Software as a Service or SAAS platforms are all over the Internet – they are pre-built services for companies that don’t want to create their own software for a specific need, and include job boards, online support systems, internal portals, and more. Many of these SAAS companies offer custom domains to their customers. This feature allows brands to use these services while maintaining their own brand identity. By “white-labelling” URLs, end-customers feel comfortable that they are staying within the ecosystem of the website they are on.
While users of these SAAS platforms choose the domain name and can typically include some custom styling on the service, the SAAS companies are the ones who manage the backend of the system. This includes hosting, security, and website performance. SAAS platforms want to be fast and secure to remain competitive, but turning to Content Delivery Networks to improve website performance and security can be difficult in these use cases. Here’s why SAAS platforms have in the past been unable to use CDNs or have incurred great cost for doing so, and how Section approaches SAAS performance and security differently:
Improving Content Delivery for SAAS platforms
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Configuring Multiple Domains: Since SAAS platforms manage thousands of domains, configuring each of these for caching and security individually can be extremely time-consuming. While many CDNs force every domain to be set up separately, Section allows one account to manage unlimited domains under the same configuration. This means when changes need to be made, they only have to be made once to be applied across every domain.
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SSL Certificate Management: Many SAAS platforms are unable to offer HTTPS due to the hassle of managing so many SSL certificates, which need to be created, uploaded, and renewed when they expire. Most CDNs charge for SSL certificates, and even then may only provide shared certificates. Section offers unique SSL certificates at no extra cost, and allows one account to have multiple SSL certificates for each of its domains. In addition, Section manages the renewal of these certificates so they never expire and leave websites vulnerable.
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Prohibitive Costs: Content Delivery Networks often have cost structures which include a base price for each domain and costly additional charges for advanced configurations, SSL certificates, and more. Section only charges for total traffic from all domains, so SAAS platforms can manage all of their domains in one account and only pay for total traffic, with no consequences for adding additional domains.
As security and website performance become more and more important, brands looking to SAAS platforms expect them to be encrypted by HTTPS and load quickly. By using Section’s SAAS-friendly content delivery solution, SAAS platforms can bring their customers best-in-breed website performance and security.
To learn more, contact us today and a Section representative will get in touch with you shortly!
