What is “Software-as-a-Service” (SaaS)?

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet for use in (any) web-browser (e.g.Safari or Google Chrome). SaaS removes the need for organizations to install and run applications on their own computers or in their own data centers, which typically requires a massive investment in infrastructure, logistics and manpower. SaaS eliminates the expense of hardware acquisition, provisioning and maintenance, as well as installation and support.