Defining or categorising Groupsite in the context of cloud computing
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Not really a feature request, but I can't see a more appropriate place. How does Groupsite define itself in the rarified world of SaaS in Cloud Computing?I found these categories of SaaS at http://cloudshowplace.com
Is it a PaaS (platform application as Service?
Is it an IaaS (Infrastructure application as Service)?
Knowing just helps to sell, as everyone seems to be getting on the cloud bandwagon. I want to be hip, or is that cool?
Peter
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Hi Peter,
We will do our best to answer your question. Everyone seems to have a different definition for the *aaS's. It really
depends on how they are defined. Our Development team would say that under most definitions, Groupsite is
Software as a Service (SaaS) because we provide an application.
In contrast Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is something like Amazon EC2 where
they provide the virtual hardware and nothing else. Amazon EC2 is where Groupsite stores/hosts its files. Platform as a
Service (PaaS) is something like EngineYard where they provide the
virtual hardware and basic configuration. We migrated our Groupsite.com Platform to EngineYard in March 2011.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Celeste Sharper Wooten
Director, Client Services/Support
Groupsite.com
Peter,
I teach this stuff.
Celeste's answer is correct. Groupsite is definitely SOFTWARE as a Service. In the hierarchy, Groupsite is an example of a vendor providing a complete application solution in the cloud--this is what SaaS is.
Danny Mittleman
Associate Professor
College of Computing and Digital Media
DePaul University
Hi . Thanks for the replies. Danny, I understand Groupsite is a SaaS , but what I was trying to tease out was how Groupsite would define itself with respect to what to me are emergent subcategories offered on the cloud showcase site. What the showcase does, or what it is trying to do, is create a list of suppliers in various categories of SaaS/PaaS/IaaS. Categorising something aids communication, especially with IT people (which I'm not).
Previously I have assumed Groupsite to be an a example of what AIIMS, in their research reports on enterprise 2.0, called collaboration platforms or team sites. Sharepoint being the most used. The significant word here is 'platform'. THis is how I came to wonder if Groupsite would define itself as a PaaS. After all, Groupsite does provide a platform for collaboration, but also provides, esp in its dedicated enterprise form, an infrastructure for knowledge sharing and learner support. I have also found that Groupsite is very similar to the VLEs used by some e.learning providers. I use Groupsite as a VLE at a trial I'm doing with a local university, and it would be equally useful provding a VLE type platform for any small company wishing to adopt an enterprise 2.0 model of doing business. I consider these examples of applications.
Just as a further example, I am looking to promote Groupsite as a means of managing volunteers in the charities sector. I found http://www.volunteerhub.com, which defines itself as a PaaS, and works very much like Groupsite, but with some dedicated functionality.
Anyway, whichever way Groupsite defines itself, I feel it has great functionality as a collaboration platform, a knowledge sharing and learning infrastructure (KSLI), even a VLE. More on KSLIs here ( I took the liberty of uploading this a while back
The KALiF System
I hope it goes from strength to strength because it deserves to.
Thanks again.
Peter