In recent years, Software as a Service (SaaS) applications have become increasingly popular among businesses. While SaaS can offer many benefits such as increased productivity and cost savings, it also brings challenges when it comes to management. In this article, we will discuss how to manage SaaS applications in your business to ensure smooth operation and security.
Understanding the SaaS Stack
Before we dive into the best practices for managing SaaS applications, let’s take a moment to understand what a SaaS stack is. A SaaS stack is made up of three main components: infrastructure, platform, and application. The infrastructure layer provides the basic computing resources needed to run the application, while the platform layer includes tools for development and deployment. The application layer is the actual software that users interact with. Understanding the different layers of the SaaS stack is essential to effectively managing SaaS applications.
Challenges in Managing SaaS Applications
Managing SaaS applications can be challenging for businesses, especially when they are dealing with multiple vendors and subscriptions. Common challenges include data security, access management, monitoring usage, and cost optimization. One way to overcome these challenges is to use SaaS management solutions. These solutions provide a centralized platform for managing all SaaS applications, giving businesses better visibility and control over their SaaS stack.
SaaS Management Solutions
According to Gartner, some of the top SaaS management platforms include BetterCloud, Zylo, and Blissfully. These platforms provide features like automated onboarding and offboarding, compliance reporting, and integration with other IT systems. They offer benefits such as automation, visibility, risk reduction, and cost optimization. By using a SaaS management platform, businesses can save time and money while improving security and compliance.
In addition to the features mentioned above, SaaS management platforms also provide capabilities for monitoring and optimizing SaaS usage. This includes tracking user activity across various applications, identifying unused licenses or subscriptions, and providing recommendations for cost optimization based on usage patterns.
Moreover, these platforms can help businesses manage their vendor relationships by consolidating all SaaS contracts in one place, ensuring compliance with contract terms and conditions, and negotiating better rates or terms when renewing contracts.
Another important benefit of SaaS management platforms is improved data security. These solutions can help businesses identify potential security risks by analyzing user behavior and enforcing security policies across all SaaS applications. They can also provide tools for managing access and permissions, enabling businesses to control who has access to sensitive data and information.
Overall, SaaS management platforms are becoming an essential tool for businesses as they increasingly rely on cloud-based software and services. By providing automation, visibility, risk reduction, and cost optimization, these platforms can help businesses save time and money while improving security and compliance.
Using a SaaS Management Tool
Another option for managing SaaS applications is to use a SaaS management tool. Workflos AI provides a comprehensive suite of products aimed at streamlining the management of SaaS applications for businesses. One of the primary challenges faced by organizations is the need to manage multiple SaaS applications, each with its own set of features and requirements. Workflos AI’s SaaS management tool offers a single dashboard that allows businesses to manage all their applications in one place, providing visibility into usage and allowing policies to be enforced easily.
The benefits of using a SaaS management tool like Workflos AI include centralization, automation, and integration with other tools. With centralization, businesses can eliminate the need to switch between different applications, reducing time spent on managing them individually. Automation helps reduce manual processes, allowing businesses to optimize Workflos and allocate resources more efficiently. Integration with other tools also ensures that businesses can leverage existing infrastructure and avoid duplication of effort.
Some notable open-source SaaS management tools, such as Cloud Custodian and StackStorm, offer similar benefits as Workflos AI. These tools allow businesses to manage their SaaS applications from a single interface while providing automation and integration capabilities. However, using open-source tools may require additional development resources and support, whereas Workflos AI provides a fully-managed solution with dedicated customer support.
Overall, implementing a SaaS management tool like Workflos AI or an open-source alternative like Cloud Custodian and StackStorm can significantly improve the efficiency of managing SaaS applications for businesses. By centralizing and automating processes, businesses can focus on driving value from their applications rather than spending time on managing them.
Case Studies: Examples of Successful SaaS Management
Due to their adaptability, expandability, and budget-friendliness, SaaS applications have experienced a surge in popularity. However, managing multiple SaaS applications can be a daunting task, especially for larger organizations that utilize numerous vendors and subscriptions. Fortunately, there are several SaaS management platforms available that can help businesses effectively manage their SaaS applications.
One such success story is Axonius, a cybersecurity company that needed to manage over 100 SaaS applications. By using BetterCloud, an automated SaaS management platform, Axonius was able to streamline their onboarding and offboarding processes, set up security policies, and monitor usage across all applications. This automation not only saved the company time but also improved their overall security and compliance.
Another example is Spotify, a music streaming service that has grown to become one of the world’s most popular SaaS companies. As Spotify continued to expand its business, they realized the need for a better way to manage their growing SaaS stack. They turned to Zylo, another SaaS management platform, which provided them with greater visibility into their SaaS applications and helped them optimize costs. By using Zylo, Spotify was able to identify unused licenses, eliminate duplicate subscriptions, and negotiate more favorable terms with vendors.
In summary, successful SaaS management requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses various aspects such as onboarding/offboarding, security, compliance, and cost optimization. With the help of SaaS management platforms such as BetterCloud and Zylo, businesses can streamline their SaaS operations, save time and money, and improve their overall productivity and efficiency.
Conclusion
Managing SaaS applications can be challenging for businesses, but it is essential to ensure smooth operation and security. To effectively manage SaaS applications, businesses need to understand the different layers of the SaaS stack, overcome common challenges with SaaS management solutions, and use tools like SaaS management platforms to improve automation and visibility. With these best practices in mind, you can successfully manage your SaaS applications and reap the benefits offered by this popular business model.
