The world works at blinding speeds with advancements in technology, and airports aren’t slowing down either. Software and applications of today should be delivered and work at the same speeds, ensuring the aviation industry can keep pace.
Software has been sold with a license and up-front cost and has been received as either a physical copy or digital download. Software as a Service (SaaS) is a new model in business that is growing in popularity compared to the traditional methods.
It is a change in the way the software is sold, maintained and accessed. The software is licensed and delivered on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted by the SaaS provider. It is also known as the “Cloud” model because there is no need to physically or indirectly distribute the service, and it can be accessed instantly.
There are a number of characteristics that generally make up Software as a Service. The software is highly customizable, configurable and is often updated more frequently than traditional software. Updates are implemented and released by the SaaS provider, as needed with minimal disruption to the end-users.
Airports need services they can count on to ensure operations run smoothly, and airport personnel need to be able to share real-time information. Software as a Service encourages this through interfaces that operate over wide area networks, allowing for employees and staff to always have access to what is needed with real-time information.
Software as a Service also allows airports the flexibility to get only the software components they need and scale as their needs evolve and grow. Specialized hardware doesn’t need to be bought and installed to run the software – the software is maintained without intervention and delivered over the Internet. This means adding more capabilities is often a breeze.
Support, backups, and maintenance are taken care of by the provider, relieving the airport staff of maintaining, supporting and updating the infrastructure. These inherent traits of SaaS make it a suitable solution for airports, given the complexity of airport operations and the cost cutting that is making internal IT resources scarce.
Software as a Service is the answer for keeping pace with technology, especially in the Aviation Industry. It is time for airports to harness its full potential and take off to the Cloud.