Software as a service: The next big thing (InfoWorld)

New Office Threat Appears on the Horizon (Client Server News)

Well, by the looks of it, Microsoft is fated to suffer an updated, 21st century, technological version of the legendary Chinese torture – death by a thousand paper cuts.

On the heals of Google buying software-as-a-service start-up Upstartle LLC and its Writely.com beta word processor a couple of weeks ago – which has got to rattle Microsoft’s cage considering it’s Google – Michael Robertson, the guy who started Linspire, née Lindows, the Linux operating system company that managed to defy logic and cop a $20 million settlement out of Microsoft after Microsoft sued it for trademark infringement – talk about the world being topsy-turvy – has just unveiled a thing called ajaxWrite – his idea of an software-as-service alternative to Microsoft’s vaunted cash-cow Office software.

What is Software as a Service? (TEC)

Though born from the ashes of traditional hosting models, software as a service differs fundamentally from its predecessors. Its software is designed to be delivered as a service, security is better, rich user interfaces are available, and it has greater interactivity.

Salesforce.com unleashes Unlimited (InfoWorld)

In a departure from its traditional upgrade schedule that usually coincides with the change of seasons, Salesforce.com (Profile, Products, Articles) today announced Unlimited Edition, a product line that will sit above Enterprise Edition.

Blogwatch: Calling Out Salesforce.com (Line56)

Gartner Michael Maoz says: Crumbs for Research, Millions for Personal Enrichment: This Is No Way to Build Great Software

Need a Salesforce.com Account? (Salesforce.com)

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Introducing the World's First On-Demand Application-Sharing Service (Salesforce.com)

Introducing the World's First On-Demand Application-Sharing Service
A new way to browse, share, and install on-demand applications
First came Web sites like Amazon.com and eBay. Then virtual music centers put songs at people's fingertips. So why hasn't someone created an iTunes for business applications?

Now they have. The AppExchange from salesforce.com makes finding and installing new on-demand applications as easy as downloading a song or buying a book online.

With the AppExchange, companies can browse and test drive dozens of new on-demand applications and install them into any salesforce.com account with just a few clicks.

The AppExchange is the world's first on-demand application-sharing service. It's a new online center where salesforce.com subscribers, partners, and developers can share their on-demand applications for everything from handling expense management to tracking purchasing, monitoring recruiting, and beyond. Visit the AppExchange now.

Provisioning Software as a Service (Salesforce.com/Gartner)

Findings From the 'All Software' Research Meeting:
Provisioning Software as a Service
by Jeff Comport
Gartner, Inc.

Recently, salesforce.com raised the bar for the software-as-a-service model by moving beyond the locked-down functionality historically associated with subscription software providers and offering flexible, tool-oriented, multitenancy applications for sales and other CRM-oriented functions.

ANALYSIS
The recently announced salesforce.com AppExchange partner program enables ISVs to publish their applications using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and salesforce.com's infrastructure and tools (a platform lock-in), accessed via a Web front end. The leverage and profitability lie in salesforce.com's architecture and infrastructure delivery framework, a single database, a multitenant host for all customer data, data model variations, and business functionality customization. The tenant-by-tenant variability of both data model and process is achieved through high virtualization, down to a virtual data management service that "floats" above physical DBMS tables. The challenge will be to preserve the leverage of multitenancy as more diverse applications (such as non-CRM) demand high processing power for virtualization layers, possibly requiring a "box" per partner, similar to one-off hosted application models (like ASPs). We'll see a rise in these platforms and exchanges from many sources: Yahoo, Google, Visa, eBay and others (which are offering business function "segments" like shopping carts and credit verification). They will change the way software is built and deployed. Indeed, we expect that the eBay-Skype combination will ultimately produce "network aware" applications (for collaboration) that can be procured over the net, as required. A key challenge for successful delivery of SaaS, however, will be balancing flexibility with the necessary scale and leverage to maintain a robust infrastructure (such as secure separation of rules, definitions and business data in a multitenant business model).

Bottom Line: Users should begin investigating and testing SaaS providers for specific, well-defined business tasks that can be integrated into larger business services.

(This research has been independently produced by Gartner research analysts without any review of or participation by any member of Gartner's board of directors, including Maynard Webb, who serves on Gartner's board of directors and is the chief operating officer of eBay Inc.)

Gartner Research G00131696, 29 September 2005.

Provisioning Software as a Service (Salesforce.com/Gartner)

Provisioning Software as a Service (Salesforce.com/Gartner)

