We've been trying to find bona fide customers who have signed up to receive IT services based on the ASP model. We're not having a lot of luck. Let's not exaggerate though - there are some, but there are far fewer than all the attention and hype would lead you to believe. First let's define what we're talking about. ASPs deliver application functionality across a network to multiple customers using a rental pricing model.
Customers typically pay on a monthly or per task basis.
Key parts of the software normally reside on the ASP's servers, where customer data may also sometimes be hosted. So what we are seeing here, in many respects, is a return to the time-sharing bureaux approach of early mainframe days. The difference now is that modern communications and internet standards make it possible to conceive of ASPs working on a much wider global scale. This description already gives us some clues as to why there could be some delay. This is potentially a major change in both business and technology models, and could affect everything from the licensing terms of software suppliers to the staffing needs of the average IT department.