How SLED Organizations Can Save Time and Money Managing SaaS Applications
As state, local, and education (SLED) organizations continue to modernize IT infrastructure, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms play a critical role in digital transformation efforts. However, managing these platforms efficiently – all while maintaining compliance with evolving regulations and protecting sensitive data – presents a unique set of challenges.
The complexity of the cloud requires strenuous effort from administrators just to manage their environment (not to mention the nitty-gritty details of their everyday business tasks), while keeping security in place. Beyond this, there is immense pressure for IT teams to save time and money in scaling SaaS management as IT budgets change priorities.
For SLED organizations, where strict data protection laws apply (think FERPA, HIPAA, and state-specific regulations), the stakes are even higher. Agencies and educational institutions must balance efficiency, security, and compliance amidst an IT landscape that only continues to evolve.
How can administrators enable IT agility without sacrificing security and compliance to scale and maximize their SaaS investments? It starts with three core strategies: delegated administration, storage optimization, and vendor consolidation.
Delegated Administration
SLED organizations often support a wide network of departments, campuses, or agencies, each with their own technological needs. Relying on a central IT team to manage every user, permission, or policy creates bottlenecks and increases the risk of human error.
For the average SaaS administrator, managing permissions alone can take up 20% of their time – and this is likely much higher in the public sector where proper (often manual) documentation of security controls is a necessity. Delegated administration allows IT leaders to distribute administrative responsibilities to trusted stakeholders while enforcing role-based access controls.
This approach:
- Reduces response time for routine admin tasks
- Lightens the load on central IT teams
- Maintains visibility and accountability through audit trails
For the average SaaS administrator, managing permissions alone can take up 20% of their time – and this is likely much higher in the public sector where proper (often manual) documentation of security controls is a necessity. Delegated administration allows IT leaders to distribute administrative responsibilities to trusted stakeholders while enforcing role-based access controls. This approach:
- Reduces response time for routine admin tasks
- Lightens the load on central IT teams
- Maintains visibility and accountability through audit trails
When implemented effectively, delegated administration gives users the access they need without sacrificing governance or security.
Storage Optimization
Cloud storage may seem limitless, but storing redundant or outdated data can quickly drive up costs and clutter your environment. This is especially true in education or public sector organizations that retain records for years due to legal mandates.
Storage optimization helps SLED organizations:
- Identify and archive stale or redundant data
- Enforce retention and deletion policies aligned with regulations
- Improve searchability and system performance
With proper data classification and lifecycle management, IT teams can cut costs, reduce clutter, and maintain compliance with data retention laws.
Vendor Consolidation
It’s common for public sector organizations to rely on a patchwork of third-party tools, each solving for one piece of the puzzle. But managing multiple vendors adds complexity, drives up costs, and increases risk exposure.
Consolidating tools into a unified platform can:
- Simplify vendor management and procurement
- Reduce training and onboarding time
- Improve integration across backup, compliance, and collaboration tools
In a time where agencies are expected to “do more with less,” consolidating vendors is a mission-critical tactic to keep costs lean without sacrificing efficiency. Fewer tools also mean fewer silos – and more time for IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.
Maximizing SLED Efficiency with AvePoint Solutions
The AvePoint Confidence Platform helps SLED organizations put these strategies into action. With built-in capabilities for delegated administration (without needing to manage multiple tenants), intelligent storage management, and broad platform coverage, IT teams can manage SaaS environments securely, efficiently, and at scale with AvePoint.
Ready to streamline your SaaS operations? Learn more about how AvePoint supports SLED organizations.
Jared Matfess is an AI Architect at AvePoint with over two decades of industry and consulting experience. A former Microsoft MVP and a recently published author, he loves solving business problems with technology. He frequently speaks at industry events and conferences, inspiring teams to realize the full potential of their investment in Microsoft technologies.
