BI Moving to SaaS
A growing number of business intelligence (BI) vendors are offering BI software as a service (SaaS). They range from well-known companies such as Business Objects (with www.crystalreports.com), Cognos and SAS to new entrants such as LucidEra and Oco and Seatab, which have established their presence over the last two years, according Ventana Research (via DMReview).
In evaluating the SaaS model, Ventana Research recommends that organizations carefully consider security implications, such where the hardware physically is located, who has access to the servers and data, and the impact of these factors on regulatory compliance.