You'll often hear that Salesforce is SaaS. Here's what that means, and how it compares with PaaS and IaaS.
What SaaS means
SaaS stands for software as a service. Salesforce describes it as a way of delivering applications over the internet as a subscription. Instead of buying software once and installing it, you subscribe and open it in your web browser.
The provider looks after the rest: security, storage, performance and updates, which arrive automatically. Peakline's team just logs in and gets to work.
SaaS vs PaaS vs IaaS
Think about getting a home:
- IaaS (infrastructure as a service): you rent the land, the water and the power, and you build everything else yourself.
- PaaS (platform as a service): the builder gives you the foundation and the walls, and you design the rooms.
- SaaS (software as a service): you move into a finished, furnished home. Repairs are someone else's job.
In Salesforce's own words:
| Model | What you get | Who manages what |
|---|---|---|
| IaaS | On-demand servers, storage and networking | Infrastructure rented, apps managed by you |
| PaaS | Tools to develop, test and deploy apps | Platform provided, your code managed by you |
| SaaS | Ready-to-use software over the internet | Fully managed by the provider |
Where Salesforce fits
Salesforce CRM is SaaS. Peakline subscribes, logs in, and Salesforce handles the servers and the updates. Salesforce also offers Heroku, a platform as a service for developers who build their own apps.
As an admin, you'll work in the SaaS world: setting Salesforce up, not running servers.
Recap
- SaaS is software you subscribe to and use in a browser, while the provider runs everything behind it.
- IaaS rents you the raw computing. PaaS gives you a platform to build on. SaaS gives you the finished app.
- Salesforce CRM is SaaS.
Now you try
Pick three apps you use every week. Which ones are SaaS? Share your list in the video's comments.