Hosted Applications

• Microsoft Office 365
• Microsoft Dynamics 365
• SharePoint
• QuickBooks
• Microsoft Dynamics GP

In a SaaS environment, the same application program could be used by many thousands of users. They would each login over the Internet and create a session. The program would run in the browser they use and the data they generate would be kept segregated for each user (or defined group of users). Since many users are operating common software, the hosting company making the software available can offer very low usage costs and bill by the hour for using their software.

There are some very major advantages to using hosted applications.

• The responsibility of managing the application lies with the vendor. You simply buy licenses for the application.
• Since the application is already installed and running in the cloud, you can get a license and begin using the application almost instantaneously.
• Applications are kept updated so that users use the most recent version.
• The service provider can see which areas of the application are used most heavily and where any bottlenecks are being experienced. This ensures that application development is closely tailored to emerging user requirements.
• The overall application is far more robust as your data is replicated into multiple data centers. This allows for more elaborate disaster recovery procedures in place.