Cloud Management vs. SaaS Management: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

How do you manage your company’s cloud resources and the software you rely on? If you’re like many IT leaders, you might be using cloud infrastructure to host your applications and SaaS tools to run daily operations. But did you know that cloud and SaaS management are distinct areas with different focuses?  This post will explain the difference between cloud and SaaS management, why it matters for your IT operations, and how tools like Josys can help streamline your SaaS management process.

What Are Cloud Management and SaaS Management?

Cloud Management

Cloud management involves overseeing your organization’s cloud infrastructure, including servers, storage, computing power, and networking. It ensures your cloud environment is optimized for performance, security, and scalability. Platforms like AWS Management Console and Microsoft Azure help IT teams manage and scale resources efficiently while tracking usage and costs.

SaaS Management

On the other hand, SaaS management focuses on managing the software your organization uses on a subscription basis, like Salesforce, Slack, or Zoom. It’s about tracking subscriptions, managing user access, and optimizing costs. Tools like Josys help track usage, manage licenses, and automate renewals to ensure cost control and compliance.

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Key Differences Between Cloud Management and SaaS Management

Cloud Management: Infrastructure at Its Core

Cloud management is all about handling the infrastructure. Here’s what it typically includes:

• Provisioning virtual machines, storage, and network resources.
• Optimizing cloud resources for performance and cost-efficiency.
• Monitoring the health and security of the infrastructure.

SaaS Management: Focusing on Software Access and Cost Control

SaaS management is centered around managing software subscriptions and user access. Unlike cloud management, SaaS management doesn’t deal with the infrastructure that powers the software. Instead, it focuses on:

• Tracking software subscriptions and licenses.
• Managing user access and ensuring compliance.
• Optimizing costs by eliminating unused or redundant software.

Where They Overlap: Cloud and SaaS Together

While cloud management and SaaS management address different aspects of IT, they often intersect. Many SaaS applications are hosted on cloud platforms like AWS or Azure. So, managing these SaaS tools requires collaboration with cloud management teams to ensure optimal performance.

However, the key distinction is this: cloud management focuses on the underlying infrastructure, while SaaS management is concerned with the software applications that run on that infrastructure.

Why the Difference Matters for IT Teams

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Different Operational Focus

Understanding the difference between cloud and SaaS management is critical because their operational focus is different:

• Cloud management concerns the technical aspects of infrastructure, such as ensuring that storage, computing, and networking resources are efficiently managed and scalable.
• SaaS management focuses on the user experience, ensuring employees have access to the right software, managing subscriptions, and tracking software usage to avoid unnecessary costs.

Cost Implications

The financial impact of cloud management and SaaS management also differs. With cloud management, you’re looking at server, storage, and network bandwidth costs — things that scale with usage. These costs can fluctuate depending on the resources consumed.

Subscriptions and licenses are the main cost considerations for SaaS management. Without proper oversight, licenses or unused subscriptions can be wasted. SaaS management tools like Josys help businesses keep track of their software spending and ensure they’re not paying for tools they don’t need.

Strategic Decisions for IT Teams

While cloud management is concerned with scalability and resource allocation, SaaS management optimizes the software portfolio to ensure cost efficiency and maximum productivity. If IT teams treat these areas as the same, they risk overlooking the unique challenges and opportunities each presents.

How Josys Fits Into SaaS Management

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Centralized Control for SaaS Applications

Josys helps IT teams manage their SaaS applications by giving them centralized visibility into software subscriptions, usage, and licensing. This visibility reduces redundancy and ensures that teams aren’t paying for unused or unnecessary software.

Automation for Efficiency

One of Josys’s key features is automating critical tasks like license renewals, access management, and software usage tracking. Automation reduces the administrative burden on IT teams and ensures that SaaS subscriptions remain compliant and up-to-date without manual intervention.

Complementing Cloud Management Tools

While Josys addresses SaaS-specific challenges, it doesn’t replace cloud management platforms. Instead, it complements them by focusing on the software layer. IT teams can use cloud management tools to handle infrastructure and scalability while leveraging Josys to ensure their SaaS tools are cost-effective and well-managed.

Conclusion

In summary, cloud and SaaS management serve different but complementary roles in your IT strategy. Cloud management focuses on infrastructure, while SaaS management handles software subscriptions, usage, and cost optimization.

By recognizing these differences, IT teams can create more efficient strategies for both. Tools like Josys can simplify SaaS management, offering centralized control and automation to maximize your software investments. Want to see how Josys can optimize your SaaS management? Schedule a demo today!

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