Parallels provides the required platform technologies to help ISVs and hosting providers delivery SaaS applications to the market in an efficient manner.

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Standards Layer

Open standards are critical for mechanizing the interaction between ISVs and Hosting Providers. Parallels, through it's OPEN FUSION platform, is introducing easy-to-implement standards targeted towards the delivery of SaaS products.

The Application Packaging Standard (APS) provides ISVs and control panel vendors with a way to mechanize the delivery of applications to end-users. Adoption of this standard will result in ISVs being able to rapidly deploy applications through service providers which have adopted APS compliant control panels.

The Single Sign On standard (SSO) provides end users with the convenience of being able to login once to access all hosted applications and services. This simplifies the management of authentication credentials and links all user services.

Virtualization Layer

Virtualization is a key component of a cost effective SaaS platform which provides a  wide variety of applications. Parallels Virtuozzo provides a ideal platform for offering single-instance applications and for improving the delivery of multi-instance applications.

Virtuozzo benefits for SaaS include:

• Traditional application offerings - virtualization eliminates the time consuming and costly process of converting traditional applications into a multi-tenant architecture.
• Performance - OS virtualization minimizes server overhead to provide the maximum amount of resources possible for running your applications. Hypervisors and other virtualization solutions do not provide this level of efficiency.
• Complete management - Virtuozzo works with Parallels management tools to provide complete SaaS offerings which include automated storefronts, templates, billing, and customer self service.

Parallels Virtuozzo is the only virtualization solution which can provide all of these benefits which help provide a SaaS platform with superior quality which is the most cost effective of all other platforms.

Automation Layer

Without automation, hosting providers will have difficulty offering SaaS profitably.  Automation reduces the amount of time that needs be spent by systems administrators, customer service representatives, and accounting personnel.

Below are several examples of tasks that are simplified by automation.

• Enrollment - customer orders can be entered online instead of being manually received and manually entered.
• Provisioning - customer orders are automatically delivered 24x7 instead of being manually delivered during business hours.
• Upgrades - customers can upgrade their service any time of day and receive instant access to additional resources.
• Service calls - customer service calls are greatly reduced as routine tasks such as changing passwords, changing configuration settings, and adding/removing user permissions are handled automatically.
• Billing - the end of the month is no longer a challenge as bills are automatically compiled and charges automatically applied to payment vehicles through an automated payment gateway.

Parallels provides a wide variety of automation tools to meet the needs of small businesses as well as large enterprises.