| Enterprise Software is software that | | | | always hosted on servers, and is used by |
| solves an enterprise problem (rather | | | | multiple employees of the same |
| than a departmental problem) and usually | | | | organization. It can also be any |
| enterprise software is written using | | | | software application hosted on a server |
| Enterprise Software Architecture. Due to | | | | which simultaneously provides services |
| the cost of building what is often | | | | to a large number of users, typically |
| proprietary software only large | | | | over a computer network. This definition |
| organizations attempt to build software | | | | contrasts the more common single-user |
| that models the entire business | | | | software applications which run on the |
| enterprise and is the core system of | | | | user's own local computer, and serve |
| governing the enterprise and the core of | | | | only one user at a time. |
| business communications within the | | | | Enterprise software developers |
| enterprise. | | | | Major players in the field include SAP, |
| As many business enterprises have | | | | Microsoft, Altair Engineering and Oracle |
| similar departments and systems, | | | | Corporation but there are thousands of |
| enterprise software is often available | | | | competing vendors. |
| as a suite of programs that have | | | | While not a single company, the open |
| attached development tools to modify the | | | | source movement is now seriously moving |
| common programs for the specific | | | | into the enterprise software market, |
| enterprise. Mostly these development | | | | particularly within the operating system |
| tools are complex programming tools that | | | | and database sectors. While most open |
| require specialist capabilities. Thus, | | | | source software is available freely for |
| one often sees in job advertisements | | | | use and development, some companies have |
| that a programmer is required to have | | | | been built to provide enterprise with |
| specific knowledge of a particular set | | | | open source software free of charge but |
| of tools, such as ". . . must be an SAP | | | | provide a maintenance service, to add to |
| developer" etc. | | | | the software, modify it for the |
| Types of enterprise software | | | | enterprise and to ensure that the |
| Until recently all enterprise software | | | | software continues to be updated should |
| was implemented by a solutioning company | | | | bugs and other fixes be required. |
| within the customer's business offices, | | | | Enterprise-level application |
| or within a data center specifically | | | | Enterprise level software is software |
| built for that enterprise. However, | | | | which provides business logic support |
| recently a new model of distribution of | | | | functionality for an organization, |
| enterprise software has begun competing | | | | typically in commercial organizations, |
| with in-house software. This new model | | | | which aims to improve the organization's |
| is based on a concept named as on-demand | | | | productivity and efficiency. |
| software, or Software as a Service. | | | | Services provided by enterprise software |
| Essentially the on-demand model is made | | | | are typically business-oriented tools |
| possible through the widespread | | | | such as online shopping and online |
| distribution of broadband access to the | | | | payment processing, interactive product |
| Internet; Software as a Service | | | | catalogue, automated billing systems, |
| providers install a series of servers of | | | | etc. |
| their own and give a customer company | | | | Criticisms |
| access to the software via the Internet. | | | | The word enterprise can have various |
| Enterprise software is often categorized | | | | connotations. Sometimes the term is used |
| by the business function that it | | | | merely as a synonym for organization, |
| automates - such as accounting software | | | | whether it be very large (e.g., a |
| or sales force automation software. It | | | | corporation with thousands of |
| also varies by industry verticals due to | | | | employees), very small (a sole |
| common business processes within a | | | | proprietorship), or an intermediate |
| specific industry. There are enterprise | | | | size. Often the term is used only to |
| systems devised for health care, for | | | | refer to very large organizations. |
| example, or for manufacturing | | | | Some enterprise software vendors using |
| enterprises. | | | | the latter definition develop highly |
| Application software | | | | complex products that are often overkill |
| Enterprise application software is | | | | for smaller organizations, and the |
| application software that performs | | | | application of these can be a very |
| business functions such as accounting, | | | | frustrating task. Thus, sometimes |
| production scheduling, customer | | | | "enterprise" might be used sarcastically |
| information tracking, bank account | | | | to mean overly complex software. |
| maintenance, and the like. It is almost | | | | |