Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS). The capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through either a thin client interface, such as a web browser (e.g., web-based email), or a program interface. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings.[NIST 2011]

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There are services of potential interest to a wide variety of users hosted in Cloud systems. This is an alternative to locally run applications. An example of this is the online alternatives of typical office applications such as word processors. This scenario is called Software as a Service (SaaS). [Vaquero et al 2009]

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Software as a Service (SaaS) delivers special-purpose software that is remotely accessible by consumers through the Internet with a usage-based pricing model. [Foster et al 2008]

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Software as a Service (SaaS) is a rapidly growing model of software licensing. In contrast to traditional software where users buy a perpetual-use license, SaaS users buy a subscription from the publisher. Whereas traditional software publishers typically release new product features as part of new versions of software once in a few years, publishers using SaaS have an incentive to release new features as soon as they are completed. [Choudhary et al. 2007]