Findings From the 'All Software' Research Meeting: Provisioning Software as a Service by Jeff Comport Gartner, Inc. Recently, salesforce.com raised the bar for the software-as-a-service model by moving beyond the locked-down functionality historically associated with subscription software providers and offering flexible, tool-oriented, multitenancy applications for sales and other CRM-oriented functions. ANALYSIS The recently announced salesforce.com AppExchange partner program enables ISVs to publish their applications using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and salesforce.com's infrastructure and tools (a platform lock-in), accessed via a Web front end. The leverage and profitability lie in salesforce.com's architecture and infrastructure delivery framework, a single database, a multitenant host for all customer data, data model variations, and business functionality customization. The tenant-by-tenant variability of both data model and process is achieved through high virtualization, down to a virtual data management service that "floats" above physical DBMS tables. The challenge will be to preserve the leverage of multitenancy as more diverse applications (such as non-CRM) demand high processing power for virtualization layers, possibly requiring a "box" per partner, similar to one-off hosted application models (like ASPs). We'll see a rise in these platforms and exchanges from many sources: Yahoo, Google, Visa, eBay and others (which are offering business function "segments" like shopping carts and credit verification). They will change the way software is built and deployed. Indeed, we expect that the eBay-Skype combination will ultimately produce "network aware" applications (for collaboration) that can be procured over the net, as required. A key challenge for successful delivery of SaaS, however, will be balancing flexibility with the necessary scale and leverage to maintain a robust infrastructure (such as secure separation of rules, definitions and business data in a multitenant business model). Bottom Line: Users should begin investigating and testing SaaS providers for specific, well-defined business tasks that can be integrated into larger business services. (This research has been independently produced by Gartner research analysts without any review of or participation by any member of Gartner's board of directors, including Maynard Webb, who serves on Gartner's board of directors and is the chief operating officer of eBay Inc.) Gartner Research G00131696, 29 September 2005.

Introducing the World's First On-Demand Application-Sharing Service A new way to browse, share, and install on-demand applications First came Web sites like Amazon.com and eBay. Then virtual music centers put songs at people's fingertips. So why hasn't someone created an iTunes for business applications? Now they have. The AppExchange from salesforce.com makes finding and installing new on-demand applications as easy as downloading a song or buying a book online. With the AppExchange, companies can browse and test drive dozens of new on-demand applications and install them into any salesforce.com account with just a few clicks. The AppExchange is the world's first on-demand application-sharing service. It's a new online center where salesforce.com subscribers, partners, and developers can share their on-demand applications for everything from handling expense management to tracking purchasing, monitoring recruiting, and beyond. Visit the AppExchange now.

Need a Salesforce.com Account? 30-Day Free Trial of the Leading On-Demand CRM Solution Register now and for thirty days you'll have full access to all the features and capabilities that make salesforce.com the world's most customizable CRM.

Eight Golden Rules to CRM Success Thinking about implementing CRM? Before you put a solution in place, you need to master the Eight Golden Rules for CRM Success. What are they? Find out by joining us in for a Webinar. Salesforce.com CRM Success Expert Wendy Close will show you how to become a customer-centric enterprise-from setting a CRM vision to selecting the right metrics for tracking success. Don't miss your chance to hear directly from CRM experts including Scott Nelson, VP, and Distinguished Analyst, at Gartner. Take home actionable strategies for CRM success. Register to download this FREE Webinar now at: Eight Golden Rules to CRM Success.

Gartner on the Five-Year TCO for CRM On-Demand A major driver for deploying CRM on-demand is its lower cost of ownership. According to Gartner, "Through 2010, CRM on-demand will provide as much as 10 percent to 13 percent lower five-year TCO than on-premise software for moderately complex CRM deployments (0.7 probability). Companies with simple to moderate CRM complex requirements should consider CRM on-demand services as a way to lower five-year total cost of ownership." For more of this topic visit: Five Year TCO Lower for On-Demand. (Source: Gartner Inc., Gartner CRM Summit, "CRM OnDemand: The Myth and Promise of No Software," by Rob DeSisto, October 31, 2005.)

Improving Service & Support Operations Lots of organizations use salesforce.com for managing sales operations. However, a rapidly growing number have integrated their sales and service operations by using Salesforce Service & Support (formerly named Supportforce). Salesforce.com has about 1700 customers using Salesforce Service & Support to improve their customer service and support operations and more. For example, they're using the solution to manage a total of 12 million cases. For more of this topic visit: Improving Service & Support Operations.

Misys Banking Systems Deploys Salesforce Service & Support across 10 Countries in 11 Weeks - Anticipates Return on Investment in Less Than 12 Months Every year, more than 100,000 tellers at 450 banks in 100 countries rely on Misys Retail Banking systems to process 10 billion transactions. Business disruption is simply not an option. "Salesforce.com is one of the critical factors in Misys Banking Systems customer support infrastructure, providing support teams around the world with a real-time, accurate and unified view of every customer situation," said Peter Middleton, Customer Services Director, Misys Banking Systems. For more on how Misys is achieving CRM success, visit: Misys Banking Systems Deploys Salesforce. Provisioning Software as a Service is published by Salesforce.com. Editorial supplied by Salesforce.com is independent of Gartner analysis. All Gartner research is © 2006 by Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. All Gartner materials are used with Gartner's permission and in no way does the use or publication of Gartner research indicate Gartner's endorsement of Salesforce.com's products and/or strategies. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

Provisioning Software as a Service (Salesforce.com/Gartner)

