This article was co-written by Eric Hilton and Vimal Vachhani
Yardi software offers two versions of their services offerings, SaaS and Hosted Private Cloud. They are essentially same offering from a front end user’s perspective, but vary significantly on the back end. Deciding on which one is right for you depends on your business requirements, the maturity of your organization, and your data analysis needs.
Below is a high level guide which should assist in the selection.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
What is SaaS?
Yardi’s default set up is a classic Software-as-a-Service model. Behind the scenes, you’re sharing some of your servers with other Yardi clients -- however you do get your own protected database, as well as a protected front-end client, surfaced through the internet.
How do I get it?
This is your entry-level instance of Yardi that most people use. There's usually a dollar-per-asset license charge.
Pros:
SaaS is the most common and cost-effective set-up if you are small- or medium-sized client. It offers a stable platform with standard support, providing the lowest barrier to entry and the best cost for smaller businesses. There are no risk-of-performance or resource sharing, as this is handled quite well with dedicated resourcing and databases.
Cons:
The biggest downside of going SaaS is that you are limited to only nightly backups* of the data (*refers to the full nightly back up accessible via the FTP server). You may find you need more real-time access, or more complex extracts leveraging Task Runner and FTP.
Hosted Private Cloud
What is Private Cloud?
Hosted Private Cloud is your own personal server spun up to host your individual instance of the Yardi application and database. It provides better performance, security, and control over the server where your Yardi instance lives.
How do I get it?
This is offered at an increased annual cost -- or, once you reach a certain level of spend against your AUM, it could be included for free.
Pros:
This offering comes with a dedicated server, database, and environment -- with all the support of SaaS. This allows for more real-time data access and facilitate inbound data (such as property on-boarding) as simpler process. Dedicated resourcing will also give flexibility into adding to the database structure to host any additional data points your business requires.
Cons:
The largest downside to Private Cloud is that it can cost more than SaaS select, especially for small-to-mid-size companies. Outside of cost, all functionally, support, and actions are available via the SaaS model.
In conclusion, no matter which version of Yardi you choose, it's a tool that will provide serious value for your business. The ultimate decision point should be based on what your organization requires to be successful and efficient.