How Software-as-a-Service revolutionized the BI industry

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The cloud spreads over businesses across the world. More and more companies are moving to it and use it as a safe haven for their data. It’s no surprise as cloud technology offers unlimited capacity, maximum mobilityand many more. Take a look at this short overview of the benefits that cloud technology has brought and you will never want to come down to earth again.

Money

SaaS (software as a service) provides analytics tools without the time, expense, and hassle of developing a BI infrastructure internally.For example it eliminates the cost associated with developing and maintaining the server infrastructure.There is no need for investment not only in additional servers and data storage but also in large IT departments.

Many SaaS BI products like datapine offer free trial periods to see if the product fits your company’s needs. By reducing the risk of a failed investment, companies are more willing to try out different products until they find the one that is just right. Versatile pricing schemes and subscription-based cost structure allow them to choose the package that suits most. They can switch to a different package or extend options on a monthly basis. Cloud services require a lower initial investment and typically much lower overall costs than on premise solutions.

Time

Cloud software can be deployed in no time. You connect your databases to the software with no need to enter data manually. Needless to say, the system updates itself as you go and new configurations can be up and running in real-time, just when you want them to be. Best decisions are made through constant experimentation, and cloud solutions allow you to try out new ideas without extreme investments in supporting systems.

Global cooperation

SaaS tools are a good investment also from the workforce planning point of view. The products are easy to access on standard web browsers. User friendly interfaces allow for more widespread adoption across the company with no additional training for personnel required.

Cloud services are available wherever the end user is located. This approach enables easy access to information for users in different time zones and geographic locations. As a side benefit, collaboration booms since it is now easier than ever to access, view and modify shared documents and files.

Security

As the amount of data generated across the globe increases every year, so does the danger of some data being lost, misused or falling into the wrong hands. Although the cloud can accommodate and store almost unlimited volume of data compared to personal computer hardware, the fear of sacrificing data security is often the factor that stops companies from implementing cloud solutions.

However, security is in fact increased in the cloud due to strict standards that cloud providers must comply with, in addition to the regular security audits.  This means no more worrying about lost laptops with confidential data. Moreover,the process of backing up and recovering data is simplified as it is no longer located on a physical device. Various cloud providers offer reliable and flexible backup and recovery solutions.

The advantages of cloud computing are compelling for every company that must leverage data in its daily operations. And yet, companies still struggle with the decision to purchase cloud solutions and therefore, miss out on a massive business opportunity.