What is Software As a Service
Software as a service is a set of options that consumers can order along with a software suite similar to accounting software. With software as a service, you'll get full technical support and software maintenance to go along with your software purchase. The -biggest single component in a software-as-a-service setup is the network the software is being run on, as it is necessary for tech support and maintenance chores. Most companies cannot devote a lot of time to making service calls, so they use their network to keep their computer systems up and running.
Software as a service users can access their purchased applications by logging into their network; they are essentially renting the applications. If a software suite is purchased as a software-as-a-service component, chances are, it is rather generic. Custom application design is possible, along with custom tech support and maintenance. However, most providers will be reluctant to offer this service. Users can log on in one of two ways: through a contract with an application service provider, which offers Web access for a monthly fee. The second method is software on demand, where the company buys a copy of an application that allows for multiple, simultaneous connections. Here, the user logs on differently and the company usually doesn't have to pay a fee.
The primary benefit of software as a service is that there's no issue with maintenance, software upgrades and tech support; the software provider takes care of it. Providers may charge a fee for upgrades, but the customer doesn't have to worry about upgrades, viruses and other network issues. The company isn't doing anything other than connecting to a network, and they aren't responsible when things go wrong. Software as a service is a good choice for companies that offer telecommuting to their employees; all the employee needs is an Internet connection.