Category: Cloud

Understanding SaaS Integration in Today’s Context

Software as a Service (SaaS) has slowly become a norm among SMBs partly because of the variety that it offers and also because of the cost effectiveness. Certainly, SaaS is here to stay and with cloud computing finding enormous acceptance even among larger companies, SaaS will begin to witness an increase in its size and stature. Most companies do not realize that they are already engaging or integrating SaaS in one way or another. If you are using a software program that is available when you plug into an internet connection, you are probably using a SaaS solution. It has helped a number of companies to gain access to software that they previously couldn’t have afforded. SaaS brings proprietary and often expensive software programs to people and companies who can’t normally afford them. Software programs are run on cloud servers and clients use them as required, whenever they need to. The best feature of SaaS probably is that it can be used from anywhere in the world and programs need not be installed on individual computers. This means, companies will save a lot of money not only on software programs but also on storage devices and computer hardware. They will not need to purchase servers or invest in computer storage devices that store all the database. Instead, everything is stored and processed in the cloud, leading to an efficient and streamlined approach towards IT. Most companies want to reduce costs Companies certainly want to be able to reduce the amount of money they spend on software programs. It is simply not economical to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on software solutions only to realize that they can no longer store the data they have used. Many companies also belatedly realize that the software solution which they purchased is simply not for their business. When this happens, they often regret having spent thousands of dollars on one single software program. A SaaS solution on the other hand allows the clients to choose the modules they specifically want, with the ability to turn off or unsubscribe from those very services when they do not need them anymore. This flexibility allows companies to try software solutions and then decide upon the one that is best suited for them. SaaS thus helps companies to reduce costs. This is a truism that most companies are well aware of now. So, SaaS integration is likely to grow in the near future, specifically because of the financial advantages it presents. Many companies cannot afford proprietary software Proprietary software solutions cost a lot of money and they do not come with the same level of freedom as a SaaS module. In a SaaS module, clients are free to choose the modules that they need and they usually only pay for what they use. There are also hybrid modules that let companies to combine SaaS with on-the-location software programs. The problem with proprietary software solutions that are legacy based is that they are just too expensive and they also require a lot of storage space. Most companies simply do not have the kind of IT budget that is required of them to purchase these programs. Moreover, it may also not be what they require. What really happens is that they end up spending more money on something that may not be entirely useful for them. IT departments are looking at leaner operations It is also becoming increasingly clear that heavy software programs are not necessary for every company. Some companies may require just a few modules of a larger suite. IT departments have been insisting on this for a long time now and it is only a matter of time that CEOs also understand this. Leaner operations mean less maintenance, less storage and even less cloud computing requirements. After all, even SaaS can be reduced to a minimal level if one knows what is required. IT departments within companies have begun to stress on the importance of not buying entire software suites which may not be required for a company’s business operations. Software as a Service effectively solves this problem by making only those features available to companies which they need the most. SaaS is growing with cloud There was a time when there weren’t too many options with respect to services available on the cloud. Now, almost every kind of software program is available on the cloud and that too on a SaaS model. This has helped a number of companies to access software programs that they earlier couldn’t have. In other words, we can say that SaaS is growing alongside cloud computing and that is a very impressive development indeed. Cloud computing is expected to grow phenomenally in the coming years. It is only a matter of time before legacy programs are rendered old fashioned and outdated. More companies will begin to use SaaS in order to reduce costs and also access programs that they previously couldn’t have. What we can expect within the domain of SaaS Certainly, we must look at SaaS integration alongside Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). SaaS, PaaS and IaaS are the three major revolutionary changes that are occurring within the domain of information technology. This revolution is aided by cloud computing and integration of IaaS, SaaS and PaaS as and when required will be the norm in the coming years. One just needs to wait and watch to understand how phenomenally SaaS integration is likely to become a part of our business lives. In the years to come, we expect to see more companies switching over to SaaS or at least integrating SaaS within their existing IT frameworks. All this eventually leads to the democratization of technology in general. This also means, there will be room for innovation and increased ROI for companies involved. 2016 will likely see these changes sooner than what we witnessed in 2015 and this is certainly a positive development. In other words, SaaS integration will help SMBs and

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Why Customizing Open-source Applications Is Good For Your Business

