The benefits of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) are very appealing to both service providers and consumers. Code management and support are easier. Services can be instantly subscribed to as and when required, with no need for more on-premises servers to be installed.
Investing or developing a SaaS service can prove to be a challenge for vendors with an existing traditional client-server on-premises application. Small companies find it hard to raise the necessary fund to rewrite their application. That made is even more challenging in a recession. Larger companies have too much momentum and are slow to change direction to a web based solution. Start-up companies are able to adopt this revolutionary service delivery model much more quickly.
So does this mean that companies who have an existing solution are left out of the game until they come up with the funding to redevelop their application?
We recently worked with a small Irish company who had a traditional application. They wanted to move to a SaaS deliver model but had limited budget and time to redevelop their application. They asked us if we could suggest a way forward. The key was that they could make a couple of minor changes to their application to make it a multi-tenant solution. That would allow many people to securely and reliably use a single installation.
We put together a pilot system and tested the concept. It worked very well. The decision was made to deploy a production system. I spent a few hours consulting with the client and by lunchtime we had designed and deployed a solution that was suitable for their needs. The application could be “deployed” to a client in a matter of minutes with no new hardware or software. Clients could securely access the application from anywhere, and were no longer tied to their office. It was a hit!
Sure, some web purists will argue that this is not true SaaS. It is not a web application. However, try telling the owner of the application and their customers that they aren’t getting the same benefits. Eventually, they will develop a true web alternative. But thanks to the solution we deployed, they don’t have to hurry. Their customers are getting the benefits of SaaS right now.
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