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Software as a service is referred to by the abbreviation SaaS. Over the internet, SaaS providers distribute software applications. They control the performance, security, and availability of users’ access to the apps. Businesses who employ them cite increased productivity, accessibility, scalability, and savings as advantages over conventional on-premises software. SaaS has a user agreement that explicitly outlines the precise duties and responsibilities of the parties engaged in the operation and usage of the software. These parties are the users and the SaaS provider. A SaaS shared responsibility model is the name of this document. You will discover all there is to know about the SaaS shared responsibility model in this article.
What Does the SaaS Shared Responsibility Model Entail?
The idea that SaaS businesses manage all aspects of the service they provide is a common misunderstanding. This is untrue. Both clients and SaaS providers are accountable for some tasks. This is all that the SaaS shared responsibility model comprises. These obligations are discussed below. Let’s look at them now.
1. Controlling the effective operation of applications: According to the SaaS shared responsibility model, one of the SaaS provider’s responsibilities is to ensure effective management of the application. Users of SaaS apps occasionally encounter an application malfunction. This primarily relates to the application’s user interface. The only way to fix this is to go into the backend to see if anything has changed. The procedure is referred to as debugging. Given that they are the only party with access to the application’s source code, SaaS providers are responsible for carrying out this task.
2. Giving end users access: In this situation, both the SaaS supplier and the subscribers are accountable under the SaaS shared responsibility model. The responsibility of the SaaS provider is to create and offer security measures that enable clients to efficiently manage their users. The client is responsible for ensuring that the relevant users have access to the application and associated data and adhere to the principle of least privilege.
3. Data protection: Here, both the SaaS provider and the clients have obligations. The client is responsible for continuously making a backup of their company’s data. The only situation in which they can recover the data is this one. Data loss for all time is possible if this is not done. The SaaS provider is responsible for creating and offering the tools necessary for clients to protect their data. This requires that SaaS providers have a safe, hitch-free mechanism in place for data preservation and recovery.
4. Application hosting: The SaaS provider hosts the applications it offers. Since they provide services in the form of applications, this is their responsibility. Because of this, their duty is to supervise the applications. They are also accountable for any necessary software upgrades.
Concluding Thoughts on the SaaS Shared Responsibility Model
You will see from this article that each party—the SaaS provider and the client—has a distinct and clear responsibility to fulfill as defined by the SaaS shared responsibility model. When both parties prioritize their tasks, the application functions optimally, and the best satisfaction is achieved.
