In a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, who is responsible for system maintenance?

In a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, the provider is responsible for system maintenance. This is one of the defining characteristics of the SaaS delivery model. The service provider manages all aspects of the software, including updates, security, infrastructure, and maintenance. This allows customers to focus on using the software to meet their needs without needing to worry about the underlying hardware or software management.

This responsibility contrasts sharply with other models, such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS), where customers may need to manage more elements of the cloud solution. In those models, the customer typically has to handle maintenance tasks to varying degrees. However, for SaaS, the emphasis is on simplicity and ease of use for customers, who do not have to deal with system maintenance at all—the provider takes care of it completely.