Most business clients often overlook the appeal of open source software programs. In their minds, open source is tacky, free and not worth a second look unless a business is crumbling and cannot afford proprietary applications. This is very far from the truth. WordPress, one of the best content management systems in the world, is open source. A number of other software programs that you probably believe are proprietary are also open source. CPython, for example, is open source too. What businesses do not realize is that open source platforms have unique advantages that are actually good for businesses. They come with a community support system that is not really possible in proprietary platforms. Open source applications thus designed are actually more advanced than many private apps because developers from around the world put their heads together to create them. One of the major complaints that businesses have of open source platforms is that they are ‘common’. With a little customization, any open source software can be deemed good enough for corporate use, and that is a fact that is understood by a number of people. Customizing helps more than you might imagine While customization services do cost money, the versatility and cross-platform abilities of open source apps cannot be discounted. Even if we take the example of just WordPress, it is quite clear that themes do cost money. When we choose to customize the themes, they will cost a little more than that. In spite of all this, WordPress continues to be one of the most widely used content management systems around the world. Obviously, there are certain advantages to using open source platforms. While we agree basic open source apps may not be great for businesses, customizing them and using them to your benefit will help you to achieve your business targets easily. All that is required is to find a good consultancy that has experience customizing open source software programs for their business clients. In this article, let us take a look at why you should be customizing open source software applications and why it is good for your business. More people than you can imagine currently use open source software programs More than 86% of companies in non-technical sectors use some level of open source software within their IT departments. This is because, open source apps reduce supplier risks. They are also more innovative in nature thanks to the community spirit that drives open source platforms. However, because open source is available to everyone, your competitors maybe looking at the same software program too, much to your discontent. In order to ensure that you have an obvious advantage over your competitors, you can choose to customize your open source apps. Customizing not only involves changing the look and feel of the software but also certain functionalities. After all, it is important to understand that open source programs come with common codes but these codes can be customized to suit your unique requirements. Some of the obvious advantages of customizing open source programs are as follows: 1.      Cost-effective While customizing does cost money, we must remember that it will still cost a lot cheaper than what it probably would if you choose to buy proprietary software solutions. Open source applications that are customized for your business will stand apart from that of your competitors and will also work out financially if you are struggling as a company. Moreover, cost benefits are higher in open source models as you not only save money on initial investments but also end up spending less on maintenance. A number of custom solutions allow you to seek third-party assistance from the open source community once the initial customizations are done. 2.      Access to open source community The open source community is large and vibrant and gathers professionals from all walks of life from across the world. This means, your app might have a bit of goodness from every tech culture possible in the world. Once you have an application built on an open source platform, you will also find it easier to approach any freelancer who works on these platforms in open source communities. It just makes things easier for you as a business owner. You will not have to depend on customer service provided by proprietary software platform vendors. That is a big benefit you might want to look at. 3.      Freedom from proprietary software solutions Proprietary software solutions seem attractive and may include customizations and after sales support. Yet, if you want to switch to a different platform, you will end up losing a lot of money that you initially would have invested. These solutions may not be compatible with other software solutions and you might need additional coding or development to make them compatible. It should also be mentioned that proprietary software solutions come with license agreements that will restrain you from making changes, in most cases, to the original software program. If you are looking for freedom, open source solutions are the way to go forward. 4.      Enhanced security It is a misconception that open source solutions do not offer the same kind of security that proprietary software platforms do. On the other hand, hundreds and thousands of developers work on these open source platforms and when there are security glitches, they immediately come to their notice. Regular patches that are released will help you to avoid security glitches that may arise in the future. You can also choose to encrypt your data at an additional cost as part of the customizations that you request from your vendor. All in all, open source software programs do not pose any security threats to your data. Prospects of using open source programs in future Certainly, as awareness increases, more people will begin to choose open source platforms to build their applications. All it probably requires is some customization work which can easily be done by professionals at a cost that is less than purchasing proprietary software programs. Moreover, using

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How Automating Can Help the BFSI Sector

