And the more I have those limited resources working on back office functions like e-mail and accounting, the less time they have to be working on functions that are specific to the agency s mission. We need to free these people up. It is very cost effective, Molaski says. The agency is paying USinternetworking Inc., an Annapolis, Md. ASP, a flat fee per user, or seat, for the service. And even though ASPs offer many of the benefits of simply outsourcing information technology operations, there are barriers to the acceptance of the new approach.
Agencies also hesitate when envisioning their data flowing over the Internet.
ASPs, however, claim that they use a host of security systems at both ends of the link. The answer is yes. Nevertheless, experts say, agencies should investigate the security implications and should inquire about possible performance degradation when using the Internet. An ASP by any Other Color ASPs have sprung up as a result of the increasing viability and reliability of the Internet as a means for distributing software services. The market is as confusing as it is turbulent.