SaaS, Mobile and Cloud Computing in 2012

• SaaS (Software as a Service) became the norm in many IT departments with a reported increase of use from 47% to 60%. As IT departments grow larger and span continents, the ability to use programs online on any computer anywhere in the world is a much more attractive prospect than installing or building software infrastructure.
• Mobile Computing is now huge. Smartphones and tablets now outsell desktops as users want access to the internet everywhere they are.
• Cloud Computing has also become a popular solution for businesses running out of server space – the cloud has even become a personal product for the first time thanks to Google and iCloud.

So what do we expect for 2012?

Software as a Service

SaaS should continue to expand in 2012 as businesses look to minimise spending and infrastructure. One major benefit of using SaaS is that when software needs updating, it happens automatically. The software providers are providing the same service to everyone worldwide and so software testers can produce fixes and patches for common problems to everyone at once. If a business is using their own software on their systems then it is unlikely that every employee will apply the most relevant updates.

This can lead to security issues if bugs are not fixed and compatibility issues if employees are using different versions of the same software.

At the moment, some businesses are hesitant because:

• Staff are already trained and familiar with the existing software
• SaaS software often lacks some of the features of the ‘full’ version – for example Office 365 lacks the full functionality of the Office suite
• Many people are still concerned about privacy and security. It is a bold move allowing another company to store all your data on their servers

We predict that once security/privacy issues are addressed and SaaS improves, it will become the norm in a modern business.

Mobile Computing

If 2011 was the year that mobile computing took off (mobile devices outsold desktops and app downloads were over 1 billion per week by the end of the year) then 2012 is the year that they solidify their presence. With both iPhone5 and iPad3 expected this year Apple are prepared to retain their huge market share but there some excited Android products on the horizon too. This could also be the year that Windows brings out a viable competitor to the dominant iOS and Android mobile operating systems.

This should be the year for integration. Mobile developers are looking to make your mobile compatible with everything around you. This makes sense as most people always have their smartphone to hand at all times.

‘Apps’ made popular by iOS and Android phones are now downloadable on tablets, TVs, PCs and even on cameras. This year should see these apps work together so that you can access an app from multiple devices that work together. This is already the case for many popular apps including Google and Apple’s main set of tools.

Cloud Computing

If you use GMail, Google Docs, Hotmail, Microsoft Sharepoint, Dropbox or any related service then you’re already on the cloud. To date only businesses have really considered the pros and cons of using cloud computing – only Apple have actively sold the cloud as a product to individual users with iCloud.

Cloud computing is extremely popular because it allows users to access their data anywhere. A file they’ve written on their work PC, once uploaded to Google Docs or Dropbox, can be accessed from their home PC, their mobile or any other computer – they can even allow others to view the file and update it. From a back-up point of view it’s also handy – it’s nice to know you have a backup of those holiday photos or your extensive music collection if your PC decides to break.

Making data more accessible has pros and cons for businesses. What’s great is the ability for employees round the world to access the same information. No more sending docs through email back and forth with updates – simply change the one document and it changes for everyone! Unfortunately this worries the decision makers at some of the bigger companies who worry about the security issues associated with hosting files online. There’s the threat of hackers but also the chance of an employee accidentally making a file public or sharing it with the wrong person. However these issues should be addressed in 2012, leading to a mass exodus to the cloud.

All three developments are linked together for businesses. As server space becomes stretched and mobile accessibility becomes more important, there should be a definite rise in the number of businesses using SaaS and cloud computing.