DOs and DON'Ts for Selecting Vendor Partners DO choose a vendor that is E-rate eligible. DO examine the vendor's privacy policy carefully. Having a privacy policy does not mean it's a good privacy policy. Many unsuspecting consumers glance at a company's privacy policy and assume it says what it should. DO talk to your peers.
Word of mouth is ultimately the most reliable source of endorsement for a product.
Be sure to ask for references from vendors you are considering, and follow up with a phone call. Most educators are happy to discuss good experiences with technology products and are even more apt to share the bad experiences. Keep good notes in one place to consult when it comes time to commit to a vendor. Briefly, ASPs are third-party entities that provide services and solutions to customers across the Internet from a central data center. An ASP can provide integrated, custom, secure communication tools at a fraction of the cost of buying and installing servers, routers, hubs, expensive software and upgrades.