Most Popular Posts

Based on the number of searches to get to SaaS thoughts, here are the most popular posts.

• Do you Really Need to Archive Your Email? (Part 1 of Email Archive Series)

You back-up your email server regularly so, why add email archiving?  Besides, you are not in a “regulated” industry so you don’t need to archive, right? As the commercial says, “Humm, not exactly.” -Read complete post-

• What Data Needs to Be Archived and What Happens If You Don’t? (Part 2 of our Email Archive Series)

Archive everything? Nothing? Email only? Forever? 30-days? - Read complete post –

• Third-Party SaaS Archiving vs. Microsoft Exchange 2010 (Part 3 of Email Archive Series)

“Whew, Microsoft to the rescue! Exchange 2010 has built-in email archive, now I don’t have to find a 3^rd party email solution!” Aahh, not quite so fast. Put down the blue bill and take a deep breath. - Read complete post -

• SaaS in the Midst of an Economic Crisis

We are told that the Chinese pictograph for crisis is a combination of “danger” and “opportunity”. Whether this is true or not, both elements are present in a crisis. It is easy to nod and agree in calm economic times but, when you’re in the middle of what seems to be an economic crisis, it is difficult to see the opportunities. We’re in one such situation. Now is not the time to go hide in a corner and wait for “better times”. Now is the time when smart organizations looks at both current and future expenses and seek to economize.Uncertain economic times bring about contracting reactions. On the one hand, there is a tendency to put projects on hold or to cut back. On the other hand, more pressure is put on sales to increase business and on customer care to retain existing customers. But, what happens to the IT infrastructure? Usually, it is made to make do as it is. But, is that the best thing to do in these times?–Read complete post–

• The 10 Questions to Ask Your SaaS Provider
  So, you’re considering signing up with a SaaS provider. You may have even gotten some quotes on the service you are considering. How do you choose among the prospective vendors? Here are 10 questions you should ask your prospective (or current) SaaS provider:–Read complete post–

• Future of SaaS – Just another IT Fad?
  What’s next for software-as-a-service (SaaS)? Where does the future lay for this flexible, affordable software model? Despite what some naysayers have written about SaaS, it is not just another IT fad. As user demand pushes the SaaS model forward, businesses are looking to strengthen their infrastructure and capacity through use of the service. Additionally, opportunities for expansion throughout the IT function mean that there are many venues through which SaaS can grow.–Read complete post–

• SaaS Pros & Cons Part 1
  So what are the pros of SaaS? What drives organizations when it comes to SaaS? Every company should carefully evaluate a would-be provider’s resources against their comprehensive list of requirements, goals, and objectives. But what are some general considerations that can be applied to SaaS? Let’s take a look at some of the arguments for SaaS adoption.–Read complete post–

• SaaS Pros & Cons Part 2
  Now that we have an understanding of why companies choose SaaS solutions, and in the spirit of being fair and balanced, what are the cons of SaaS? What considerations limit organizations when it comes to SaaS? As always, every company should carefully evaluate a would-be provider’s resources against their comprehensive list of requirements, goals, and objectives. In this post, we’ll run down a list of the arguments against SaaS. –Read complete post–

• The Big Switch by Nicholas Carr – Review
  “A hundred years ago, companies stopped generating their own power with steam engines and dynamos and plugged into the newly built electric grid. Today, a similar revolution is under way. …. This time, it’s computing that’s turning into a utility.” Nicholas Carr–Read complete post–

• Do You Lose Control When you Use a Managed Service?
  Some people are concerned that they will lose control over their data when the service gets “managed.” Who controls your data? Who has access to your data? How secure is your data? In a large part, that depends largely on which service you use.–Read complete post–

• Online backups – Pros & Cons
  Online backup services use software that automates the uploading of selected files to a remote computer, and the ability to restore files, using your Internet connection. With the widespread availability of high-speed Internet access, backing up your data to a remote location is becoming easier. With this ease of use, many organizations see online backup as a viable component in their backup strategy. –Read complete post–

• Hosted Email – Pros
  We know that email is mission-critical to your business. It’s so important to the workflow that we even check email during our off hours — at home, on the road, on vacation. Since email is the way in which you handle so much of your business, you want to protect it and to ensure its reliability. Perhaps one of the best ways in which to satisfy those needs is through the use of hosted email. Today we’ll take a look at the pros of using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) such as hosted email. –Read complete post–

• Hosted Email – Cons
  As we discussed in our last post, email is mission-critical to your business. One of the best ways in which to you can balance the needs of your business is through the use of hosted email. We previously took a look at the pros of using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution like hosted email, including what are some of the considerations you should make when thinking of moving to hosted email or even when you’ve reached the point where your company is ready to compare hosted email providers. Let’s now take a look at the cons — or, better yet, let’s call them “decision factors” — to see how they compare with the pros. –Read complete post–

• Hosted Apps – Pros
  Hosted applications first appeared in the marketplace several years ago. While the idea was sound, the concept didn’t take off — but it didn’t disappear, it merely waited for the time to be right. In the years since hosted applications were initially introduced there has been a measured and definite trend toward general acceptance of what we are now well familiar with as a hosted applications model. –Read complete post–

• Hosted Apps – Cons
  When we last visited the subject of hosted applications, we focused on the pros of using these services. We took a look at the compelling reasons business have identified for implementing a hosted applications model. To balance this view, we’ll need to identify some concerns or decision factors that come with considering a hosted application solution. Let’s take a look at some of the questions you should consider before adopting the hosted application model. –Read complete post–