Most people will be familiar with ISPs, or Internet Service Providers. Here in Vanuatu, there is only one ie. Telecom Vanuatu. The lack of choice of ISP inhibits options and flexibility, keeps prices high, and reduces the incentive to improve quality and service. Nonetheless, progress is being made, and the recent introduction of ADSL (high-speed internet through a phone line) is an example. Such progress makes the use of ASPs more feasible, ie. Application Service Providers.
Increased and widespread access to an always-on internet connection leads to the availability of a wider array of internet-based services. More than just automatic anti-virus, spyware, firewall and operating system updates to maintain protection against the 'bad people', and more than instant sending and receiving of emails, and more than greater accessibility to friends and customers through the likes of chat and voice-over-IP (VOIP). It now becomes possible to outsource entire applications and business processes.
Outsourcing an application that traditionally runs on a computer or on a shared server inside a business/organisation is what Application Service Providers do. You might be running Mind Your Own Business software to handle all the accounting, sales and inventory information – this means purchasing the software, buying and maintaining appropriate hardware for it (typically a central server so that both back-office computers and front-office tills can access it), and having it all installed and configured.
What if instead of all this, you simply paid a low monthly subscription based on the number of users you needed? Within hours, and with nothing more than an internet connection, you could have the same functionality. Even better, in addition to the accounting, sales and inventory functions that you have outsourced, you also get professional maintenance of the supporting servers and software, and non-stop backups using technology well beyond the budget of most businesses in Vanuatu, all at no extra cost. And all available online from anywhere in the world.
No need to worry about managing complicated hardware and software, and keeping it up to date. No need to worry about making sure you can deal with disasters like fire, flood or theft – restore your internet connection, and your business systems are back again, just as they were. You still need to worry about all other aspects of business, but at least the IT systems that underpin it are much simpler and more bullet-proof.
ASPs hold much promise, One of the major reasons they are not commonly used is lack of awareness. People also worry about the safety and privacy of data, even though both issues are far better handled by a professional business that depends on safety and privacy for success. Still, ASPs have a way to go before they are as quick and easy as they should be – and in Vanuatu at least, using an ASP places an absolute reliance on an internet connection from a single supplier. Internet performance here simply is not good enough to support ASP use, but it is coming. Keep it in mind.
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- Tony Phelps is part of the Merlin Pacific IT team, dedicated to effective & efficient business IT.
For your convenience, this article and its links can be found on merlinpacific.net - discuss this or any other IT topic online with VIGNET (Vanuatu Internet User Group) - register free at http://lists.spc.int/mailman/listinfo/vignet_lists.spc.int All welcome!
