11/05 - ASP Advantages

ASP is a relatively new programming language that has been developed in order to enable computer programs of all types to be used over the internet/web environment.

There are many advantages to having a company which utilizes an ASP enabled computer program. Most of these advantages arise out of the ability of ASP enabled computer programs to efficiently run in the internet/world wide web environment.

No Expensive Network Necessary or Software Upgrades
Since the ASP computer run program is operational through the internet, there is absolutely no reason to invest in any type of networking software or hardware for your company. As we all know, a good network can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As a substitute for an expensive in-house network, ASP enables a company's computer program to run on the internet itself and it is YOURS virtually free (No maintenance either, since suppliers keep it functioning perfectly for you).

In addition to the tremendous initial expense of creating in-house network, most network owner veterans cringe at the recollection of the tremendous technical support, repair and maintenance expenses associated with such a system. Since ASP enabled computer programs are internet/World Wide Web based, you, as the owner or any authorized person, can access your program from anywhere at any time (Home, office, yacht, row-boat, or the Himalayas, during business hours or at 4am in the morning).

ASP's are more attractive than ever. Coupled with Microsoft's new license enforcement companies stand to see significant savings by utilizing services hosted by authorized ASP. Here is an example, an organization has ten users running Office 97 Standard or Office 2000 Standard and they want to upgrade to Office XP Standard the purchase price for the Office XP Licenses are as follows:

10 Users @ $377.00 = 3770 without software assurance
10 Users @ $595.00 = $5950 with software assurance

Utilizing an ASP alternative would eliminate such extreme costs. Add to these savings the fact that an ASP provides support, anti-virus, backup's, and a higher level of redundancy then is typical for a small organization and the ASP model truly provides a cost effective reliable solution for the small to medium business.

Self-Maintaining, Self-Supporting, Self-Updating
An internet accessible computer program functioning through the use of ASP can take advantage of all the automatic functions available through the internet itself. The program can reap the benefit of downloading all updates, modifications and protection and repair functions for the program itself, automatically, from the internet. This avoids the large expense and time necessary to update or modify a conventional non-ASP program.

Security Features
ASP based computer programs hosted by Application Service Providers are able to benefit from continuously and automatically updated firewalls, virus and hacker protection. The cost to install such systems into a conventional computer program within a company itself would be prohibitive for any company other than the very largest in the industry. Even these protection systems installed onto conventional computer programs would not automatically update nor evolve in order to protect against the ever changing computer security threats. In contrast, an ASP based computer program would be capable of benefiting from the multi-million dollar, 24-hour security protection and monitoring systems made available by an Applications Service Provider which hosts the system.

On a conventional computer program system the data is backed up intermittently. This means that if there is a system breakdown time will be lost. This could result a loss of a tremendous amount of client data. Again, in contrast, with an ASP based computer program can have a continuous backup meaning no loss of data.

Outsourcing Your System
You can achieve much higher reliability using a software program outsourcer (ASP model) in some cases simply because an outsourcer can offer you 24x7 management of the systems, whereas if you are not big enough to have three full-time shifts managing your system, you can't really afford to do that," notes Michael Osterman, president and founder of Osterman Research Inc. in Black Diamond, WA. "If, for example, an organization of 500 users wanted 24x7 access and management, the cost would almost be prohibitive, simply because having three shifts of people, plus people there on weekends is very expensive for a company of that size."

"But the beauty of what we do is that the software is placed into the hands of our customers, through the Internet, so they don't need to worry about installing stuff on their end… They actually get more control than they could ever have, or have the skill or the money to develop on their own," says Black, the president and CEO of The Electric Mail Company, Inc.

"Outsourcing makes sense, because it is more complex than people anticipate." In fact, Karen Moser, senior research analyst at International Data Corp. in Framingham, Mass., says a lot of enterprises decide to handle systems in-house first, and then realize how difficult it is and how much time and energy it takes to maintain. "And I think that is when they come back and say, 'Hey, this outsourcing is not such a bad idea after all. I think I want to do that'" she says.

Flexibility and Speed
Custom systems and applications can work very well, but are prone to high long-term ownership costs because they are inherently inflexible. A primary requirement of any software system is that it has to continue to be useful over time. However, websites change - and change rapidly, and so do businesses. Accordingly, software systems need to be able to change continuously over time - not just catch-up to system front-end changes, but to facilitate them. A system needs to incorporate very rapid methods to adjust workflow, access control, asset management parameters, and connections to other systems. A custom system simply cannot meet these needs without keeping the developers of that system captive to ongoing development. In essence, the "build" option is actually "build and keep rebuilding." As experienced software developers know, it takes three or four tries to get any piece of software right. Developing a complex system from scratch is unlikely to produce optimum results. The result of custom-built software is likely to be an inflexible system, a never-ending development project, or both. A turnkey, fully managed solution at a lower price can be hard to beat. Because outsourced ASP model systems are bundled with implementation and support services, projects tend to have very rapid development cycles. Outsourcing the install and development elements, along with rapid project timelines keep strain on a client's internal teams very low. The same goes for ongoing support, which is provided by the outsourced provider. Surprisingly, the risk of an outsourced solution is typically lower than that for an installed product. First, implementation is likely to be quicker and simpler - and to be done by folks who are experts on the product, reducing risk of a poorly or partially implemented project.

In a quote from E Market.com, the average timeline for implementing an ASP model software vs. Shrink - wrapped software: (shrink-wrapped 1-2 years) vs (ASP 3-6 months).

ASP and Your Retail Furniture Company
Besides the fact that you don't need to purchase pricey hardware or hire a computer technician to ensure security and reliability, using an ASP presents many benefits for the furniture store owner, managers, and employees. The only necessity to access yoru computer system is an internet connection. You can use the ASP software on any laptop, computer, or PDA, or cell phone that has an Internet connection. You can check to see your daily revenue at your kid's soccer game, or see what time your employees got to work from the furniture show in China. You can also have as many locations and users using the software simultaneously without paying for extra licenses. Furniture store owners can get back to purchasing low, selling high, and creating great advertising, and stop worrying about whether a certain delivery went out, where a certain nightstand is, and why Kathy, their salesperson, doesn't charge for fabric protection or delivery. You can finally grow without having to pay for additional licenses or worrying what fee might be assessed. Spend more time doing what you do. Run your company, and stop worrying about hardware and software.