How Automating Can Help the BFSI Sector

Automation tools can be used in a wide number of sectors. Across industries, automation has helped companies to grow profits, increase efficiency and also heighten accountability. All these results come in after getting rid of manual tasks which only complicate things. Instead, people can be asked to focus on more analytical and reasoning-based tasks that need actual human intervention. We are more familiar with automating human resources, business processes of an organization and CRM. Yet, it turns out that the Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI) sector stands to gain the most. With so many numbers and repetitive tasks involved in this sector, it only makes sense to understand why automation might be good for this particular industry. In this article, let us take a look at how automation might help the BFSI sector to get its groove back and also impress upon its customers. After all, the BFSI sector is not doing particularly well in the wake of bad economy and worldwide crises. Thus, automating this sector has a lot of advantages. Banking sector In the banking sector, one can expect more penetration of growth in the rural areas. If automation is bright into practice, it becomes easier to tackle increasing amounts of financial data, credit disbursement and also maintaining the quality of assets. Similarly, automation helps to reduce risks and improves risk management mechanism. Last but not the least, banking officials are some of the first across industries to adopt new technologies. When we automate banking processes with the help of a banking software development company, customers find credibility in the financial process, which is what is most important. To gain trust and credibility, it is important to carry out tasks quickly and efficiently. Automating most banking transactions help to build trust and also increase the credibility of banking institutions. If we are talking about rural areas, this is only more relevant. Insurance sector In the insurance sector, we see a number of people not understanding the policies and which ones to choose from the many that are available. Building portfolios can be made easier when insurance choices are automated. Customers can be encouraged to fill up details on their own without requiring human interaction. This is made possible through applications and web forms that automatically collect and process data related to insurance claims and applications for policies. When it comes to insurance, there is a huge need for accuracy in the pricing of risks. Similarly, rural markets can be easily targeted when most insurance processes are automated. It becomes easier for on the field staff to reach out to rural customers, sometimes making use of field force management and other tools. It is for this reason that insurance should look towards automation as well. Financial services Financial services include payment gateways, mutual funds, stock trading and other such services. It only makes sense why this sector might stand to benefit from automation. If we look at the stock market, there are always fluctuations that the customers would like to be aware of. These fluctuations and changes can be notified to customers in real-time on their mobile devices. Stock purchasing and selling can also be automated. For instance, a customer might want to sell shares when the price of a stock dips below a certain threshold. Similarly, mutual funds also stand to gain from payment automation. On the other hand, payment gateways mandatorily require some sort of automation. Otherwise, online buying and selling would be impossible. If we look at all these factors, it becomes clear why BFSI stands to gain so much from automation. Common factors that encourage BFSI sectors to automate While these are three different sectors with very different approaches to automating, there are certain factors that are common to all three. All three sectors depend on credibility and trust. Without trust and credibility, customers will not trust either bank, insurance companies or financial service providers. The only way we can rest assured that things are credible is when we know that the services that we offer are efficient, quick and transparent. There should be no room for human errors. Human errors are often misconstrued as deliberate errors to misguide or deceive customers. Thus, when number crunching is automated and when data processing is done in the cloud by software programs, you will only need to concentrate on building that valuable human to human relationship. This helps to grow your BFSI organization in stature and importance. We are seeing a number of BFSI entities automating almost everything that was once considered the domain of clerks or mid-level managers. Now, most of these tasks can be automated in order to increase efficiency, build transparency and root out malpractices. Future trends in the BFSI sector In the near future, we can expect the BFSI sector to lunge forward towards automating most of its processes. This will help the BFSI entities to move towards mobility as well. Automation and mobility are inextricably linked today and for a very good reason. Most of our customers use mobile devices and they expect everything to happen fast. Linking automation software programs to mobility will help BFSI entities to satisfy their customers and also make things easier to process. This may include looking for new customers, serving existing customers, crunching numbers and a variety of other tasks. Only the most complex tasks and that require human intervention can be carried on manually. The rest of the tasks and processes can easily be automated. If BFSI entities begin to automate more, we will actually see a more transparent and efficient world tomorrow. It will take a little while before BFSI entities completely immerse themselves in these newer technologies. Customers on the other hand have already adopted both automation and mobility. With this in mind, it only makes sense to hurtle towards a world that is automated and mobile-oriented. This is not only good for customers but also for BFSI entities that are already reeling under the effects of world economic crises. Automation

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Insurance Basics: Understanding Claim Management Solutions

