Software as a service (SaaS), pronounced sæs or sɑs), sometimes referred to
as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and associated data are centrally hosted. SaaS is typically accessed by users via a Web browser.
The term software as a service (SaaS) is part of the nomenclature of cloud computing. The SAAS acronym first appeared in an article, Strategic Backgrounder: Software As A Service, internally published in Feb 2001 by the Software & Information Industry's (SIIA) eBusiness Division.
SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications and is being incorporated into the strategy of all leading enterprise software companies. One of the biggest selling points for these companies is the potential to reduce IT support costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the SaaS provider.