Application service providers are positioning themselves as The Next Big Thing in law office technology. And at January's Legal Tech show in New York, they were out in force. If the acronym is unfamiliar, you are not alone. The software sits on the ASP's server, you tap into it via a simple Web connection, and your data remains stored with the ASP, available for you or anybody else in your firm. ASPs began to emerge in 1998, but came on strong to the legal market only recently.
ASPs are attractive to smaller firms.
They provide a range of applications without substantial capital outlays or the need for in-house technology expertise. No special hardware is required save for a computer and an Internet connection, and there is no software to purchase, install and update, since the only software required is usually a standard Web browser. ASPs also promise integration, meaning that disparate office applications work together using a common interface. But there are downsides. Applications provided through an ASP allow only a limited degree of customization and demand a high-speed Internet connection.