There is a lot more awareness about insurance these days than ever before. With marketing and social media strategies helping insurance companies, we see an increasing number of people buying policies for everything they possibly can. While it is a good sign for insurance companies, a lot of people also claim insurance these days when things go wrong. It is difficult for financial institutions to review every insurance claim manually. Reviewing these claims alone costs a lot of money and resources. Insurance officials admit that they spend more money on processing claims than they would actually do on marketing or getting people to buy policies. At the end of the day, insurance companies want people to buy policies and not actually have to pay insurers money when they file claims. One of the ways insurance companies can ensure that both customers and the companies are happy is to use automation software programs. Claims management solutions help insurance companies to do precisely that. They help in running operations so that customer service is improved and errors are minimized, leading to customer satisfaction and also reduction of time resources. Insurance companies can also ensure that legal formalities and payment handling are done automatically, all of which previously required expensive legal and clerical staff support. With all this in mind, it only makes sense to go ahead with claims management solutions full on. In this article, let us take a look at what a typical claims management solution does. What does a claims management solution actually do? A good claims management solution offers adjudication support all through the timeline of a claim. This applies to both personal and commercial claims. Whether it is about the first notice of loss or reducing the payments made to claimants, these automation solutions increase customer satisfaction and boost revenues. A good claims management solution helps insurance companies to setup claims and then process first notice of loss. Next, it helps the company to investigate these claims and engage in adjudication and subrogation. Along the way, these solutions provide important analytics which help in understanding the severity of the claims made and also detect frauds, if any. Further, it also helps in certain consulting operations including benchmarking, lean transformation. Last but not the least, a claims management solution is a software program, which means, you receive the best IT support you possibly can for your insurance company. All this helps to streamline the claims processing system and ensures enhanced customer support and satisfaction. How claims management solutions help you enhance customer relationship Claims management solutions also provide data correction and call center services. These are important points of contact that help customers and your staff to reach a sort of agreement. When a customer makes a claim, it needs to be entered in an orderly manner before being processed. Manual entry of claims can lead to inadvertent errors and mistakes. Automating this process helps in increasing transparency and ensuring that you don’t fall victim to fraudulent claims nor will the customer miss out on genuine payments that you should be making to them. All in all, these sorts of solutions accelerate claims processing and builds a healthy attitude towards insurance companies in the market. It should be well noted that most of the time customers even choose not to make claims because the process of doing so is so convoluted. When making insurance claims are automated, it helps the customer to enter data himself or herself, without your staff having to do so. In case of disasters or emergencies, your customer will appreciate this speedy processing of claims. Cloud based solutions only help you to take it all a step further Claim management software solutions are cloud based and ensure that all data is stored on cloud servers. This means, all the data related to insurance policies are encrypted and there is no chance of this data being accessed by unsavory individuals. It also helps to know that all this can be stored for a relatively lower cost than you probably would if you still used legacy systems. Moreover, the reports, the metrics and the analytics help you to understand wider insurance trends that will help you to make policies with respect to claims processing. Claims analytics provide valuable data and reports with respect to what is really happening and that is something that you as an insurance company cannot take for granted. After all, it is known that more than 80% of an insurance company’s costs go towards claims and claims processing, even if they are not paid back to the customer. Automating this expensive but repetitive task ensures clarity, transparency and also a more contemporary approach towards solving problems. What the future holds for insurance companies with respect to automation Insurance companies will likely see an increased number of claims being made in the near future, simply because of the sheer number of people who buy insurance policies these days. This means, companies will need to be wary of fraudulent claims and also ensure that they don’t end up paying more than what they legally are required to. Next, companies will have to be wary about storing encrypted data and this should be done only on a trusted cloud server. All this data should be processed and analyzed by trusted claims management software programs so that malicious entities do not get hold of your customer’s valuable data. A good claims management system will ensure that all data is processed effectively and safely and that everything happens quickly. It also ensures that you have access to good customer care and that your company always has access to top-notch IT solutions in the form of claims management solutions. Last but not the least, insurance companies should start moving away from legacy systems and programs and opt for cloud-based technologies that will help them to automate their regular tasks and focus on what is really important. After all, it is important to maintain a balance between understanding why

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The Future of Rich Internet Applications

