Comments on: Tuesday’s Tip: SaaS – Integration Advice http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/ Your buy side advocate for enterprise apps strategies, vendor selection, & contract negotiations Fri, 18 May 2012 17:16:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: R "Ray" Wang http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-6732 R "Ray" Wang Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:56:05 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-6732 Ellen - Thanks for your comments. You are absolutely right on the large scale of integration. Integration is a big issue not only for best of breed projects, but also for the components of a vendor who's made significant acquisitions. Curious to what others may have seen in their integration efforts? - Ray Ellen – Thanks for your comments. You are absolutely right on the large scale of integration. Integration is a big issue not only for best of breed projects, but also for the components of a vendor who’s made significant acquisitions. Curious to what others may have seen in their integration efforts? – Ray

]]> By: Ellen Feaheny http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-6731 Ellen Feaheny Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:27:45 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-6731 Nice article on my favorite topic! A few additional comments: * Integration is a LARGE LARGE word. It can be viewed as very complex or very simple - for same job(!) depending on the eye of the beholder/experts assisting you. The complex part can be so over-daunting to allow integration projects to just get off the rock and get started bringing best of breed solutions (SaaS or non-SaaS) together - functionally or data-wise. * Increased profit - If you integrate a SaaS solution with a more popular other solution (SaaS or not) - it's not only convenient data mapping - user seats go UP! Good biz model for the less-popular SaaS product, and depending on which side you are on, good news or bad news. But the integration makes up for it in value for sure. * Authentication and authorization - Perhaps a 4th bullet in your list - in solution requirements and required expertise for any integration project's success. * Agile development - Lessen the "daunting" with rolling deployments, feature bit by bit, with a focus on end goals and continual adjustment with feedback. Don't wait forever to see some success - with right SIs, you should be able to (the right to) see bit successes *continually*. Nice article on my favorite topic!

A few additional comments:

* Integration is a LARGE LARGE word. It can be viewed as very complex or very simple – for same job(!) depending on the eye of the beholder/experts assisting you.

The complex part can be so over-daunting to allow integration projects to just get off the rock and get started bringing best of breed solutions (SaaS or non-SaaS) together – functionally or data-wise.

* Increased profit – If you integrate a SaaS solution with a more popular other solution (SaaS or not) – it’s not only convenient data mapping – user seats go UP! Good biz model for the less-popular SaaS product, and depending on which side you are on, good news or bad news. But the integration makes up for it in value for sure.

* Authentication and authorization – Perhaps a 4th bullet in your list – in solution requirements and required expertise for any integration project’s success.

* Agile development – Lessen the “daunting” with rolling deployments, feature bit by bit, with a focus on end goals and continual adjustment with feedback. Don’t wait forever to see some success – with right SIs, you should be able to (the right to) see bit successes *continually*.

]]> By: Thursday’s Tech Showcase: SnapLogic Tackles Cloud/SaaS Integration Challenges http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-5665 Thursday’s Tech Showcase: SnapLogic Tackles Cloud/SaaS Integration Challenges Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:59:52 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-5665 [...] Related resources and links 20100416 ReadWriteWeb – Alex Williams “SnapLogic Opens Store For Third Party App Integration” 20091029 Venture Beat – Anthony Ha “Data integration company SnapLogic raises another $2.3M” 20081028 A Software Insider’s Point Of View – R “Ray” Wang “Tuesday’s Tip: SaaS Inte... [...] [...] Related resources and links 20100416 ReadWriteWeb – Alex Williams “SnapLogic Opens Store For Third Party App Integration” 20091029 Venture Beat – Anthony Ha “Data integration company SnapLogic raises another $2.3M” 20081028 A Software Insider’s Point Of View – R “Ray” Wang “Tuesday’s Tip: SaaS Inte… [...]

]]> By: Pankaj Taneja http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-1935 Pankaj Taneja Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:21:03 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-1935 very nice article. you have delved deep into the "integration" aspect SaaS. We had recently done a similar article, listing out various other aspects of assessing a SaaS solution. The article titled "SaaS vendor Selection Manual" can be found here - http://www.hyperoffice.com/saas-reviews-for-smbs/ very nice article. you have delved deep into the “integration” aspect SaaS. We had recently done a similar article, listing out various other aspects of assessing a SaaS solution. The article titled “SaaS vendor Selection Manual” can be found here – http://www.hyperoffice.com/saas-reviews-for-smbs/

]]> By: A Software Insiders Point of View » Monday’s Musings: 2009 Enterprise Software Predictions http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-103 A Software Insiders Point of View » Monday’s Musings: 2009 Enterprise Software Predictions Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:39:52 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-103 [...] SaaS integration becomes a requirement as customers seek hybrid deployment options. [...] [...] SaaS integration becomes a requirement as customers seek hybrid deployment options. [...]

