of advantages to using SaaS. Firstly the hassle of having to download and install software onto every machine in the company is removed through the use of SaaS, every employee can have easy access to the software that they particularly need for their job role. You only have to pay for what you use. If you only need a particular piece of software for a set amount of time (say a month or two) you only have to pay for that period. If you aren't using SaaS you may have to pay for a licence for a year to use the program - which is far longer than you need it for. SaaS also brings increased accessibility as your software and programs can be accessed from around the globe and at any time. Choosing SaaS can also help small companies to avoid the need to employ part time IT staff to maintain, install and monitor software and can help start-up companies utilise important software without racking up expensive license fees.

SaaS can help to remove the focus from worrying about IT issues. Small business owners can concentrate on growing their business instead of getting bogged down in software and technical issues. Some people may worry about security with SaaS but more often than not SaaS providers will spend more time focusing on maintenance, security and backups than many businesses do on their own. For software providers there is also a degree of ease that comes with SaaS, they know that their updates can be rolled out to everyone quickly and easily and that SaaS will bring enhanced compatibility across different devices. SaaS can be extremely useful for businesses, small and large, and is continually incorporating more customisation as it develops so users have even more choice about how they use it.

© Izzy Evans 2012

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