Much has been discussed about rich internet applications (RIA) in the past. These are web-based apps that mimic traditional desktop applications but are much more advanced in nature. They help businesses to reach their mobile base in a short period of time at a very affordable cost. Not only does it cost less to design these rich internet applications but they are also cheaper than traditional desktop applications to maintain. Everything that you can imagine, such as animation, A/V application and even Flash are supported on these apps. Rich Internet Applications make use of Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight and Java FX in usual circumstances. Thanks to an increasing bandwidth even on mobile devices and because of the proliferation of 4G devices, RIAs will grow in importance and stature. What we need to remember is, simple and cheap do not mean less than desirable. HTML pages are no longer the only way to design effective and fast-loading apps. RIAs have made it possible to develop cost-effective and efficient applications that are versatile in nature. They ensure an intuitive interface and a user-friendly mechanism that encourages people to use them more often. All this helps to build a better platform for your company. Why we must look towards Rich Internet Applications in 2016 and beyond In 2016 and beyond, we can see a number of reasons why RIAs (Rich Internet Applications) will grow in size and stature. They are based on the Rich Client Deployment Model which means apps are deployed on a browser rather than on a client-server model. This ensures quick loading and increased efficiency. RIAs are responsive and graphical at the same time. This means, mobile users can uniquely enjoy using these apps without having to read through lengthy textual web pages or slow-loading legacy apps. RIAs do not require major installations. Patches can be released at regular intervals and that too they can be automated. This ensures that security is heightened and vulnerabilities are fixed as and when they arise. All in all, they provide for better encryption models than legacy tools. Native web applications are not as accessible as RIAs. This means, customers have a greater chance of discovering your content and filtering what they need on an RIA than on a legacy application. Understanding the functions of Rich Internet Applications RIAs are web-oriented apps that intermediate between users and app servers. Client engine doubles up as a browser extension and enhances responsiveness and interactivity.In this section, let us take a look at some of the most important features of an RIA. An RIA is basically responsive and interactive. It is skewed towards client’s CPU which ensures that there is a quick and efficient response on the user’s screen. The best feature is that when a page is loaded, only that section is loaded and not the entire page. This ensures that unnecessary downloads are avoided and only what is seen on the screen is loaded. This is of particular importance if we are talking about mobile devices. The user interface on the other hand is very rich and you can always use very premium quality audio and video files. In fact, you will not be able to make out any difference between traditional and rich internet applications. As it is targeted towards a mobile audience, anyone who is connected to the Internet can easily access Rich Internet Applications. This ensures that it is more democratic than the previous technologies that were geared towards desktop users. Enhance communication among users Rich Internet Applications also enhance real time communication between users. Whether you want to enable audio or video conferences, improve collaborations between users or install instant messaging, it is all possible when we are using Rich Internet Applications. Certainly, all this leads to a greater sense of productivity. RIAs offer single application view, which means, multi-screen interface’s distractions are minimized. Customers will be more loyal to your brand because RIAs enhance the ecommerce experience and improve the process of tracking order, reorders and cancellations. In fact, a lot of people consider RIAs a boon to ecommerce businesses. Other than helping existing ecommerce businesses, it also helps you to acquire new customers, thanks to enhanced interaction. Of course, it is important to mention that all this takes place at a minimal cost to the developer. When you develop rich internet applications, you can rest assured that operation costs are low and sustainable. After all, most companies find it difficult to manage their development expenditure and that should never be a problem with RIAs. What does the future look like for the RIAs? While RIAs are certainly a step in the right direction for the year 2016 and beyond, there are still a number of challenges that developers have to encounter when dealing with them. For instance, there is a lack of consensus over what can be standardized with respect to Rich Internet Applications. While some people use AJAX and Flash, many others question their utility in 2016. AJAX are not well suited for cross-platform adaptability and they may also pose security concerns. They are also not as accessible on every device, especially if it is an AJAX-heavy application. The market for Rich Internet Applications is growing but it has not grown to the level that one might consider it a revolution. This is because of the challenges this particular style of developing poses. However, RIAs help in enabling SaaS model, which is going to grow in its size and stature. Whether it is collaborative project management or UI capabilities for mashups, RIAs have a future that we cannot simply ignore. The reason why companies have begun to experiment with RIAs is precisely because of the freedoms that they promise. Moreover, they reduce a cost burden that is seemingly weighing down most companies when they look for traditional app development. It is difficult to say whether 2016 will really herald RIAs as the next big thing but there will certainly be takers who will prefer RIAs over traditional

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Is Cloud Application Development for You?

