Cologne, 27 October 2009 – DocuWare is extending the SaaS strategy presented at CeBIT: in the future; DocuWare’s document management solutions will be operated by Pironet NDH, a provider of ICT outsourcing services, via their datacenter. The two companies have formed a strategic partnership. With Software as a Service (SaaS), customers have flexible online access to DocuWare solutions while cutting operational and management costs at the same time. The software is provided on demand whenever needed, turning fix costs into variable costs.

SaaS fulfills security requirements more cost-effectively
"This really pays off for document management, as the law strictly requires that certain business documents be stored", explains Jürgen Biffar, executive board member of DocuWare AG. Specialized SaaS providers like Pironet NDH are able to offer quality services which are more professional and more flexible than in-house solutions, according to Biffar.

"Our datacenter fulfills the most stringent security requirements. In-house operational standards of this caliber would be a far too great investment for most companies. With SaaS, however, collective customers share the cost from which all benefit“, adds Khaled Chaar, Director of Business Strategy at Pironet NDH. "For document management in particular, companies attach great importance to the location of their data, which is to say that it is not "just somewhere“, but within the borders of German jurisdiction. In contrast to many other SaaS platforms, our solutions are produced solely in our German datacenters.“

DocuWare customers can choose between two options with SaaS: backup and the added service of long-term archiving of documents only. This form of document management is subject to the strictest security standards. In addition, all document management tasks can be utilized via the datacenter. DocuWare software is accessed per web browser.

New relationship between system vendors and SaaS providers
In the long term, Jürgen Biffar expects that companies in the next few years will use one third to one half of their applications from datacenters. The DocuWare business model, however, remains the same. The software producer does not distribute its own solutions, but works exclusively with distribution partners worldwide, e.g. with system vendors or office supply retailers. "The SaaS solution at the Pironet NDH datacenter can be customized by our distribution partners to meet customers’ needs, just like in-house solutions “, comments Biffar.

Khaled Chaar views the cooperation between system vendors and outsourcing specialists as the way of the future: "The success of developments like Software as a Service or Cloud Computing depends mainly on whether service providers are able to meet customers’ needs with a new form of teamwork and at the same time create intelligent agreements which deliver the flexible benefits of on demand solutions.“

About DocuWare AG
Founded in 1988, DocuWare has over 7500 installations and over one hundred thousand satisfied users daily in over 70 countries. This Integrated Document Management Systems (IDMS) producer offers solutions that target small to mid-sized companies, government agencies and departments in large organizations. Over 400 Authorized DocuWare Partners make up a worldwide independent reseller network, employing over 1000 DocuWare experts who bring DocuWare close to its customers. DocuWare AG is based in Germering near Munich, Germany. The company’s US subsidiary, DocuWare Corporation, is located in Newburgh, New York and is responsible for all activities in North, Central and South America. DocuWare Ltd., its subsidiary in Weybridge, Surrey, handles all activities for Great Britain and Ireland. DocuWare S.L. located in Barcelona is responsible for the market in Spain and DocuWare SARL is located in Paris and attends to France and francophone Africa.

Further Information:
DocuWare AG
Therese-Giehse-Platz 2
82110 Germering, Germany
Email: docuware@docuware.com
Tel.: +49.89.89 44 33-0
Fax: +49.89.8 41 99 66


DocuWare AG, Public Relations
Pressebüro Birgit Schuckmann
Infanteriestr. 19, Haus 5
80797 Munich, Germany
Email: Birgit.Schuckmann@docuware.com
Tel.: +49.89.2 28 00-3 06
Fax: +49.89.2 28 00-3 07

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
Press Office
Maarweg 149-161
50825 Cologne, Germany
Tel.: +49.221.56939-2415
Fax: +49.221.56939-2424
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