Software as a Service: Another Software Architecture Paradigm
 

By Micheal Stiefel, Reliable Software, Inc.  www.reliablesoftware.com

IEEE Consultants Network Meeting -- Wednesday,  6:30 PM, February  27, 2008

At Foley-Hoag, 1000 Winter Street, Suite 4000, Waltham, MA

               Many applications are now being built to be centrally hosted and accessed via web services. 
Since this model eliminates the need to support installations with different configurations and platforms, this 
model is especially attractive to small and medium sized business. It allows their applications to reach a 
much larger audience than they would otherwise be able to support. This talk will discuss the architectural 
and technological challenges in building applications of this type. 
 
               Software as a service (SaaS) is an increasingly popular approach to delivering software via the web.  A third party develops and hosts the software. Customers pay for using, not owning, the software. Currently, technologies such as Web services or REST are used to provide an interface over the web. Doing this relieves customers of having an IT staff responsible for maintaining applications software. This model also works well for small to mid-size software application companies that want to minimize their onsite support costs. SaaS can leverage the long tail distribution model to allow customers who normally could not afford certain business applications to be able to use them.
 
SaaS differs from the Application Service Provider (ASP) model where the software that was hosted was never designed to be delivered over the web.
 
This session will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of this approach to building software, the technical and social challenges, and the economics of this approach for the delivery of software applications.

 

 

Michael Stiefel, principal of Reliable Software, Inc. is a consultant on software architecture and development, and the alignment of information technology with business goals. His current work involves:

  • Training in distributed applications development, software best practices, in .NET, C#, Web services, C++, and SQL Server.
  • Advising on IT strategy and planning, including budgeting, hiring, and growth management.
  • Design and implementation service based applications including Web services.
  • Requirements analysis, project plan development, and design document development.
  • Expert Witness for intellectual property cases.

He is currently a member of the OASIS Technical Committee developing a core SOA Reference Model.

Stiefel was a Principal Software Engineer for Prime Computer, developing a mechanical CAD/CAM database system. He also worked for Microsoft assisting their Fortune 500 clients in developing client/server solutions.

He is a Visiting Scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Science, Technology and Society Program where his research and teaching focus is the teaching of engineering to high school and undergraduate students. As Adjunct faculty, Stiefel has taught graduate and undergraduate software engineering courses at Northeastern University and Framingham State University.

Michael Stiefel's education is from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a Interdisciplinary Ph.D degree in Nuclear Engineering, Political Science, and History of Technology; M.S. in Nuclear Engineering; and B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He is an active member of Independent Computer Consultants Association and the IEEE Consultants Network.

PLEASE NOTE:

No charge for Consultants Network members or non-members.  The meeting is free and open to the public.  Casual dress.

The Consultants Network meeting starts at 6:30 PM.  The meeting location is at Foley Hoag LLP, Emerging Enterprise Center, Bay Colony Corporate Center, 1000 Winter Street, Suite 4000, North Entrance, Waltham, MA. From Route 128 take Exit 27B (Winter Street).  At the end of the exit ramp, turn right onto Wyman St. At the next set of lights, turn right on Winter St. Stay in the far right lane and continue around the reservoir.  Turn left at Bay Colony Corporate Center.  Proceed to 1000 Winter Street and enter at the NORTH entrance

http://www.foleyhoag.com/TheFirm/Offices/Emerging%20Enterprise%20Center%20at%20Foley%20Hoag.aspx

Check the Consultants Network website for details and last minute information of our upcoming lectures series for 2007-2008

http://www.boston-consult.com/calendar.php

For more information, e-mail cn.boston@ieee.org or chairman@boston-consult.com; or contact the chairman Tom Vaughan at 781-344-0087. The Consultants Network website is at www.boston-consult.org.