How do we define...As a Service...

With the ...as a service... model picking up we have Infra-as-a-service, Integration-as-a-service..what not. So what would constitute this 'service'? In my view, Service can be defined / made up of
1. The value or benefit that it offers to the consumers like infra, integration, data etc
2. Offered at a mutual agreed quality (QoS parameters such as Performance, security, Availability etc)
3. through a defined interface or access point
4. priced based on the type and/or volume of usage
Now this does not really talk about the location of the service yet. So this means the service could actually be coming out of one of the servers within the organization and be consumed by users of the same organization. So when we talk about cloud computing, 'as-a-service' is a necessary condition but not a sufficient one!

Some thoughts to kick start this blog...

We are a set of data architects with varied strengths and experiences. The commonality is we all came from a System Integration/Tech consulting background and have now moved into a common group 'SaaS' (Software-as-a-service). A transformation from a services mindset to a product mindset. A transformation from an on-premise or Appln Dev Maintenacne mindset to a SaaS / on the cloud mindset. We want to explore how to adapt the data architectures we learnt into this transformation. We want to then go beyond mere data architectures as well.
As we embark on this journey to enlightenment, we want to share our experiences , views and solicit feedback, suggestions including brickbats(!!) from peers...