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September 25, 2006 | Comments: (0)
SaaScon trumpets next-gen computing
One expects a high level of optimism at industry conferences, but the keynote speaker and opening panel discussion at SaaScon in San Francisco went all out.
The business-oriented event for software as a service was layered with references to "tectonic shifts," "new breeds," and "an enterprise that lives within the browser." Tod Loofbourrow, CEO of Authoria even predicted that "everyone will be converted over time."
He might be on to something, with the emphasis on "over time." Citing an Aberdeen Group study released weeks ago, Ann Winblad, a partner with the investment firm of Hummer Winblad, noted that just over 50 percent of companies surveyed were considering outsourcing at least one core business function to an on-demand model within the next year.
Loofbourrow asserted that the "game question" now is integration, and that "questions about security and data security are still there, but the answer has become pretty standard." When asked to elaborate on what he meant by standard, he back-pedaled a bit and cited a 150-page white paper available on the topic. So, security may still qualify as a game question among executives with lingering concerns over loss of control.
Philippe Courtot, CEO of Qualys, later addressed the topic during his presentation on "Security Through SaaS," when he explained: "SaaS applications are inherently more secure because there are less attack vectors and because it's easier to encrypt the data."
Much of the day's discussion focused on the economic benefit of automation and the relative ease with which businesses can now connect employees, services, and customers by renting applications over the Internet.
Greg Gianforte, CEO of RightNow Technologies, was upbeat about the subscription model's future: "SaaS 2.0 will be less about simplification and more about gaining better insight into customers and partners while improving service delivery levels."
Posted by Richard Gincel on September 25, 2006 03:00 PM
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