The time spent at SaaScon09 last week has only further validated my belief that Software as a Service (SaaS) is not a technology fad, nor is it just one more IT acronym for O’Reilly to fill that last remaining space on your bookshelf.

As I reflect on the many conversations I had, and the feedback I received at SaaScon, I feel more confident than ever that SaaS has become a widely accepted and trusted model that companies are quickly moving towards.

CFOs like SaaS over premised-based solutions because costs savings are paramount: there are no infrastructure costs (i.e. migrate from CAPEX to OPEX). SaaS offers a pay-as-you-go or subscription-based billing models (i.e. pay for what you use). And you need fewer staff to support the solution. For CFOs, SaaS is an easy sell.

CTOs need to consider reliability, scalability and security demands within the enterprise. So, when I hear CTOs explain to me how they’re “moving away from premise-based solutions and adopting SaaS solutions,” my confidence grows. Not only do today’s SaaS solutions offer the reliability, scalability, and security that CTOs need, they often reduce the integration time, complexity and the staff needed versus premised-based solutions… making SaaS a win-win solution.

It’s not just the “little guys” moving their solutions to the cloud, either. Enterprise software companies, such as IBM and Oracle, have both made HUGE investments in their own SaaS offerings. Given the vast number of solutions moving to the cloud and the continued growth in Internet bandwidth, the prospects for SaaS will continue to grow and meet the needs of both CFOs and CTOs at enterprise companies for many years to come.

When the CTO and CFO agree on SaaS – who am I to argue?

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