Glossary Definition: Cloud SaaS

Cloud SaaS stands for cloud-based software as a service.

With cloud-based SaaS solutions, there are no hardware requirements beyond having a device that’s capable of running the software and connecting to the internet. Additionally, support and updates are available for paid subscribers by the licensing company on an ongoing basis.

Cloud SaaS is a solution that is hosted entirely online, typically in the public cloud. The program and any associated data are accessible from anywhere, so long as there’s an internet connection.

Cloud software solutions are subscription based, and tiered depending on user needs. For example, a SaaS cloud solution such as Salesforce ranges in price depending on how many users an organization has and is accessible once a licensing agreement is in place. In contrast, Gmail offers both free and paid options, and can be accessed immediately after a user signs up for an account.

Cloud SaaS is an inseparable part of cloud computing. As such, there are various terms used to describe it. These include:

• Cloud software
• SaaS cloud
• SaaS in cloud computing
• Cloud computing SaaS
• Software as a service (SaaS)
• Platform as a service (PaaS)
• Managed software as a service (MSaaS)
• Data center as a service (DCaaS)
• Information technology management as a service (ITMaaS)

The main cloud and SaaS differences include how they are used by customers.

SaaS offers customers a subscription-based software, delivered over the internet. This software is already developed and ready to use (such as Netflix).

In contrast, the cloud is a hosting service. A cloud-based solution enables customers to customize and manage their software; whereas a SaaS solution is available “as is.”

Going back to our Netflix example, this video streaming service is available via a monthly subscription. It enables users to immediately access its platform offerings, and start watching shows and movies. While the algorithm can learn your preferences and tailor the shows it recommends, the app isn’t customizable in the sense that you can tweak how it works on the back end.

SaaS is one of the three main categories of cloud computing. The other two are:

• Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
• Platform as a service (PaaS)

These three categories serve different areas of cloud computing, and all work by delivering services over the internet through the cloud.

In pharma, cloud SaaS solutions are highly secure applications hosted on the public cloud that allow companies to capture and store sensitive data in real time, connect and collaborate across teams and sites, and accelerate the drug production lifecycle.

Cloud SaaS offers pharma companies access to the latest software without the overhead or responsibility of managing the operational aspects of on-premise hardware.

Several notable examples of cloud SaaS for pharma include:

• Manufacturing Execution Systems
• Laboratory Execution Systems
• Clinical trial management systems
• Pharma CRM

Cloud SaaS is important for pharma because it provides organizations with a highly secure way to capture and store data in real time.

As a result, pharma companies and the stakeholders involved in the drug production lifecycle are able to access accurate, regularly updated information and work from the same dataset from anywhere in the world. This enables them to reduce the occurrence of duplicated efforts, errors, and the time cost of discovering and launching new products.