SaaS
Software as a Service (SaaS) is an IT solution model in which users use a web browser to access software that resides in the cloud, along with the programs and user data. (“Cloud computing”)
Example:
- Salesforce.com was a pioneer of the SaaS model and it continues to deliver CRM(Customer Relationship Management) solutions to corporate clients across the globe. Other examples include-
- Taleo SaaS
- WebEx SaaS, and
- Microsoft Office 365.
Benefits:
- Lower costs of entry
- Pay as you go
- Risk transference
- Scalability
- Omnipresent access
Disadvantages:
- Security may be a concern
- Latency can become a problem
- Total dependence on the Internet
- Switching between SaaS vendors is difficult
PaaS
Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions provides a collection of hardware and software resources that developers can use to build and deploy applications with the cloud. (“Cloud computing”)
Examples:
- Microsoft Azure
- Force.com
- Google App Engine
- Apache Stratos
Benefits:
- Lower total cost of ownership
- Lower administrative overhead
- More current system software
- Increased business and IT alignment
- Scalable solutions
Disadvantages:
- Concerns about data security (“The Professionals Point”)
- Integration challenges – porting legacy software to the cloud
- Risk of breach of intellectual property
- High dependency on PaaS – migrating is difficult
IaaS
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a solution that offers computing hardware and any other IT resources to clients as a service. A SaaS provider may internally use an IaaS provider to host their services.
Examples:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Cisco Metapod
- Google Compute Engine (GCE)
- Joyent
Benefits:
- Elimination of an expensive and staff intensive data center
- Ease of hardware scalability
- Reduced hardware cost
- Pay-as-you-go
- Reduction of IT staff and storage space
- Complete system admin and management risk transference
Disadvantages:
- Complete dependence on IaaS provider (“Infrastructure-as-a-Service: Concepts, Advantages & Disadvantages”)
- Transferring between IaaS providers is complex and rarely seamless
References-
Jamsa, K. (2013). Cloud computing. New York: Jones & Bartlett learning.
Kumar, N. (n.d.). The Professionals Point. Retrieved September 16, 2017, from http://theprofessionalspoint.blogspot.com/2012/12/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-saas.html
Reed, R. (n.d.). Infrastructure-as-a-Service: Concepts, Advantages & Disadvantages. Retrieved September 16, 2017, from https://us.nttdata.com/en/blog/cloud-insights/2014/september/cloud-series-part-5