partial answer:

interesting idea about having offline service on your server. I suppose the only advantage would be if you had a problem with your internet connection? I can’t really see another reason for offline access?
but the beauty about web2.0 tools is you can usually ditch your own servers and save a bunch of $
Solve’s server status is here http://status.norada.com/

from within either Project Blogs, Contacts, and Activities, click: Data -> Export

VUwildcat04 - Feb 24, 2010 11:06am

I understand the concept of “archiving” but how long is our information available on your servers? We like to keep all of our records.

Furthermore, is there a way that we can also host on our own server, so that we have offline access to everything, should the need arise?

Finally, if anything happens and we decide we want all of our information, how can we get it? Is it possible to get all of our information, say 5 years from now, if we choose another company, or something happens to our company, and we want all of it?

Solve360 is part of a new generation of companies called “Software as a Service.“  Instead of buying the software, you as the customer are entering into a service agreement. Each month, you pay a small fee, and in return, you get the service.

Most SaaS providers market their service as the end product, the actual software. But you’re actually getting the hosting servers, the back up data centers, the technicians who maintain both the software and hardware, and the support team.

I wrote a little bit about this here on the topic of Google vs. Microsoft: http://bit.ly/acBQm3

Unlike traditional software or IT solutions, S360 needs your customer satisfaction every single month because it is offering a service - you can backup, export and leave at any time. Their API is very robust, if your company needs a more intensely local solution there is that possibility, though my guess is once you start using it, you won’t see the need.

I understand where you’re coming from. in the traditional model, IT companies thrived on lock-ins and creating instant legacy (they use the term “mature) solutions. But here you’re paying a nominal fee instead of the 25K quotes for custom DBs that need to be changed every 2-3 years. So instead, the business model for Norada is less about the short term and more about the long term - winning your business every month for about a cellphone bill at a time.

Imagine, “IT guys” who want you to actually be happy with the solution!

cheers
adrian

Additional notes:

The “archiving” field found on the contact/company/project blog pages does not change the way the information is managed, it simply removes the item from the default reports i.e. the item is still available using a different search criteria and still counts against your storage quota etc.  We never remove client data - it is there for as long as you have your account with us.

And yes, the administrator of your account can export all of the data at any time in a database friendly format - not just a flat-file i.e. all relationships such as tags, notes, tasks etc are all preserved.