Cologne, 7 April 2009 – Pironet NDH now offers medium-sized software houses, which are considering entering the on-demand business, the opportunity to test their products as "Software as a Service" (SaaS). Pironet NDH will set up a test environment at its computer centre for interested software producers. The offer is limited to a period of two months and costs EUR 299 per month.

Low technical requirements
The test environment runs on virtual instances with Windows Server 2003 or 2008. According to Peter Lenz, manager for Partner Management in Pironet NDH's ICT outsourcing business division, the test kit does not make any special demands on the software to be tested: "Solutions do not need to be either multiple-client capable or have their own web client." These functions are assumed by the systems in Pironet NDH's computer centre.

"This allows software producers to test their products in an authentic SaaS scenario with minimal expenditure and to showcase it live to their potential target customers," says Peter Lenz. In the opinion of market analysts, more and more corporate clients will request SaaS models. Many experts are expecting added effects resulting from the financial and economic crisis. This is because SaaS allows companies to modernise their ICT environment and simultaneously and sustainably reduce their ICT costs without having to make any costly initial investment.

SaaS partnership
In the current market, there is increasing pressure on producers not only to sell licences to their customers, but also to run the software for them. Pironet NDH offers an SaaS partnership to software houses that wish to set up their own rental solutions following testing. The ICT service provider will then undertake complete operation of the software at its computer centre. Additionally, Pironet NDH will support SaaS partners in creating appropriate service structures as well as the drawing up of contracts. "Traditional software houses, particularly medium-sized companies, are entering unchartered territory with Software as a Service. Because we provide both the operational side as well as our business experience in SaaS, partners avoid high market entry risks from having to invest in their own computer centre resources and from product management errors," says Peter Lenz.

Microsoft Incubation Centre
In addition to its own partner program, Pironet NDH supports ambitious software companies in developing their own on-demand strategy as part of the Microsoft Incubation Centre. "Just a few weeks ago in Paris, we became one of 15 European partners that Microsoft recognised because of our long-standing commitment to SaaS," adds Peter Lenz. In the Incubation Centre, software producers receive a wide range of assistance for the future successful marketing of their Microsoft-based applications also via the online distribution channel.

PIRONET NDH AG offers the market a unique portfolio of solutions for handling digital content and data. This includes consultancy, software, integration and outsourcing services. PIRONET NDH AG is a corporate group that brings together three companies specializing in the different business areas ICT outsourcing, consulting and design as well as content management solutions. PIRONET NDH AG was founded in 1995 and is based in Cologne. Since 2000, it has been listed on the German stock exchange. The Group of companies employs more than 350 people and posted sales figures of around 55 million euros in the last financial year (2010).

Press contact:
Pironet NDH
Thomas Sprenger
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50825 Cologne, Germany
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