The rise of software as a service

By Bernard Kur, head of product at Global Micro

You know software as a service (SaaS) is a trend. If you’re not already using some of your software solutions over the cloud in a pay-per-use model, you’re definitely considering it. And if you’re considering it, the time is right – SaaS has come of age in South Africa.

Bernard Kur, head of product at Global Micro, explains the key drivers for the rise of SaaS in South Africa. “Now is the perfect time to make SaaS an integral part of your IT strategy and budget,” he says. 

Key drivers of SaaS:

• Uncapped ADSL is a reality, allowing for data exchange at reasonable and consistent speeds.
• The astronomical growth of mobile means that SaaS can run on any device, anywhere and at any time.
• There have been vast improvements in internet security, which means that software services can be put in the cloud behind a firewall and remain secure. Many people had large security concerns about the cloud, but these can now be put to rest for the most part.
• IT purchase decisions are increasingly resting with business line users as opposed to IT buyers. With the business as a whole key to the decision making process about buying software rather than solely the IT department, the benefits of a pay-per-use model will become increasingly compelling.
• The improvements in all relevant coding languages have improved dramatically, allowing developers to create services that can be created and deployed in the cloud.
• This directly influences browser improvements, making it easier to access all these different cool applications that are being created.

Application programming interfaces or APIs are massive supporters of the growth of SaaS because they allow different software programmes to speak to each other, allowing for greater automation and efficiency – all in the cloud, of course.

• SaaS facilitates the low cost nature of deployment and data migration. Subscription fees reduce the risk and time that is required to learn and adapt the new system to a customer’s specific needs. Testing is simplified and quicker. The subscription model provides optimal and sustainable ROI through all of this flexibility.

“There really aren’t any remaining cogent arguments against SaaS,” says Kur. “The technology is there, the speeds are there, the security is there and the applications are being developed. All that remains to be seen is how quickly IT and business decision makers take to the skies and leverage the value of cloud.”