Software as a service (or SaaS) is a way of delivering applications over the Internet-as a service. Instead of installing and maintaining software, you simply access it via the Internet, freeing yourself from complex software and hardware management.A good way to understand the SaaS model is by thinking of a bank, which protects the privacy of each customer while providing service that is reliable and secure-on a massive scale. A bank's customers all use the same financial systems and technology without worrying about anyone accessing their personal information without authorization.Anyone familiar with Amazon.com or My Yahoo will be familiar with the Web interface of typical SaaS applications. With the SaaS model, you can customise with point-and-click ease, making the weeks or months it takes to update traditional business software seem hopelessly old fashioned. This book provides the basics of SaaS alongwith giving you some basic insights into how to integrate it into your current startup model.