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Software as a service shows double-digit growth


Johannesburg, 02 Dec 2010

While most of the ICT sector suffered a downturn in the current economic climate, surveys show that one area reflected impressive performance.

According to international research group IDC, the prediction is that SaaS uptake will show 30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the next five years, achieving a global turnover of $15 billion by 2012. Forrester Research also reports that SaaS service providers are showing double-digit growth in their subscription revenues.

IT management experts, CA Southern Africa, see similar trends in the local market and are leaders in the implementation and management of SaaS solutions.

“SaaS offers considerable advantages for almost any business,” says Gary Lawrence, MD of CA Southern Africa. “Pay on demand is one important aspect of SaaS that offers a more flexible, cost-effective billing model that is agile enough to cope with rapidly changing business needs.”

SaaS provides significant cost benefits as it negates investment in costly infrastructure.

“Additionally, the availability of SaaS solutions from any type of device and on any type of connection suits the needs of mobile and remote workers. This supports productivity and collaboration for workers whether they are on the move or desk-based.”

Lawrence notes that SaaS offers even greater advantages for IT administrators as IT admin is performed by the service provider.

“The key benefits include: access from anywhere - users can utilise the service from any Web browser anywhere in the world; it is subscription based - translating into payment only for what is used; it is flexible and scalable - meaning more users and functionality can be added as and when needed.”

Lawrence says these solutions are easier and less burdensome to manage. “We have had remarkable success in the deployment of our Service Desk On Demand. One highly successful example is the solution deployed for Softworx.”

Softworx is a leading provider of business applications in the local market and specialises in end-to-end business solutions. With expansion of the company and changing needs among its customers, Softworx has implemented CA Southern Africa's Service Desk On Demand to cope with maintaining and improving service delivery.

CA's Service Desk On Demand is a SaaS solution that enables customers to log and monitor incidents and requests relating to their IT operations. It also empowers service providers, such as Softworx, with the means to effectively resolve customer problems.

“The CA solution was deployed earlier this year,” says Chris Holdsworth, services manager, Softworx. “It took less than three months to get the system fully operational.

“One of the key benefits for Softworx customers is that they now have total call visibility via a Web browser interface. They are able to log, monitor and update their calls at any time and receive automatic e-mail notifications of any changes.”

“CA Service Desk On Demand is a very compelling example of how SaaS can be deployed to generate savings for a business and enhance the value received from staff,” Holdsworth concludes.

IT Management Symposium Africa 2011

CA Southern Africa will host South Africa's foremost conference on IT Management on 2 and 3 February 2011.

CA Southern Africa - IT management experts

CA Southern Africa is the sole representative of CA Technologies in sub-Saharan Africa and is a member of the EOH group of companies.

CA Technologies (NASDAQ: CA) is the world's foremost independent IT management software company. EOH is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and is a leading provider of business and technology solutions.

CA Southern Africa utilises international innovation, augmented by locally based exceptional expertise, to simplify IT and unify complex computing environments. The company delivers turnkey solutions to the market through the provision of traditional software based offerings - plus other outcomes-based services - that require little upfront investment or skill.

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Editorial contacts

Deirdre Blain
Blain Communications
+27 (11) 462 4974
dblain@blaincomms.co.za
Ildik'o Hegyi
CA Southern Africa
+27 (11) 417 8645
ildiko.hegyi@CAafrica.co.za