Software as a service (SaaS, typically pronounced 'Sass') is a model of software deployment where an application is hosted as a service provided to customerssoftware deployment across the Internet.Internet By eliminating the need to install and run the application on the customer's own computer, SaaS alleviates the customer's burden of software maintenance, ongoing operation, and support. Conversely, customers relinquish control over software versions or changing requirements; moreover, costs to use the service become a continuous expense, rather than a single expense at time of purchase. Using SaaS also can conceivably reduce the up-front expense of software purchases, through less costly, on-demand pricing. From the software vendor'son-demand standpoint, SaaS has the attraction of providing stronger protection of its intellectual propertyintellectual property and establishing an ongoing revenue stream. The SaaS software vendor may host the application on its own web server, or this function may be handled by a third-party application service provider (ASP).application service provider Software as a service

An application service provider (ASP) is a business that provides computer-based services to customers over a network. Software offered using an ASP model is also sometimes called On-demand software or software as a service (SaaS).SaaS The most limited sense of this business is that of providing access to a particular application program (such as medical billing) using a standard protocol such as HTTP. HTTP The need for ASPs has evolved from the increasing costs of specialized software that have far exceeded the price range of small to medium sized businesses. As well, the growing complexities of software have led to huge costs in distributing the software to end-users. Through ASPs, the complexities and costs of such software can be cut down. In addition, the issues of upgrading have been eliminated from the end-firm by placing the onus on the ASP to maintain up-to-date services, 24 x 7 technical support, physical and electronic security and in-built support for business continuity and flexible working.business continuity An application service provider (ASP)

Software as a service (Saas) Traditional SoftwareOn-Demand Utility Build Your Own Plug In, Subscribe Pay-per-Use

Comparison of business model Traditional packaged software Software as a serivce Architect solutions to be run by an individual company in a dedicated instantiation of the software Architect solutions to be run by an individual company in a dedicated instantiation of the software Designed to run thousands of different customers on a single code Designed to run thousands of different customers on a single code Designed for customers to install, manage and maintain. Designed for customers to install, manage and maintain. Designed from the outset up for delivery as Internet-based services Designed from the outset up for delivery as Internet-based services

Traditional packaged Software Software as a serivce Version control Version control Upgrade fee Upgrade fee Fixing a problem for one customer fixes it for everyone Fixing a problem for one customer fixes it for everyone Streamlined, repeatable functionality via Web services, open APIs and standard connectors Streamlined, repeatable functionality via Web services, open APIs and standard connectors Infrequent, major upgrades every months, sold individually to each installed base customer. Infrequent, major upgrades every months, sold individually to each installed base customer. Frequent, "digestible" upgrades every 3-6 months to minimize customer disruption and enhance satisfaction.Frequent, "digestible" upgrades every 3-6 months to minimize customer disruption and enhance satisfaction. May use open APIs and Web services to facilitate integration, but each customer must typically pay for one-off integration work. May use open APIs and Web services to facilitate integration, but each customer must typically pay for one-off integration work.

What’s the Challenge for Saas? What’s the Challenge for Saas?

Challenge One: Switching Cost Switching CostSolution? Make customer happy! Make customer happy! Other……? Other……?

Challenge two: Limited flexibility Limited flexibilitySolution? Make everything customizable Make everything customizable Application Exchange platform Application Exchange platform Others….? Others….?

What kind of software is more amenable to be provided as a service? What kind of software is more amenable to be provided as a service?

Applicability of Saas Enterprise Software Application Enterprise Software Application Perform business functionsPerform business functions Organize internal and external informationOrganize internal and external information Share data among internal and external usersShare data among internal and external users The most standard type of software applicable to Saas modelThe most standard type of software applicable to Saas model Example: Saleforce.com CRM application, Siebel On-demand applicationExample: Saleforce.com CRM application, Siebel On-demand application

Applicability of Saas Single-User software application Single-User software application Organize personal informationOrganize personal information Run on users’ own local computerRun on users’ own local computer Serve only one user at a timeServe only one user at a time Inapplicable to Saas modelInapplicable to Saas model Data security issue Data security issue Network performance issue Network performance issue Example: Microsoft office suiteExample: Microsoft office suite

Applicability of Saas Infrastructure software Infrastructure software Serve as the foundation for most other enterprise software applicationServe as the foundation for most other enterprise software application Inapplicable to Saas modelInapplicable to Saas model Installation locally is required Installation locally is required Form the basis to run other application Form the basis to run other application Example: Window XP, Oracle databaseExample: Window XP, Oracle database

Applicability of Saas Embedded Software Embedded Software Software component for embedded systemSoftware component for embedded system Support the functionality of the hardware deviceSupport the functionality of the hardware device Inapplicable to Saas modelInapplicable to Saas model Embedded software and hardware is combined together and is inseparable Embedded software and hardware is combined together and is inseparable Example: software embedded in ATM machines, cell phones, routers, medical equipment, etcExample: software embedded in ATM machines, cell phones, routers, medical equipment, etc

Introduction Folksonomy is a tagging system, a manual indexing of the Web. Tagging systems allow users to annotate digital resources with tags (keywords) and share their annotations with other users. Folksonomies emerge from the need to add metadata to websites as an easier way compared to the development of ontologies (tags depends on users and not on experts). A relatively new classification system that became popular with applications as social bookmarking or annotating photographs. It’s also known as social tagging, social indexing, collaborative tagging or social classification FOLKSONOMIES

Advantages and disadvantages Advantages User participation Gives a valuable data on shared information. Adaptability Thanks to folksonomies we can be aware of emerging vocabularies. Lower cost Distributing the work amongst a large amount of people without no cost. Flexible Anyone can tag anything Take into account different perspectives We can share different views of the same thing

Disadvantages Over tagging Too many tags can make search and retrieval meaningless. Inconsistency Misspellings, different punctuations, capitalization, acronyms (“NY” and “New York”), ambiguity (“apple”: fruit or a computer),… Biased perspective Few people apply the already existing tags although those tags are the most used (shared by most people). Lack of control Tags depends on users’ social or cultural backgrounds, expertise and perception of the world, there is no wrong answer. Discrepancies in granularity “Java” can be too specific for some users, but “Programming” may be too general for others.

Folksonomies are better for: DOMAIN Large corpus No formal categories Unstable entities Unrestricted entities No clear edges USERS Uncoordinated users Amateur users Naïve catalogers No authority