30 Oct 2009

Does cloud equal SaaS?

Is cloud computing the same as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions?

Computerworld reported Dave Mitchell, IBM's director of strategy and emerging business for ISV and developer relations, believes this not to be the case, as there are subtle differences between the two data management solutions.

"Some people view SaaS as a layer within cloud computing. [SaaS is] really about delivering an application on a subscription model over the internet," Mr Mitchell noted.

He added that cloud computing is really about scalability and elasticity, while SaaS is a service offered to firms to mitigate the need for in-house IT departments.

David Pratt, chief operations officer of IT services for cloud provider ThinkGrid, recently noted that more UK firms are turning to cloud computing in a bid to improve disaster recovery readiness and promote worker freedom.

He noted increased data availability associated with cloud systems means employees can work outside the office environment, providing a multitude of benefits in terms of productivity and security for businesses.