data-as-a-service

Data as a Service (DaaS) 

What is Data as a Service (DaaS)?

Data as a Service (DaaS) is a model for providing and distributing information in which data files (including text, images, sounds, and videos) are made available to customers via a network, most commonly the Internet. The model is built on cloud-based technology that supports Web services and SOA (service-oriented architecture). DaaS data is stored in the cloud and is accessible via various devices. The service also transfers the risks associated with data management to the cloud provider.

The separation of data cost and usage from software or platform cost and use is permitted but not required by DaaS. There are hundreds of DaaS vendors worldwide, each with its pricing model. Pricing can be based on volume (a fixed cost per megabyte of data in the entire repository) or format (for example, a fixed price per text file and another fixed price per image file).

DaaS is becoming more appealing to a wider audience as high-speed Internet service becomes more widely available to support user access from more worldwide locations. Similarly, organizations with much data may find it difficult and costly to maintain that data, making DaaS a popular solution. The evolution of SOA has dramatically reduced the importance of the platform on which information is stored.

DaaS Advantages

The following are some of the advantages of DaaS:

  • The ability to quickly transfer data from one platform to another.
  • Avoiding the confusion and conflict that can arise when multiple “versions” of (ostensibly) the same data exist in different places.
  • The presentation layer is outsourced, lowering the overall data maintenance and delivery cost.
  • Data integrity is maintained by implementing access control measures such as strong passwords and encryption.
  • Averting “vendor lock-in.”
  • The administration is made simple.
  • Collaboration is made simple.
  • Compatibility across multiple platforms.
  • Global availability.
  • Updates are performed automatically.

DaaS’s Difficulties

Concerns about privacy, security, and data governance are among the challenges to DaaS. The privacy difficulties stem from shared data, frequently including information about mission-critical applications. In terms of safety, if the DaaS vendor’s security is inadequate, data for mission-critical applications may be rendered obsolete. It may also be challenging to ensure data governance between a DaaS environment and an organization.

The Future of DaaS

According to information management experts, the DaaS market will grow as more businesses figure out which data assets they can rent for a competitive advantage. According to Gartner, DaaS will serve as a springboard for business intelligence and big data analytics markets. Gartner also sees the DaaS market expanding as more organizations recognize DaaS as an appropriate way to manage mission-critical data.

DaaS is related to Storage as a Service (SaaS) and Software as a Service (abbreviated SaaS) and can be integrated with either or both of these provision models. DaaS adoption, like that of these and other cloud computing technologies, may be hampered by concerns about security, privacy, and proprietary issues.