Developing applications on a cloud-based platform entails your development team acquiring suitable skill sets. Despite its challenges, it distinctly leverages the capability of your organization. Cloud application development can be done in SaaS (Software as a Service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service).  According to a recent Gartner report, “Enterprise IT spending on public cloud computing, within addressable market segments, will overtake spending on traditional IT in 2025. In 2022, more than $1.3 trillion in enterprise IT spending is at stake from the shift to cloud, growing to almost $1.8 trillion in 2025.” The statistics clearly indicate that cloud application development is becoming crucial for organizations’ IT mix. Developing applications in the cloud comes with ample benefits like: Enabling developers to take virtual snapshots of troubling applications Leveraging economies of scale Improving productivity Cost efficiency and lifecycle management Challenges faced by developers Due to its ability to run the same program on many different systems, Java is one of the top cloud programming languages. Here we have listed some of the unique challenges faced by Java developers during development: 1.      Fragmented data As the business grows, the number of cloud applications deployed increases. Every application solves a different business problem. But this has resulted in fragmentation of business data across various disconnected applications. Developers are increasingly using low-code platforms to build applications. Though data can be easily tracked and may look to be at the same place, it is actually fragmented. Writing custom point-to-point integration in APIs or by adopting a standalone cloud integration platform like Zapier, Dell Boomi or Informatica, can solve this problem. Nonetheless, this task does require a specialized skill set in the development team.  2.      Understanding application resource dependencies A cloud application often runs in a distributed environment with at least two servers deployed for the operation. The primary focus for a developer is to understand application service dependencies. Application service dependencies include databases, message servers etc. In a cloud environment, several services interact amongst each other and developers can’t be sure what IP address the application uses. On the contrary, in a traditional application development environment, identification of resources is easy and a developer knows what service is being used by the application on deployment. Hence, the developer needs to understand service usability and be able to locate resources. Quite often, developers use a discovery pattern to find the services. In a Java application environment, the developer gets JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) that helps in locating the services required. Resource mapping during deployment helps developers to avoid hard coding by following a logical sequence. 3.      Addressing horizontal scalability In cloud computing, horizontal scalability is the ability of the application to connect with multiple hardware or software such as servers when required. The connection enables the whole system to function as a single logical unit. Cloud applications, owing to their parental nature, are horizontally scalable. But unfortunately, not all applications are horizontally scalable.  This issue can be resolved by writing applications in a manner that renders them potentially scalable. 4.      Precautionary measures Localizing data storage can be fatal to your cloud infrastructure. The essence of cloud computing is to have distributed data management to dodge server failures. Furthermore, developers must rely on location patterns to abstract physical IPs rather than using physical IP or disk-based locators to find out resources for using in the application. 5.      Testing application in the cloud Developers often face the challenge of testing the application in a cloud environment. The transition process of application from the local environment to the cloud environment for testing is not free from glitches. Only a smooth transition will ensure product development cycle. So, the use of appropriate testing tools is important for a smooth transition. 6.      Inability to differentiate The majority of the organizations are relying on the same technology and same cloud-based platforms. So, it has become difficult for them to offer unique features to their clients. This undermines their ability to gain a competitive edge over others. No doubt, the development of cloud applications is cheaper and more efficient. But developers need to devise new capabilities, new strategies and follow an innovation-driven approach to entice their clients. Advantages of application development in the cloud The leading cloud-based development platforms in PaaS and IaaS include Google App Engine, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Salesforce.com. Metrics review has already proven that cloud application development offers a lot of benefits like: 1.      Save application development and deployment time The application development time in the cloud is significantly lowered owing to the cloud platform’s ability to streamline the development process. The platform is further capable of quickly getting development assets online. Traditionally, the development of custom applications used to take months as developing a complete application required additional components. However, with cloud computing services, developers can quickly avail all the required software and tools in the cloud working their way out more efficiently. Furthermore, cloud applications can be deployed quickly by getting into production mode thus enabling less time to market. 2.      Cost-effective development environment By delivering applications through the SaaS model, organizations can save a lot of costs. Both financial and infrastructural worries have been side-lined by incorporating cloud computing services for application development. The capital investment required to set up a complex environment for building, testing and deploying custom applications was unfeasible for many small-scale organizations. The subscription models in cloud computing offer the clients the flexibility to spend as per their demand and avoid tying up additional hardware/ software costs. 3.      Simple and efficient Developers can easily access applications through a web browser. Even the most complex enterprise-level applications are developed without actually getting into technical complications. 4.      Optimum utilization of resources The IT resources are efficiently utilized while application development in the cloud. Moreover, applications utilizing virtualized IT services are technically more efficient and

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SaaS Integration in 2015 and Beyond

