Salesforce at 15: Industry disruptor wards off midlife crisis [Video]

A look at the cloud software industry pioneer as it heads toward $5 billion in annual sales

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Salesforce.com recently celebrated its 15th year in existence, and as the SaaS (software-as-a-service) vendor races toward US$5 billion in revenue its influence on the industry is being felt more than ever. At the same time, some signs indicate that Salesforce.com is having a few growing pains, as well as showing some trappings of the mega-vendors it once mocked with its “End of Software” marketing campaign.

Fifteen years is a significant length of time, and Salesforce.com has certainly kept itself busy so far. Here’s a look back at the company’s long-term influence on the software industry, a snapshot of where it stands now, and a look into what its future may hold.

The Past

Defining the cloud:“Salesforce.com really established the cloud as a viable platform for enterprise applications,” said analyst Frank Scavo, managing partner of IT consulting firm …