㈠ 急求一篇有关ASP的5000字英文,好心人帮下忙

Application service provider

An application service provider (ASP) is a business that provides computer-based services to customers over a network. Software offered using an ASP model is also sometimes called On-demand software or software as a service (SaaS). The most limited sense of this business is that of providing access to a particular application program (such as customer relationship management) using a standard protocol such as HTTP.

The need for ASPs has evolved from the increasing costs of specialized software that have far exceeded the price range of small to medium sized businesses. As well, the growing complexities of software have led to huge costs in distributing the software to end-users. Through ASPs, the complexities and costs of such software can be cut down. In addition, the issues of upgrading have been eliminated from the end-firm by placing the onus on the ASP to maintain up-to-date services, 24 x 7 technical support, physical and electronic security and in-built support for business continuity and flexible working.

The importance of this marketplace is reflected by its size. As of early 2003[update], estimates of the United States market range from 1.5 to 4 billion dollars. Clients for ASP services include businesses, government organizations, non-profits, and membership organizations.

Provider types
There are several forms of ASP business. These are:

A specialist or functional ASP delivers a single application, such as credit card payment processing or timesheet services;
A vertical market ASP delivers a solution package for a specific customer type, such as a dental practice;
An enterprise ASP delivers broad spectrum solutions;
A local ASP delivers small business services within a limited area.
Some analysts identify a volume ASP as a fifth type. This is basically a specialist ASP that offers a low cost packaged solution via their own website. PayPal was an instance of this type, and their volume was one way to lower the unit cost of each transaction.

In addition to these types, some large multi-line companies (such as IBM), use ASP concepts as a particular business model that supports some specific customers.

[edit] The ASP model
The application software resides on the vendor's system and is accessed by users through a web browser using HTML or by special purpose client software provided by the vendor. Custom client software can also interface to these systems through XML APIs. These APIs can also be used where integration with in-house systems is required.

Common features associated with ASPs include:

ASP fully owns and operates the software application(s)
ASP owns, operates and maintains the servers that support the software
ASP makes information available to customers via the Internet or a "thin client"
ASP bills on a "per-use" basis or on a monthly/annual fee
The advantages to this approach include:

Software integration issues are eliminated from the client site
Software costs for the application are spread over a number of clients
Vendors can build more application experience than the in-house staff
Key software systems are kept up to date, available, and managed for performance by experts
Improved reliability, availability, scalability and security of internal IT systems
A provider's service level agreement guarantees a certain level of service
Access to proct and technology experts dedicated to available procts
Rection of internal IT costs to a predictable monthly fee.
Redeploying IT staff and tools to focus on strategic technology projects that impact the enterprise's bottom line
Some inherent disadvantages include:

The client must generally accept the application as provided since ASPs can only afford a customized solution for the largest clients
The client may rely on the provider to provide a critical business function, thus limiting their control of that function and instead relying on the provider
Changes in the ASP market may result in changes in the type or level of service available to clients
Integration with the client's non-ASP systems may be problematic
Evaluating an Application Service Provider security when moving to an ASP infrastructure can come at a high cost, as such a firm must assess the level of risk associated with the ASP itself. Failure to properly account for such risk can lead to:

Loss of control of corporate data
Loss of control of corporate image
Insufficient ASP security to counter risks
Exposure of corporate data to other ASP customers
Compromise of corporate data
Some other risks include failure to account for the financial future of the ASP in general, i.e. how stable a company is and if it has the resources to continue business into the foreseeable future. For these reasons Cisco Systems has developed a comprehensive evaluation guideline. This guideline includes evaluating the scope of the ASP's service, the security of the program and the ASP's maturity with regard to security awareness. Finally the guidelines indicate the importance of performing audits on the ASP with respect to:

Port/Network service
Application vulnerability
ASP Personnel
Physical visits to the ASP to assess the formality of the organization will provide invaluable insight into the awareness of the firm.

[edit] History
In terms of their common goal of enabling customers to outsource specific computer applications so they can focus on their core competencies, ASPs may be regarded as the indirect descendants of the service bureaus of the 1960s and 1970s. In turn, those bureaus were trying to fulfill the vision of computing as a utility, which was first proposed by John McCarthy in a speech at MIT in 1961.

