LIMS in the Cloud: The Compelling Case for Moving to SaaS

The laboratory data generation, collection and management world are changing in ways, many of our mentors could never have imagined. The scope of analytical testing has expanded ultra-sensitive instrumentation, to real-time measurements in the environments, use of drones for sample collection, IOT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence) and at the core is increased, secure, fully scalable computing power. Strategically as well as financially, hosting enterprises solutions may not be the best option for some businesses. However, for small, mid-sized or even many large organizations that lack the capital to invest in hardware, or the IT resources, having access to powerful enterprise systems could be a game changer for their business. Organizations that are evaluating options for selecting and deploying a LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) need to consider Software as a Service deployment, not only for speed and security, but also cost savings. In addition to not having to invest a significant amount in purchasing hardware, there are also significant labor savings in not having to have highly trained system administrators on staff, especially if IT is not the company’s core competency. We will review a ROI calculator to better understand the saving potential of moving to the cloud, along with discussions on the various “flavors” of clouds, private, shared or hybrid, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each. This presentation will focus on the real-world examples of SaaS in today’s analytical laboratory, along with other technologies that will increase efficiencies, and maximize resources so that much more will be able to be achieved with the same or even fewer resources. This presentation will also evaluate the pros and cons of on-premises deployments versus SaaS.