]]> By: Nigel Parkston http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Nigel Parkston Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:52:14 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-102 There is a big need for integration with or without SaaS. SaaS just raises the urgency. There is a big need for integration with or without SaaS. SaaS just raises the urgency.

]]> By: A Software Insiders Point of View » Wednesday’s Whispers: The Word On the Street http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-101 A Software Insiders Point of View » Wednesday’s Whispers: The Word On the Street Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:18:39 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-101 [...] SaaS Integration vendors may be the next big area for M&A.  As customers struggle for seamless hybrid integration, vendors are looking for the best integration tools. [...] [...] SaaS Integration vendors may be the next big area for M&A.  As customers struggle for seamless hybrid integration, vendors are looking for the best integration tools. [...]

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Dennis Howlett Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:58:28 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-100 I have spoken with an early CODA2go customer how continues to use Sage Line50 for back end financial accounting while also using a combination of Salesforce.com/CODA2go for quote to cash processes. Loose couling but productivity gains mostly from the saas part. I have spoken with an early CODA2go customer how continues to use Sage Line50 for back end financial accounting while also using a combination of Salesforce.com/CODA2go for quote to cash processes. Loose couling but productivity gains mostly from the saas part.

]]> By: Daniel Craig http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Daniel Craig Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:02:00 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-99 Hi there, I was looking around for a while searching for information security management system and I happened upon this site and your post regarding Tuesday’s Tip: SaaS - Integration Advice, I will definitely this to my information security management system bookmarks! Hi there, I was looking around for a while searching for information security management system and I happened upon this site and your post regarding Tuesday’s Tip: SaaS – Integration Advice, I will definitely this to my information security management system bookmarks!

]]> By: Tim Sheedy http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Tim Sheedy Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:01:44 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-98 Hi Ray - thanks for the insight here. One missing point that many Asia Pacific-based organisations have to face with SaaS - particularly in relation to integration, is the huge amount of data back and forth across the pacific ocean that the applications can generate (as most SaaS applications tend to be hosted in the US). Many Asian economies have limited connections to North America - and the cost of data back and forth across the pacific ocean can be considerable. For this very reason Asian economies have led the way in capping data usage on broadband plans for home users, and businesses are also wary of these costs. In fact there are some examples where companies have found it cheaper to go with an on-premise version of software than a hosted one due to the high costs of data traffic. Integration adds further to these costs as this can greatly multiply the data that is sent back and forth across the pacific (i.e. every megabyte of traffic may end up travelling back and forth across the pacific multiple times and generate many more Mbs of traffic - all of which has a cost). Either way, the added costs of data traffic that SaaS and the integration of SaaS with existing apps, needs to be a consideration for companies in the AP region - and until the SaaS providers start to host the solutions locally, we can expect further push back from those economies in Asia where data still carries a significant cost burden. Hi Ray – thanks for the insight here. One missing point that many Asia Pacific-based organisations have to face with SaaS – particularly in relation to integration, is the huge amount of data back and forth across the pacific ocean that the applications can generate (as most SaaS applications tend to be hosted in the US). Many Asian economies have limited connections to North America – and the cost of data back and forth across the pacific ocean can be considerable. For this very reason Asian economies have led the way in capping data usage on broadband plans for home users, and businesses are also wary of these costs. In fact there are some examples where companies have found it cheaper to go with an on-premise version of software than a hosted one due to the high costs of data traffic. Integration adds further to these costs as this can greatly multiply the data that is sent back and forth across the pacific (i.e. every megabyte of traffic may end up travelling back and forth across the pacific multiple times and generate many more Mbs of traffic – all of which has a cost). Either way, the added costs of data traffic that SaaS and the integration of SaaS with existing apps, needs to be a consideration for companies in the AP region – and until the SaaS providers start to host the solutions locally, we can expect further push back from those economies in Asia where data still carries a significant cost burden.

]]> By: Thomas Meredith http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2008/10/28/tuesdays-tip-saas-integration-advice/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Thomas Meredith Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:49:20 +0000 http://blog.softwareinsider.org/?p=493#comment-97 Great insight Ray. Another point to consider when discussing the importance of integrations revolves around the discussion of apps suites vs. best of breed software apps. QuickArrow feels that companies should be able to run their business, on-demand, by picking and choosing the best SaaS applications and technologies. It is then on us to provide seamless integration to their other business critical applications including CRM, ERP, Financials, and HR. Great insight Ray. Another point to consider when discussing the importance of integrations revolves around the discussion of apps suites vs. best of breed software apps. QuickArrow feels that companies should be able to run their business, on-demand, by picking and choosing the best SaaS applications and technologies. It is then on us to provide seamless integration to their other business critical applications including CRM, ERP, Financials, and HR.

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