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Topic: Emerging Tech

Bake off: On-premise vs. SaaS toasters

Summary: Blogger and master data management (MDM) expert, Ramon Chen, compares what would happen if on-premise and cloud-based software companies each made toasters.

Michael Krigsman

By for Beyond IT Failure |

To set an appropriate mood while reading, please play the flying toasters video just above.

Blogger and master data management (MDM) expert, Ramon Chen, wrote a clever post comparing what would happen if on-premise and cloud-based software companies each made toasters.

A couple of points:

  • Ramon created the entire comparison, which I took directly from his blog
  • Be aware that this cute comparison has a strong SaaS bias. Apparently, there is little place for on-premise software in Ramon's world

I'm not endorsing any perspective, but merely passing along a funny presentation for your enjoyment and edification.

Enterprise On-Premise Toasters

SaaS/Cloud Computing Toasters

1. On-premise sales people will show PPTs of the toaster, but will defer to their SE for demo because it is too complicated

1. SaaS toasters can be demoed by sales people remotely from the comfort of their desks

2. You could buy all the parts to build your own on premise toaster but they won’t necessarily fit together

2. SaaS toasters come pre-assembled with access to a community of pre-certified optional add-ons built on the same cloud toasting infrastructure

3. Depending on where you want to locate or access your toaster, you may have to have a specialized version for socket or plug adapters, voltage compatibility, extension cords and plastic or metal casing

3. There is only one version of a specific SaaS toaster, accessible by all your users anywhere in the world

4. On-premise toasters say they are compatible with all brands and styles of bread, but when you get it home you discover the Bagel Engine was still in development, the Croissant Extension was three years away, and that indeed the whole appliance was just blowing smoke

4. SaaS toasters have similar challenges for emerging brands or styles of bread, but SaaS toaster manufacturers are agile and upgrade their toaster capabilities every 3 to 6 months, allowing them to toast the latest bread according to the latest government toasting standards

5. You can make toast 24 hours a day, but if a piece gets burned you are on your own to replace the bread and start again

5. You too can make toast 24 hours a day with SaaS toasters, most have built-in BTP (burnt toast protection) with auto re-toast

6. On-premise toasters start at $1 million and up, but come with partners who will help you slice your bread to fit, and will deal with all the “jams” you’ll encounter, for an additional $3M

6. SaaS toasters have toast-as-you-go pricing, you pay only for the toast you toast or the number of people who need to toast

7. Every time you buy new types of bread, you may have to upgrade to a new version of the toaster. If you chose not to upgrade you’d still have to pay the toaster maintenance fee

7. No toaster maintenance fees, upgrade and support is included with the per user or per toast monthly subscription
[Flying Toasters video from YouTube. Via @theitskeptic, @MichaelDunham, and @devcorporate.]

Topics: Emerging Tech, Cloud, Data Centers

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6 comments
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  • not exactly a fair comparison...

    I think anyone listening to such a one-sided analysis gets what they deserve.
    Erik Engbrecht
    Reply Vote

    • Agreed

      Not a fair comparison at all, as I said in the post. However, it was certainly creative!
      mkrigsman@...
      Reply Vote

  • Finishing the comparison...

    8. On-Premise toaster users actually get to eat their toast, at breakfast, today and every day, and it's warm and will melt butter.

    SaaS toaster users look forward to someday receiving a cold shingle labeled "toast" from Bangalore. That day may never come, as the aircraft carrying this packet of toast may get lost in a cloud.

    On-Premise wins, hands down.
    dave.leigh@...
    Reply Vote

    • Touche'

      In addition to the cold shingle labeled toast from where ever, regarding addons and upgrades to handle bagels, croissants, and other odd types of bread and pastries, using Agile methods means that every couple of weeks or so, you realize that the devt. team didn't understand the various traditions associated with the preparation and eating of breads and morning pastries or their various shapes and sizes.

      Also, while SaaS toaster maintenance fees are low, when you have a problem you realize that they can only give you a few stock solutions because they can't afford to provide any richer support. Or they tell you you're better off asking other Saas toaster users for help.

      Maybe we should only eat untoasted bread and ditch toasters all together.
      elizab
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Bake off: On-premise vs. SaaS toasters

    I think its cleverness is in the fact that it so sharply reflects the cultural differences between traditional and SaaS software companies. But I need to be honest and point out that there are already some traditionally-based toasters in or coming to the market that have figured out that if you want to build a competitive toaster it better work when you plug it in and turn it on and that competitive pricing is required.
    amywohl
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Bake off: On-premise vs. SaaS toasters

    Of course, the key technology that enables SaaS is multi-tenancy. I like the description on the http://saasfans.com blog.
    amazingtrails
    Reply Vote
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