The Internet's interconnectivity impacts how people communicate, conduct research, and make transactions. Today, companies are in the process of converting business systems from mainframe and PC based plaforms to the web using a variety of net-centric technologies. This is true for companies of all sizes, and even new companies must be conscious of the need to be compliant with web-based technologies from the beginning. The transition to the Internet may be difficult for certain business systems. They host the applications on their data center infrastructure, and lease the applications to customers.
Customers remotely access the software via an Internet browser or thin client.
The ASP is also responsible for managing, upgrading, and supporting the applications, as well as conducting data backup services for the customers as required. ASPs are already providing a wide variety of business applications on an outsourced basis. There are many reasons for companies to use ASPs. Most often, doing so enables a customer to conduct a survey through the web saving resources and gaining efficiency. The ASP model is very attractive because it substantially lowers the total cost of conducting a web-based survey.