Overview

This document outlines the key differences among Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Base delivery methods in product delivery.
SaaS offers a fully managed service with Gimmonix handling most aspects, suitable for various cloud platforms.

PaaS and Base, initially tailored for Azure with plans to expand to AWS and GCP, offer more customer control over deployment and infrastructure.

Key differentiators include cloud provider flexibility, hardware/server management, and varying levels of customer involvement in platform access, security, and maintenance.

SaaS / PaaS / Base key differences

Infrastructure	Importance	SaaS Delivery method	PaaS Delivery method	Base Delivery method
Technical aspects
Cloud provider - Our platform works natively in Azure cloud. Making the solution run in other Cloud platforms is on our roadmap and will require some development effort.	In the short term (2023) we can't deploy PaaS to other than Azure cloud platforms.	Any	Azure (later AWS, then GCP)	Azure (later AWS, then GCP)
Hardware/Servers - The solution/platform is running on our or clients "cloud" deployment	This impacts who needs to carry the hardware/server usage costs	Platform runs on Gimmonix side	Platform runs on Customer side	Platform runs on Customer side
Hardware/Servers costs - Gimmonix can cover some of the hardware costs for SaaS as long as the customer is operating under a defined threshold (for example no more than 3 parallel search queries). Above that threshold customer needs to either migrate to dedicated resource group on Gimmonix's cloud or opt for PaaS delivery method.	Gimmonix aim is not to have hardware/cloud costs to be associated with Platform fees Gimmonix charges the customers.	Gimmonix or Customer according to set thresholds (Query per second)	Customer	Customer
Data storage - Logs and sessions data	Storing this information requires growing costs associated with it. In SaaS we're storing only few days of data, unless the customer is using dedicated servers.	Stored on Gimmonix side for limited time	Stored on Customer side	Stored on Customer side
Scale/control - Who controls the scale and costs of the servers	For most of our audiences, we prefer not to handle their scale/cost or associate those with us (in terms of cost of service associated)	Gimmonix	Customer	Customer
Platform access control - Defines who is controlling the access to the platform.		Gimmonix	"Gimmonix - platform access Customer - cloud access"	Customer
Tech stack / dev framework - The development language used ( for example C# .Net, PHP, Python, Java etc)	Clients that don't develop in C# can't consume our Code (but still can work using our SaaS or PaaS offering)	Any	Any	.Net
Code access - Defined whether the customer have access to Gimmonix source code of the platform		🔴	🔴	✅
Integration and interaction with the platform - Defines using which services (public or internal) the Customer can interact with the platform.		Public API	Internal API (similar to public API)	Public/Internal APIs and custom access
Latency - Overhead and delay caused by cross platform, cross cloud interactions	The closer the platform is to the Customer's own cloud/tech stack, the lower the latency would be	High	Low	Low
Time to implement - Overall effort and time needed to setup and implement Gimmonix's platform.		2-4 Weeks	4-12 Weeks	12-36 Weeks
Security & Risk management
Dependence on provider - Defined the level of technical and business dependency on Gimmonix as platform provider	PaaS (and Base) versions provide Customer with more control over Hardware/Technical infrastructure and ability to resolve certain issues without depending on Gimmonix.	Full	Partial	None
Data sharing - The level of customer's data visibility to Gimmonix	In PaaS (and Base) versions, the information like pricing, reservations, consumer data etc don't leave the environment, while SaaS has a shared environment for all its customers.	Full	Partial	None
Security - The level of security related configuration available to the customer.	While Gimmonix invests into overall safety and security of its Platform, in Paas (and Base) versions the customers have extended means of enhancing security.	Moderate	High	Extended
Redundancy capabilities - What happens in an unlikely event of Gimmonix's inability to deliver technical or operational services.	Paas (and Base) versions have lesser dependence on Gimmonix immediate state. PaaS and Base can continue to operate for a significant period of time.	Limited	Moderate	Full
DRP (disaster recovery protocol) - Some companies want to have a back up plan in place.	Having a DRP carries extra cost as Gimmonix or Customer need to cover additional "deployment" in standby mode.	Offered at extra cost (to both Gimmonix and either its or Customers cloud provider)	Can be offered at extra cost to Customers	Customer decides
SLA - Service level agreement. Defined on case by case basis according to solution scope and account size.	"Gimmonix is offering 2 important aspects of the SLA: Uptime Support service response time Accuracy of data (pricing, mapping etc)"	Custom	Custom	Custom
Maintenance and support
New developments - Who is managing new feature and components development for the platform		Gimmonix	Gimmonix	Gimmonix
Service (maintenance, deployment) - Who is managing updates and upgrades to the platform		Gimmonix	Gimmonix	Gimmonix
Support services - What kind of support is being offered by Gimmonix		Tech support, bug fixes, onboarding, training	"Tech support, bug fixes, onboarding, training DevOps support + PaaS fit/sync with Customers ecosystem"	Post delivery tech assistance for a period of 30-90 days
Business model
Commercial models - Which models are applicable		Licensing or Gain Share	Licensing or Gain Share	Code copy sale
Booking fees - For customers who use our platform for sell hotel products	Not applicable for Mapping standalone	✅	No booking fees	No booking fees
Suppliers paying for bookings to Gimmonix - Some suppliers are paying to Gimmonix for bookings	Gimmonix can choose not to charge booking fees from suppliers, improving competitiveness of prices delivered to Customer	✅	"No - Gain share model Yes - License model"	🔴
Available suppliers - Whether a customer has access to all or part of available suppliers		Only suppliers that are paid for	All suppliers are open at no extra cost	All suppliers are open at no extra cost
Fit for Tech companies - Is the product delivery method relevant in Tech companies sales?	We can't offer SaaS model to Tech companies due to Cloud costs and user sync challenges	🔴	Limited for Internal usage only	Unlimited usage for Internal and External services
Expense classification - How is the licensing classified on Customers side and which budget it may belong to		Opex	Opex	Opex
Cloud platforms as channel
Can be consumed via Cloud marketplaces - Our platform can be accessed via could marketplaces	future looking capability from 2024	🔴	✅	🔴
Can be recognized against committed usage?	Companies can consider purchase via the marketplaces as part of their committed usage to their cloud provider	🔴	✅	🔴