I was listening to the latest SQL Down Under podcast this morning and I heard what I thought was a great story to describe what Software as a Service (SaaS) is. SaaS is typically described as a model of software deployment where an application is hosted as a service that is provided to customers across the Internet. In other words the application is not installed on customer hardware but somewhere in the "cloud." Typically when people purchase a car they want to know what the engine size is, how fast it goes, and if there is an option for a leather interior. People can be very passionate about their car purchases and will only buy a car from a particular manufacture such as Toyota or Holden. However, when you break a car back to its purpose, it is to get from one location to another. When you catch a taxi you do not care what brand it is or if it has a V-8 or a V-6 engine, as long as it gets you to the destination in a timely manner.
When we look at computers we think in the same manner. We focus on the vendor and what the CPU is and not the function. When something becomes a commodity there is very little analysis done and the focus is based on function. SaaS is the provision of a service where the focus is on simply providing a service that does the job as described without worrying about the underlying technology.
- Peter Ward