software delivery

Hackers jump on SaaS bandwagon

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Nowadays, it seems like just about everyone is looking at SaaS as a more efficient means of software delivery. And that doesn't just mean traditional or even legitimate businesses--now even hackers are using SaaS to deliver ill-gotten login credentials to customers. "Earlier this month, [online security firm Finjan] discovered a small, standalone application gathering data on over 8,700 servers, including web sites from 2,500 North American companies and a handful of sites in Alexa's top 100 ranking," Ars Technica reports. "Potential buyers were able to log into the malicious server hosting the data-gathering service and evaluate any given web site's size and Google Page Rank to decide whether or not the site's FTP information was worth purchasing or not." One-time oddity or sign of the times? Looks like we'll have to wait and see.

For more on this story:
- see this Ars Technica story

Is Microsoft inching toward SaaS?

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

As more vendors move toward an on-demand software delivery model, Microsoft might be preparing to join the party. In an apparent shift from its business of selling packaged software for personal computers, Microsoft plans to make available free software that connects its Windows operating system to software and services delivered on the Internet, according to an article in the New York Times. The company is clearly looking for ways to retain its customer base, as competitors start offering pay-as-you-go options in its sweet spot. While the article does not deal with the issue of enterprise licenses, it will be interesting to see if this model is rolled out as a corporate service, and what ramifications this could have on enterprise agreements. Microsoft's new Windows Live software suite includes an updated email program, a photo-sharing application and a writing tool for blogging. Google has already made its intentions to challenge Microsoft clear with a suite of free word processing and spreadsheet applications that can be accessed through a web browser. While Microsoft is a late entrant to this business model, it has a head start when it comes to market share with an installed base of more than 1 billion Windows-based personal computers.

For more on Microsoft and its new delivery model:
- read the article in Cnet

Is it time for SaaS?

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Is SaaS just hype, or is something really going on here? This is the question on the mind of CIO Update's editors. Advocates insist that SaaS's time has come, and after attending the Software as a Service Conference (SaaSCon) in Santa Clara in April, the editors agreed. It is clear that an emerging industry is quietly but steadily gaining ground and that SaaS may be on track to change the face of enterprise computing. Salesforce.com CEO Jim Steele believes the SaaS market will represent 25 percent of the software delivery marketplace revenue within four years.

To learn more:
- read this CIO Update report

ALSO NOTED: Managing the mobile enterprise; Successful negotiations;

Mon, 21 May 2007 20:01:38 -0400

> Managing the mobile enterprise. White paper

> Successful negotiations. Blog

> IT execs unmoved by Microsoft's open-source threats. Article

> Wall Street firms turn to best practices models to speed up software delivery. Article

> Government, corporate interest in RFID is heating up. Article

> Innovation: Separating myth from reality. Blog

> Clinging to inflexible work practices is a bad idea. Article

And Finally… Get ready for the corporate video phone. Blog

Survey: SaaS hits the mainstream

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Software as a Service (SaaS) is no longer a niche approach to software delivery. According to a survey by InformationWeek, two out of three businesses are either buying or considering buying software via a subscription model. The survey also found that 29 percent of the 250 technology professionals surveyed are using at least one licensed application hosted by a vendor and accessed over the Internet, and 35 percent are planning to buy software that way or are considering it. Security, reliability, and integration remain concerns, but not enough to outweigh the implementation and cost benefits for many. About a third are wary of SaaS. Integration and making sure a company has the service-level agreements in place with their SaaS vendors to ensure transaction response times, system availability, failover for disaster recovery and response time to problems is key. The true test will be whether companies can use SaaS effectively for business-critical applications.

Read more about SaaS:
- read the article at InformationWeek

ALSO:
- read this on the real cost of deploying SaaS
- this on the value of SaaS
- and this on the pros and cons of SaaS