Cloud computing has entered mainstream and is an integral part of functioning for many businesses today. It is deployed in different formats i.e. SaaS, PaaS and IaaS depending upon the need of the organization. Nonetheless, traditional on-premise solutions continue to play pivotal role for running critical applications and processes. The widespread use of technology in organization like multiple internet-connected devices, multi-cloud environment and virtual services are continuously generating a lot of data. When such is the case, it is common to find data scattered across different applications, cloud storage and on-premise applications. Data becomes useful only if it can be used for gaining insights. To achieve that, data should be available in a structured format and collected from all sources where data is present. This issue can be resolved by deploying an integrated SaaS solution. It can be built, bought or subscribed to. Integration is necessary to keep ever expanding data under control. An integrated SaaS solution not only integrates data but helps in overcoming organizational inefficiencies, improves productivity and plug in gaps in performance. The other important roles played by SaaS integration include data transformation, data migration, application synchronization, data cleansing besides maintaining data security. Customized SaaS integration solutions have gone ahead to integrate data across social sources. SaaS integration is in the stage of infancy and 2015 will witness coherent integration practices propagated by out-of-the-box solutions by integration service providers. Let us take a look at how SaaS integration is evolving in 2015 and what more can be expected out of it. Becoming a priority among IT executives A majority of senior executives have realized that integration is critical to business solution. They further realize that cloud-to-cloud integration and better mobile access has to be a priority. According to a research by Mulesoft, it is estimated that 1/6th of the money spent on software will be spent on SaaS solutions. It also found that by 2016, 35% or more of all large and mid-size organizations will be using at least one Integration Platform as a Service offering. A majority of executives believe that SaaS integration helps in winning new customers. Integration support strategies are evolving Integration strategies have evolved over a period of time and providers have understood the importance of big data. Cloud service brokerages and hubs need to be developed, offering IT services and APIs. Whether it is data from Internet of Things, on-premise solutions, cloud applications, social media or mobile endpoints; it is crucial to follow an inclusive approach. Internet of Things specifically demands a new level of high volume, external facing APIs that operate in real time. Since business processes have to start to rely heavily on connected applications and data, integration solutions will become more and more accessible to an average business user. Business environment is rapidly turning dynamic with a lot of applications and data turnovers. Self-service integration modules by solution providers will empower a line-of-business user to selectively choose the solution that fits into their organization. This will curtail time and money spent on hiring IT specialists to accomplish the same task. It will also give them flexibility to realign their solution with the changing application and cloud mix. To cater to the user demand for growing control over technology, integration service providers are opening up APIs to facilitate users across the business to easily connect new technologies with legacy systems. Cloud endpoints typically consist of tools and capabilities that allow the user to generate APIs from an App Engine application which simplifies clients’ access to data from other applications. SaaS integration can seamlessly manage the impact of endpoints and enables you to adopt platforms designed for running hybrid structures and ecommerce APIs. Modern SaaS integration solutions can be subdivided into three categories: Virtual integration Virtual integration enables the cloud applications to access information from external systems without physical transfer of data from one application to another. It helps in delivering instant insight across the business. It also minimizes data storage requirements and annuls the need to synchronize unutilized data. Virtual integration gives your cloud-based applications access to resources running in virtual networking environment. For instance, a cloud application can have an access to database or other web services running on virtual machines by implementing an integration solution. Cloud-based integration or iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) solution This is the modern way of integration and is going to sustain for long. This hybrid integration is carefully designed and managed on a single cloud platform to run securely within the firewall. iPaaS solution can seamlessly connect to SaaS and other cloud services besides securely accessing legacy applications and on-premise systems. Cloud silos (information silos formed in cloud applications resulting in loads of fragmented data across the organization) are increasingly becoming a problem for organizations operating under the umbrella of cloud applications. iPaaS ensures that these cloud silos are dissolved through integration of information. An ideal iPaaS solution must have a robust set of connectors to be able to add new services in the rapidly changing cloud environment. Developers should be able to build applications that are integration-friendly using familiar tools and processes. Apart from that, strong management tools with the solution will help the client to understand and monitor the performance of applications. A future-ready iPaaS solution will be the one which is highly scalable, flexible and API-ready to adapt to the changing business needs. Managed APIs As we know, APIs are becoming intrinsic to the success of a cloud-based organization; it is important to develop a powerful mechanism to control API access and manage multiple versions of an API. API management services help you to build a secure framework whereby you can track and monitor the performance metrics, analytics, and initiate a centralized lifecycle management. Managed APIs serves as an excellent method to control access to your valuable resources. Role of integration service providers SaaS integration helps you to integrate with your customers, partners, suppliers, cloud platform, SaaS applications, social media, and devices. Service providers make sure that IT

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