ASP的意涵与特性
ASP( Application Service Provider,应用软体租赁服务提供者 )即是指「透过网络以租赁方式提供应用软体服务的业者」,即是指业者以应用软体为主体,透过网路一对多地传递服务,这种以服务为主的交易模式促使企业可藉由租赁的方式,以更符合成本效益的方式拥有软体的使用权,并且亦能因为业者集中式的管理而大幅降低企业维护的成本.
基本上,ASP即具有「软体服务化,服务网路化」,「资讯委外服务与网路结合」与「产品通路化,通路产品化」等三大特性,其甚至可以被视为是ISP（Internet Service Provider）与ITS（Information Technology Service）的结合.
根据流行的观点，ASP有如下五个核心内涵：
a. ASP着重应用为中心，提供对于应用方面的访问和管理。
b. ASP服务可以为用户提供没有在服务器、人员、系统和系统授权等前期资源投入情况下就可以在“定制”的全新应用系统环境进行访问的服务，如ISP，而这样的服务一般按月份ASP收取服务费。
c. ASP采用集中管理的方式---ASP一般都有一个管理中心，所有的客户通过INTERNET来进行远程访问，获得技术支持和咨询服务。
d. 一对多的服务，也就是讲，ASP提供的是标准化的产品包，产品都是最低程度的自定义或者没有实现客户定制化，对于行业用户来讲已经达到实用方便的标准。
e. 按照合同交付，在ASP客户的眼中，ASP是一家根据客户协议内容提供相关服务，保证应用服务系统服务可以得到确实履行的机构。
2. ASP为什么会火？
从大的方面来讲，困扰国内企业生存、发展的核心问题是管理问题。随着互联网络的普及和应用的深入，企业用户可以随时随地直接租用ASP的服务器和软件系统来进行自己的业务管理，这样做的好处在于；第一，企业可以节省大笔用于IT建设方面的资金，大幅度降低企业管理信息化的成本。第二，ASP的用户可以采用各种方式获得应用和服务，软件类服务产品完全可以通过网络在非常短的时间内组成一个完善的、高效的、先进的企业管理系统，迅速获得企业一体化的运营管理方案。
网络经济发展突飞猛进，电子商务一日千里，网络和网站从门户到内容、从注意力到垂直性，目前逐渐转向热衷ASP也是一个主要的原因。
笔者资料中，国内最早对ASP触电的是网友“飞鸟”，在1998年6月自发组织了研究、交流和探讨ASP技术的“飞鸟之家”，现在已经发展成为chinaasp.com，成为国内最早的ASP应用技术服务提供商网站。上海的互易网络有限公司结合国内实际情况，推出了为国内企业服务的ASP平台互易网，向企业提供以电子商务为核心的，企业内、外部网络设施和应用的远程构架和托管服务，创造虚拟企业门户（EP）直接将ASP应用到商业增殖环节中去。
此外，ISP也全面转向ASP的怀抱，成为ISP进一步发展的产物。软件商对于ASP更是情有独钟。业界最新的消息是，中国第三电信“网通”已经制定ASP发展战略，国内最大的管理咨询公司“汉普”将把旗下八个子公司定位在企业内部资源计划管理（ERP）领域的ASP中，北京“联成互动”瞄准客户关系管理（CRM）领域的ASP，北京“数码方舟”定位在网络办公的ASP，HP正在和中国建设银行讨论共建金融领域的ASP。
ASP正在IT经济大潮中显山露水，其发展前景不可估量。
3. ASP的发展阶段和面临的问题
以网络服务商、软件厂商和ISP为主力的各种IT角色，正在根据自己的优势条件出发对ASP领域进行多种方面的尝试。就目前阶段来讲，ASP提供的服务不计其数五花八门，没有标准化和量化的概念，硬件厂商向ASP的“土壤”和势力方向靠拢，软件厂商和ISP则直接参与到ASP业务的第一线。
笔者估计，经过一段时间的试探和发展，ASP将向服务集成方面发展，产品和服务初步的标准化将很快建立起来，接着进入到市场细化和标准制定、ASP产品成熟时期，ASP的稳步增长，最终将成为IT行业商务模式的核心！
目前在ASP发展的道路上，主要面临的问题是观念的转变方面：用租赁代替购买，服务集成代替产品经销商、服务经济代替产品经济等等。具体到实际方面来讲，安全和服务的质量是ASP和客户共同关心的头等大事，要实现ASP提出的“租赁高科技”的口号，ASP任重而道远！