February 14, 2008 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – Parallels and Smart Online today announced the Parallels SaaS Development Kit, a suite of software development tools that will help independent software vendors (ISVs) to rapidly package software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications for the more than 10,000 service providers worldwide that use Parallels solutions.
"Through continued collaboration with the industry, Parallels is advancing a unified platform to help our customers and partners take advantage of SaaS with minimal effort and cost," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "Service providers and ISVs can use these development tools to offer a broad range of SaaS applications and grow their businesses."
The Parallels SaaS Development Kit builds on the Application Packaging Standard (APS) with comprehensive documentation and development tools, such as virtualization templates. The kit makes it easy for service providers to offer SaaS applications using Parallels virtualization and automation solutions. Their customers benefit from access to a greater variety of low-cost applications that are easy to install and maintain.
"Smart Online joined forces with Parallels to help develop the Parallels SaaS Development Kit and to certify our onebiz platform of small business productivity applications to be compliant with the APS standard," said Dave Colburn, CEO of Smart Online. "As a result, Smart Online s onebiz applications are now offered through a unified, open platform that can be delivered by thousands of service providers with nominal integration costs and effort."
Stamford, Conn.-based research firm Gartner Inc. predicts the market for SaaS applications will grow to $19.3 billion by 2011.1 According to a recent survey of 400 service providers worldwide by Parallels, more than 70 percent plan to offer SaaS applications this year.
The Parallels Open Platform enables SaaS with Parallels virtualization and automation technology through integration with a wide range of third-party applications and systems. The APS standard, a key element of the platform, is used by ISVs and service providers to seamlessly integrate applications to offer to the more than 10 million businesses and individuals that use Parallels products.
Parallels has developed a unified set of documentation and tools, as a SaaS Development Kit, which enables ISVs to package applications for delivery through Parallels' customer channel of 10,000 service providers. Registered users of the Parallels Developer Network can access the SaaS Development Kit at the company’s website.
Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.
