In(tegrate) the Clouds

CIO.com recently featured a summary of Forrester Research analyst Liz Herbert: How SaaS Will Impact 6 Key Software Categories.  They are:

1. IT Management Applications
2. CRM Software and productivity applications
3. ERP and Supply Chain Software
4. Business Intelligence
5. HR Software
6. Platform and Middleware Solutions

No big surprises here, but the article also provides some solid recommendations for source executives, “in light of increased SaaS adoption.”

“Sourcing executives must prepare for a hybrid landscape where SaaS co-exists with on-premise and hosted solutions, with many new vendors in the overall software portfolio. To navigate this complex environment, sourcing professionals should consider weighing the valuable aspects of SaaS — such as functionality, community, and accessibility — with risk elements — like vendor viability, vendor lock-in, and security.”