Making sure you ask the Right Questions
As with anything new, in the Cloud Computing world there are a growing number of options and a limited number of rules or guidelines. Although one of the key propositions for the SaaS model is that it reduces costs, there is still the potential for things to go very wrong. Whether you are a buyer or supplier it is key that you ask the right questions, so you can understand and therefore manage the risks.
With significant real world experience (and scars to prove it) we can help you through the maze of questions and maximise the chances of success in this new and exciting area.
Are you a business considering buying your Software as a Service?
(The following is a précised extract from the following
white paper)
What do we mean by SaaS?
Software as a Service, or SaaS as it is often written, is the in vogue name for the model of providing software from a remote location, over a network, where the organisation using the software does not have to be involved with the day to day running of it. The use of the word service is based on the association with other “services” that we just use without being concerned about the complexities behind the scenes e.g. the telephone, the supply of electricity, the use of our Visa card.
So Why Should I be Interested?
Cutting through the hype you may consider:
Why is it happening now?
There are many Political, Economic, Social and Technical reasons, but a few of the big ones are:
A drive by the public sector for "hosted" shared services
The growth of "knowledge economies" in the West
The acceptance of high tech at home delivered as a service
The explosive growth of broadband and the emergence of "web" standards
Sounds too good to be true, there must be a catch!
Although there are many potential advantages of having your software delivered as a service (whether Software as a Service or a hybrid such as Software plus Services), it is still a maturing delivery model and as such there are potential gotchas.
So should you leave well alone?
It depends. Everything we do in business (and life) carries a risk, the key is to understand the risks that we are taking, so we can make informed decisions and put the appropriate risk management strategies in place. Understanding the risks and your ability to manage them, may make a service based approach wrong for you, or it may be the answer to a maiden’s prayer and reduce existing risks within your business. Critically however, there is a fundamental difference between risk management and risk aversion, with the later typically leading to stagnation, decay and failure.
To understand the risks, you need to make sure you ask the right questions, both internally and to your suppliers.
Are you an ISV who wants to understand how to maximise the SaaS opportunities?
Coming soon...