SaaS integrations have aided numerous organizations in enhancing their cloud applications. If you are starting with SaaS integrations, you need to be aware that the process can be rather tedious and, at times, a cumbersome task.
It is just like any other enhancement that any business faces. There are benefits and challenges, and it is up to the company how they will handle those challenges. If you find yourself in a similar position, one of the common ways to get around the issues is to be aware of strategies that will bring out the most of the integration’s advantages.
The following sections tackle different SaaS integration challenges you may encounter and key strategies that you can implement to overcome them.
What is SaaS Integration?
SaaS integration is a service that enables application delivery across the internet. It does not require installing, updating, or maintaining software since you would simply access it over the internet. This is crucial for many companies as it is a more cost-effective approach and saves time from buying and maintaining software.
The goal of SaaS integration is to optimize efficiency and save costs. If done right, aspects such as customer service will significantly improve because of its faster delivery and operational quality.
SaaS Integration Challenges and How to Overcome Them
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Integration costs
If you are considering integrating SaaS into your environment, you may need someone who has a higher level of expertise in that field. Companies would look for knowledgeable technicians or cloud consulting businesses to aid them in technical complications. The process can be time-consuming and will come at a hefty price.
Strategy:
You can examine counting the costs and usage of tools that are reliable to your business. This is because not every tool will be effective for your business, so determining what you need can save time and costs.
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Limited interoperability
One of the biggest setbacks of SaaS integrations is its limited interoperability, which has hampered several businesses from adopting SaaS. With interoperability, systems can work efficiently and collaborate effectively across different cloud platforms. Thus, companies prefer real-time interoperability between the private cloud and SaaS applications.
Strategy:
Implement software asset management (SAM) solutions to help your IT team analyze application-related data and manage any complexities.
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SaaS integration with on-premise applications
A significant challenge businesses face is the lack of knowledge of connecting to on-premise applications. There have been integration strategies, such as using extract, transform, and load (ETL) solutions, but the issue with these is that they are expensive and require specialized training.
The technology may be available to you, but the problem lies in knowledge. Not everyone has a basic understanding of these processes, and with several pieces and data involved, it can be highly time-consuming.Strategy:
Migrating to the cloud often involves reallocating licenses from their on-premise infrastructure. Organizations can substantially reduce costs by using their existing software licenses.
Software license management solutions aid you in managing your licenses on both on-premises and cloud-hosted resources and allow you to automate software license tracking and usage.
For instance, Open iT LicenseAnalyzeroffers a detailed solution for SaaS applications. It can provide major benefits such as optimizing active and inactive software license consumption, better analytics for vendor negotiations and stopping payments for unused applications. -
Data security
It is a given that data security is essential for any online-related activity, and the same goes for SaaS. The issue here is that hackers can gain access to the provider if security measures are not accounted for.
Instances like using the same password and not implementing a secondary security measure will leave valuable data susceptible to hackers.Strategy:
The most common form of security is two-factor authentication, but other options are available. Methods such as firewalls and encryption are additional measures you can implement. Creating a backup of important documents is also an excellent way to ensure the safety of any valuable data.
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Access control
A major challenge for any business getting into cloud solutions is access control. Traditional methods, like access control and monitoring, settings are not as straightforward in SaaS applications.
Business administrators should discuss SaaS agreements and protocols to ensure total control and authority over the people who can access specific data.Strategy:
One of the essential SaaS integration best practices businesses should implement is an enterprise-wide monitoring solution that will help in viewing the usage data of all applications using a single portal. Other possible functions include importing different data and generating historical usage of applications.
You may also consider utilizing centralized license management tools. These management tools are great for remote commands and auto-discovery. -
Time constraints
Many companies would like to integrate new systems quickly yet efficiently. The thing about SaaS integration is that moving from on-premise to the cloud can take a long time, leading to inefficient productivity.
Strategy:
An important aspect of effective SaaS integrations is an organized management plan geared toward efficiency. You may want to set it up quickly, but any errors made along the way will only delay its integration.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Just like any online system, there will always be pros and cons. It is best to be aware of the different SaaS integration strategies to help you determine what you need and what actions to take.
Despite the challenges discussed above, there are benefits in implementing SaaS, such as scalability, updates to key applications, and lower upfront costs. Some of the important solutions to consider is proper license management and software usage metering.
Open iT LicenseAnalyzer is a complete engineering software management solution that is capable of supporting over 6,000 applications and offers many benefits, including license optimization.
To learn more about how Open iT software solutions can help your business, visit the website to schedule a demo today.