Software as a Service has been around for a while now. Ten years ago was my first experience creating applications which could be run from thin client machines. Here are the things I look at when building or buying SaaS.
- How is data replicated?
- Can I get it back if I choose to leave the service?
- Does the application restart if there is a crash?
- If there is no Internet connection, what happens?
- Who controls access?
- Federation: how is the data segmented from other users?
- Key management, rotation and encryption of data.
Service level agreements are fine and dandy, but generally useless. Getting some money back due to an outage isn't much comfort when you need the service. Think what happens to all the VOIP phones when the electricity goes out or the Internet is down. Would you rather have a $10 credit, or phone service?
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