Client Applications Through the ASP process, Appoli offers a convenient and economical means of deploying business applications. Outsourcing your business applications will help reduce the burden on your Internal Technology (IT) resources; it lets your organization use new business applications faster and enables a smoother and more predictable cost model for running applications over time. ASP combines the traditional outsourcing principles with the Internet to offer a compelling alternative to the long process of implementing and maintaining software in-house. This also eliminates the upfront costs incurred when you wish to upgrade your IT resources. In the ASP model, your company's software applications are hosted and managed offsite, and accessed either through the internet or VPN (Virtual Private Network). The only technology you need on your premises is the PCs or terminals used to access the applications, and an external network connection. Tangible Benefits of ASP Outsourcing Outsourcing your application hosting to an ASP has many benefits that apply to any type and size of business. The ASP maintains the hardware server "farms" (large facilities of servers) required to efficiently host complex applications and removes the need for companies to buy, maintain and upgrade in-house hardware. The IT cost reductions are not the only reason why ASP outsourcing is attractive. ASP customers can sign up new users or workgroups for an application at almost a moment's notice without the need for complex infrastructure and implementation/resource planning. New users can access the application without expensive upgrades to the local technology environment. This means businesses can get new applications, such as sales force automation or customer relationship management software, up and running faster; can bring on more users or users from remote offices more quickly; and can adapt more easily to merger and acquisition activity. Small businesses and geographically dispersed multinationals alike can capitalize on the benefits of application service providers. The basic pricing model of an outsourced ASP application, which usually includes an initial setup fee plus a monthly rental fee per user, simplifies cash flow management. The fees will not change from month to month because such variables as cost peaks due to upgrades are factored into the cost. Small businesses can afford to implement applications quickly. And ASP clients don't need to worry about operating system, database or application user-license fees and compliance because the ASP bundles all the license fees within the single monthly fee. Intangible Benefits of ASP Outsourcing However, for many businesses the tangible costs of the rent-an-application model are less important than the possible intangible benefits, which include: Rapid deployment of applications in response to business change or growth. Reduced need to purchase new and rapidly depreciating hardware or software. Easier projection and management of information technology (IT) cash flows over an application's life cycle. Reduced need to compete for hard-to-find and expensive-to-retain IT personnel. Rapid roll-out of applications to geographically dispersed business units. Potential for small businesses to use and grow into big-ticket application suites.