Findings From the 'All Software' Research Meeting: Provisioning Software as a Service by Jeff Comport Gartner, Inc. Recently, salesforce.com raised the bar for the software-as-a-service model by moving beyond the locked-down functionality historically associated with subscription software providers and offering flexible, tool-oriented, multitenancy applications for sales and other CRM-oriented functions. ANALYSIS The recently announced salesforce.com AppExchange partner program enables ISVs to publish their applications using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and salesforce.com's infrastructure and tools (a platform lock-in), accessed via a Web front end. The leverage and profitability lie in salesforce.com's architecture and infrastructure delivery framework, a single database, a multitenant host for all customer data, data model variations, and business functionality customization. The tenant-by-tenant variability of both data model and process is achieved through high virtualization, down to a virtual data management service that "floats" above physical DBMS tables. The challenge will be to preserve the leverage of multitenancy as more diverse applications (such as non-CRM) demand high processing power for virtualization layers, possibly requiring a "box" per partner, similar to one-off hosted application models (like ASPs). We'll see a rise in these platforms and exchanges from many sources: Yahoo, Google, Visa, eBay and others (which are offering business function "segments" like shopping carts and credit verification). They will change the way software is built and deployed. Indeed, we expect that the eBay-Skype combination will ultimately produce "network aware" applications (for collaboration) that can be procured over the net, as required. A key challenge for successful delivery of SaaS, however, will be balancing flexibility with the necessary scale and leverage to maintain a robust infrastructure (such as secure separation of rules, definitions and business data in a multitenant business model). Bottom Line: Users should begin investigating and testing SaaS providers for specific, well-defined business tasks that can be integrated into larger business services. (This research has been independently produced by Gartner research analysts without any review of or participation by any member of Gartner's board of directors, including Maynard Webb, who serves on Gartner's board of directors and is the chief operating officer of eBay Inc.) Gartner Research G00131696, 29 September 2005.

Introducing the World's First On-Demand Application-Sharing Service A new way to browse, share, and install on-demand applications First came Web sites like Amazon.com and eBay. Then virtual music centers put songs at people's fingertips. So why hasn't someone created an iTunes for business applications? Now they have. The AppExchange from salesforce.com makes finding and installing new on-demand applications as easy as downloading a song or buying a book online. With the AppExchange, companies can browse and test drive dozens of new on-demand applications and install them into any salesforce.com account with just a few clicks. The AppExchange is the world's first on-demand application-sharing service. It's a new online center where salesforce.com subscribers, partners, and developers can share their on-demand applications for everything from handling expense management to tracking purchasing, monitoring recruiting, and beyond. Visit the AppExchange now.

Need a Salesforce.com Account? 30-Day Free Trial of the Leading On-Demand CRM Solution Register now and for thirty days you'll have full access to all the features and capabilities that make salesforce.com the world's most customizable CRM.

Eight Golden Rules to CRM Success Thinking about implementing CRM? Before you put a solution in place, you need to master the Eight Golden Rules for CRM Success. What are they? Find out by joining us in for a Webinar. Salesforce.com CRM Success Expert Wendy Close will show you how to become a customer-centric enterprise-from setting a CRM vision to selecting the right metrics for tracking success. Don't miss your chance to hear directly from CRM experts including Scott Nelson, VP, and Distinguished Analyst, at Gartner. Take home actionable strategies for CRM success. Register to download this FREE Webinar now at: Eight Golden Rules to CRM Success.

Gartner on the Five-Year TCO for CRM On-Demand A major driver for deploying CRM on-demand is its lower cost of ownership. According to Gartner, "Through 2010, CRM on-demand will provide as much as 10 percent to 13 percent lower five-year TCO than on-premise software for moderately complex CRM deployments (0.7 probability). Companies with simple to moderate CRM complex requirements should consider CRM on-demand services as a way to lower five-year total cost of ownership." For more of this topic visit: Five Year TCO Lower for On-Demand. (Source: Gartner Inc., Gartner CRM Summit, "CRM OnDemand: The Myth and Promise of No Software," by Rob DeSisto, October 31, 2005.)

Improving Service & Support Operations Lots of organizations use salesforce.com for managing sales operations. However, a rapidly growing number have integrated their sales and service operations by using Salesforce Service & Support (formerly named Supportforce). Salesforce.com has about 1700 customers using Salesforce Service & Support to improve their customer service and support operations and more. For example, they're using the solution to manage a total of 12 million cases. For more of this topic visit: Improving Service & Support Operations.

Misys Banking Systems Deploys Salesforce Service & Support across 10 Countries in 11 Weeks - Anticipates Return on Investment in Less Than 12 Months Every year, more than 100,000 tellers at 450 banks in 100 countries rely on Misys Retail Banking systems to process 10 billion transactions. Business disruption is simply not an option. "Salesforce.com is one of the critical factors in Misys Banking Systems customer support infrastructure, providing support teams around the world with a real-time, accurate and unified view of every customer situation," said Peter Middleton, Customer Services Director, Misys Banking Systems. For more on how Misys is achieving CRM success, visit: Misys Banking Systems Deploys Salesforce. Provisioning Software as a Service is published by Salesforce.com. Editorial supplied by Salesforce.com is independent of Gartner analysis. All Gartner research is © 2006 by Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. All Gartner materials are used with Gartner's permission and in no way does the use or publication of Gartner research indicate Gartner's endorsement of Salesforce.com's products and/or strategies. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.