Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) Practice Exam

How does Software as a Service (SaaS) operate?

1. It provides operating systems and storage capacity over the Internet

2. It allows software applications to be hosted by a vendor and accessible over network resources

3. It manages online backup solutions for large enterprises

4. It combines public and private cloud storage for personal data

The correct answer is: It allows software applications to be hosted by a vendor and accessible over network resources

Software as a Service (SaaS) operates by enabling software applications to be hosted on a vendor's servers and made accessible to users over network resources, typically the Internet. This model allows users to access applications via a web browser without the need for local installation or management of the software. The vendor takes care of the underlying infrastructure, maintenance, upgrades, and security, allowing users to focus on using the software rather than managing it. This approach is beneficial for organizations as it reduces the burden of software management and allows for scalability, as users can easily increase or decrease their application usage based on their needs. Furthermore, SaaS applications usually offer subscription pricing, which can be more cost-effective compared to traditional software purchase or licensing models. The other choices do not accurately describe SaaS: providing operating systems and storage capacity correlates more with Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), while managing online backup solutions pertains to specific managed services rather than SaaS. The combination of public and private cloud storage addresses cloud storage solutions, which is different from the application-focused nature of SaaS.