http://disqus.com/by/joepiekarz/enTue, 15 Sep 2009 14:48:52 -0000http://www.softwareprojects.org/free-project-management-software.htm#comment-16637849<p>You should check out the service (SaaS) offered by TimeXchange.</p>joepiekarzTue, 15 Sep 2009 14:48:52 -0000http://www.cloudbzz.com/saas-v-cloud-should-not-be-contentious/#comment-13816456<p>John,</p><p>Though I do not disagree with your conclusions from the architectural point of view, I do wonder if there's not a related issue of collaboration implied by this particular NIST characteristic. Specifically, does my instance of the SaaS offering limit collaboration to only my users, or can people attached to my instance collaborate with people attached to other instances?</p><p>This may seem like splitting hairs, but there are real-world business implications. For example VMS (Vendor Managed Services) requires collaboration between persons from different companies. A true SaaS VMS application would allow me to track my people's time while they similtaniously report appropriate data to the client or vendor for approval in their instance. I need my data to be secure to me, but the data that needs to be approved should be shared with the appropriate accounts. The end result is the client or vendor gets what they need and so does the service provider while maintaining their own instances.</p><p>An analogy borrowed from social networking is the difference between Facebook and Ning. Everyone on Facebook is their own "instance" and can connect to anyone else where Ning is a collection of social networks with each as a silo of users. Though Ning will let you join as many networks as you want, you must post separately to each.</p><p>Just my two cents...</p>joepiekarzSun, 02 Aug 2009 16:33:46 -0000