User Guide - SaaS and PaaS

An overview of software as a service and platform as a service

Cloud software delivers various kinds of computing services accessed over the internet. The user pays a subscription fee to be allowed access to the vendor’s servers and databases, which avoids traditional IT management costs for the user.

Cloud software is available in four basic types:

  • Software as a Service (SaaS),
  • Vendor Managed Service,
  • IT Managed Service,
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS).

Software as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS products are ready-to-use software products that are immediately available from third-party software companies.

Vendor Managed Service

Vendor Managed Service product is software that is hosted and managed by third-party companies specifically for a single customer, VA.

IT Managed Service

IT Managed Service product is hardware and software that is hosted at VA or within VA Enterprise Cloud and managed by VA.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS products are hardware and software tools from third-party software companies that equip VA teams with the building blocks to create their own customized applications (with the help of a qualified developer). The programs created can be for local use only, or scaled up for deployment throughout VA.