What is SaaS?

A Software-as-a-Service solution is directly hosted in the cloud — so the software provided to the user is not installed on their machine. It is hosted by a provider, on their physical servers. They manage the technical layers and host the data, for example. The software publisher manages the SaaS cloud software itself. SaaS solutions are available on demand, usually as a subscription — and they are adapted to all users and use types. They do not require any infrastructure management from the end-user. The customer can access the software via the internet, regardless of their location or the device they are using. By opting for SaaS solutions, you get a wide range of business software to suit your professional needs.

These software solutions are dematerialised, so they can be accessed easily via an internet connection. As explained further up in the SaaS definition section, the software solution is not installed on the end-user’s physical machine. It is hosted on remote servers, and users simply log in to the solution via a dashboard or API. This offers many benefits for both end-users and organisations. Companies of all sizes can benefit from a secure information system. Using SaaS cloud solutions for their management software offers the guarantee that their data is stored in a sovereign cloud, on resilient environments.

SaaS solutions offer many advantages.

• Reduced up-front costs. Since the software is not installed on the user’s machine, they don’t need to purchase licences.
• Predictable recurring costs per user. With a monthly subscription system, you can plan the budget to allocate to each licence — and easily anticipate the costs associated with using it. Your billing is transparent, and your budget is controlled. You only pay for the licences you use.
• Scalability. Depending on your needs, you can subscribe to new licences. Adjust the number of users, without worrying about the additional workload that will be applied to the infrastructure hosting your solution. The software and hardware layer are maintained by your solution’s publisher.
• Accessibility and mobility. Since SaaS solutions are hosted in the cloud, they are accessible everywhere, and from every device. Users only need an internet connection to access the software from their browser.
• Flexibility and agility. Choose the software and services you need. You can simply adjust your solution to fit your usage, as required.
• Quick deployment. Choose the solution that best suits your needs, from a catalogue of SaaS solutions (e.g. OVHcloud Marketplace).
• Easy maintenance. The software publisher maintains the software, and the cloud provider maintains the infrastructure supporting it. This means your users have access to the latest features and updates, without any action required from you.
• Data security. CIOs no longer need to worry about data security and storage, since this responsibility is managed by the cloud service provider. The SaaS software hosted on our cloud complies with the very strictest data protection requirements. OVHcloud hosting solutions guarantee the highest level of security, and hold a number of certifications and qualifications.

There is a wide range of solutions on the market to meet the needs of individuals and businesses alike. With cloud-based SaaS services, everyone can find the right solution for their project — and they cover the needs of almost all business sectors.

Here is an overview of the types of SaaS solutions available for freelancers and SMEs:

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions. These offer many features for managing an organisation’s operations — inventory, production, accounting management, and more.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management). CRM tools enable you to centralise customer and company data, and get the very most out of it.
• Collaborative and corporate communication solutions. This includes agenda-sharing, conference systems, contact and presence management, corporate messaging, and project management. With collaborative software, your employees can keep working closely with one another — even remotely.
   

OVHcloud has its own marketplace — find solutions from our partner sellers! You do not need to manage updates, management or improvements. With our partner sellers, we take care of it. By choosing a solution available on the OVHcloud Marketplace, you get transparent pricing and a secure environment for your data.

The three most common types of cloud computing services on the market are SaaS, PaaS and IaaS.

With SaaS, you can access software hosted in the cloud. It is accessible via dashboards, and available through an internet connection — so you do not have to install a licence on your computer. The cloud provider maintains the infrastructure. You pay for your licences by subscription, and manage them according to your needs.

PaaS, or Platform as-a-Service, is a solution or application available on demand. Designed by and for developers, these tools enable them to create their application layers. Since the platform is managed and maintained by the provider, developers can focus on their code and data.

With IaaS, or Infrastructure as-a-Service, you can delegate the management of your infastructure’s hardware, resources, network and even storage to a cloud provider. OVHcloud offers three types of infrastructure as-a-service: Public Cloud, Hosted Private Cloud and a hybrid cloud solution.