Preface: I use Software as Service,
Hosted Application, and Web Application inter-changeably here.
For a good decade now, smaller to mid-size
organizations have been building their IT infrastructure around the
client/server network paradigm. Five to ten years ago, this made total
sense; client/server networks allowed for much greater fluidity of information
and collaboration than our previous stand alone systems and clunky peer-to-peer
networks. As we all know, along with the aspiration to meet these standards
came a hefty price tag: Hardware, Software, Peripherals (Firewalls, UPSs,
Network Hubs, etc), not to mention the ongoing maintenance and support
necessary to keep the buggy crap working.
I recently started doing some tech-consulting for a small consulting firm here in Vermont(consultant to consultants...hmmmm, there's a joke in there somewhere). They have three WinXP workstations and a Windows
2000 Server with Exchange. I did a quick analysis of the system; hardware, hard
drive storage usage, traffic, etc. Then I started asking about how they
used their network and the estimated costs to run it all (including lost work
time when it was down). I have to admit, I was astonished at the value to cost
ratio differential (i.e. the value of having a client/server network versus the
cost of running it). Essentially they use their network, as I've seen in
many nonprofits, simply as a centralized data storage repository and
backup system (being reamed by Seagate Backup Exec no less).
No doubt timed with this year's Web 2.0
conference (check out Marnie's tiredless tiredness (more my tiredness) conference blogging), this past week's
announced partnership between Google and Sun Microsystems may well be the long
overdue turning point in the technological shift away from this costly and inefficient
client/server paradigm to fully leveraging the web as a platform.
What chew talkin' about Sonny? Software as Service: That's what I'm talking about...
-For most of us, broadband is prevalent (even in the hinterlands of Vermont). Accessing a file on our local network is sometimes more difficult and slow then accessing information via the web. SPEED, CHECK.
-Did you buy a PC in the last year? Was it difficult to find a PC that came with under 40 GB of hard drive space? Why? Because hard drive space is cheap. That's why Gmail gives me over 2.5 GB
of space on their servers. CHEAP ABUNDANT DATA STORAGE, CHECK.
-There's this wacky buzz word out there called AJAX.The technology has existed for sometime, but its becoming more and more the standard in web based user interfaces. It creates a fast, seemless and intuitive (most of the time) user experience that is equal
if not better than most desktop applications. And if you don't like it, more
often than not you can either customize it or extend the web-app through an
API. ENHANCED and CUSTOMIZED USER EXPERIENCE, CHECK.
-While blogging may be driving the
democratization of information, Software as Service is about old fashion
free-market capitalism; something that has really never existed in the office
productivity software market. Competition between hosted services will
drive innovation, keep costs down and strive higher to meet customer needs
(including us small potato nonprofits). Even though Google may buy up the
cream of the crop, the price point to enter the hosted app market is so low (comparatively
to traditional software) and there will be always be ample long tail niche
markets that visionary creative developers will continue to innovate and put
pressure on the larger corps. COMPETITION, INNOVATION, LOWER COSTS,
CHECK.
How does this impact nonprofits? Leveraging
Software as Service significantly cuts the total cost of ownership for
technology; no doubt this will be the force driving us lemmings to the
sea. Yet, this evolution not only means we have to start thinking beyond
the limited infrastructures and tools we've been hamstrung to, but think
differently about how we perceive, engage, utilize, access and share
information. Software as service provides us opportunities to connect the dots
beyond our firewalls; strategic partnerships, telecommuting (finding the right
person for the job), real-time long distance collaboration, integrated
data systems....on and on. And the thing is...its almost entirely plug
and play...no coding, no developers...just some savvy geeks to set it all up
and get out of the way.
As I've said
before, some will get it, and many will not (or rather, will get it and be too
scared)...and I believe those that do, will thrive and prosper in this new ecosystem...as
will those they serve.
Bonus Links:
Writely
Web-based Office Apps
Google Calendar (not yet...but coming)
Zimbra (not a web app, but too cool to pass up)
