ARCHIBUS Enterprise SaaS – plain and simple
Archibus is the flagship of Facilities Management solutions, that aspires to cater to different styles and specific wishes of its users. A wide array of functionalities and the liberty to customize have been the key points that keep people turning to Archibus for their IWMS needs. Now, the whole world is going to Cloud, and we followed in the form of ARCHIBUS Enterprise SaaS. And that is what this article is all about.
Definitions of terms like SaaS (Software-as-a-Service),Enterprise SaaS, on-premises (sometimes called On-Premise), etc. can sound complex. These confusions often pop up during discussions while acquiring a client. Best case scenario they come up early and the problem is cleared, but it could happen right before signing the contract, which could withhold sealing the deal. Therefore, it would be wise to get that out of the way as soon as possible.
It is important to remark that when talking about SaaS solutions, we have to make a clear distinction between single tenant and multi-tenant SaaS.
Single tenant and multi-tenant SaaS
To be precise, SaaS is short for “software as a Service”, which means that the software is hosted remotely and accessible from the internet. Everything that the customer requires is already included and ready to be used, it is available 24/7, and the customer pays as they go.
Classic SaaS is multi-tenant which is the most cost-effective solution for the vendor. Tenants share the hosting infrastructure, which allows direct benefits from the economy of scale. It means all users get identical software functionalities. In our case classic SaaS means that it is a non-customizable solution. With classic SaaS, we would deliver to the same Archibus to all customers with the same features and no adaptations.
With Aarchibus’ customers, the reality is quite different, since most of them require some sort of customization regarding functionalities. This is the reason why Archibus On Demand was created in 2007.
The term Enterprise SaaS software refers to single tenant, which allows the same (or improved) capabilities compared to on-premises software while having the benefits of SaaS. Single tenant SaaS is more complex and expensive to host because each tenant has their own infrastructure. However, this type of architecture enables many positive features that we usually only get from on-premises solutions (such as full customizability).
ARCHIBUS Enterprise SaaS is a single tenant SaaS solution.
Comparing multi-tenant SaaS, on-premises solutions and Archibus Enterprise SaaS
In the following matrix, we will compare the basic aspects of classic multi-tenant SaaS and on-premises solutions that clients usually consider when deciding between the two. Additionally, in the fourth column, you can see exactly what makes Archibus Enterprise SaaS unique.
Aspects
Multi-tenant SaaS
On-premises software
Archibus Enterprise SaaS
(single tenant SaaS)
Model
Delivered via internet
Installed directly on a computer or server
Delivered via internet
Costs
Low upfront costs, pay-as-you-go.
High upfront costs, as the software has to be paid for in its entirety.
Low upfront costs, pay-as-you-go, after the fee for customizations is paid to the Business Partner.
Customizability
Multi-tenant SaaS solutions have minimal to no customizability, they are “out-of-the-box” solutions.
Full control over customizability as much as the software allows.
Full control over customizability as much as the software allows.
Scalability
You can easily scale up or down without affecting the performance of the application because new environments can be swiftly created and taken down.
Scalability requires some long-term planning and more resources, which can create a situation where a growing company is in a constant upgrade loop.
Projects can easily be scaled up or down on demand without affecting the performance of the application. From the Business Partner’s side, the biggest difficulty comes from adapting new functionalities to the existing system.
Deployment complexity
Very easy, because it uses the same ready-made platform for all customers.
Requires time, monetary and HR resources. You may need to purchase additional hardware or software.
Very easy to deploy after the customer requirements for customizations are done and the pre-conditions are met.
Technical skill-level for deployment from the Customer’s side
Very little, if any, technical skill is required from the user, since the product is a ready-made solution.
All the technical elements regarding supporting, monitoring and upgrading are handled by the host.
Needs a dedicated IT team with enough skills to deploy and maintain the software and provide support.
While some technical skill is required from the client during the implementation period, everything regarding supporting, monitoring and upgrading are handled by ARCHIBUS SC Hosting Services.
Maintenance
Little resources are needed to maintain your SaaS service, as the service provider takes the responsibility of maintenance and it is included in the service.
Maintenance requires your own IT infrastructure and human resources to provide support and upgrades, plus maintain the software. Everything is your responsibility.
Very little is required from the customer and Business Partner. Archibus Hosting Services or an AHP will take the responsibility of support, updates, security, availability, performance and disaster recovery, which is all included in the subscription.
Unique benefits
Eliminates piracy
Grants full control over the software
Has the best of both worlds.
Archibus Enterprise SaaS is more than traditional SaaS. It compiles the main aspects of why businesses generally choose SaaS solutions – lower upfront costs, fewer resources required, high scalability, easy to update, quick and fairly simple deployment, etc. – with the great additional features of full customizability and maximum control usually reserved only for on-premises solutions.