ASP FAQs
What does "ASP" mean?
ASP stands for Application Service Provider, and at Stargate this means easy access to applications, anywhere, anytime. Whether you're on the road, in a hotel or at home, you can access the same software applications and the same data, with exactly the same look and feel as if you were in your own office.
It doesn't matter which operating system you use?Windows, Mac, Linux, DOS?you name it. Even if your organization is running more than one operating system, you get the same information, with the same user interface, from the same data source, no matter where you are in the world. Hassle-free access to your data is available to your application via a variety of connection methods, including the Internet, ISDN or ADSL.
With ASP partners providing the software and software integration expertise, and Stargate Connections providing the connectivity, network infrastructure, management and services, we offer a suite of high-quality solutions to meet your ASP needs.
Why should I consider using an ASP?
Accessing your software applications via Stargate benefits your business. Here are the top 10 reasons companies choose to use an ASP:
- Worldwide Access, 24x7
- Faster, Scalable Deployment
- Lower Costs
- Single, Central Database
- Competitive Edge
- Maximization of IT Resources
- Full Application Functionality
- Access to World Class Applications
- Seamless Interface With Any Operating System
- Focus on Your Core Business
Worldwide Access, 24x7
Whether you are several time zones away, or working from home, an ASP solution gives you access to the applications you need to do your job, with exactly the same look and control as if you were in your own office. Especially for companies with users who travel, having access worldwide means that no matter where you are, you have hassle-free access to the latest company information.
Faster, Scalable Deployment
Are your IT needs changing? Do you require access to the latest and greatest technology? Does your growing company need to add more users quickly? Or are you part of a merger and acquisition, and must have everyone working in the same software programs right away--maybe from offices half way around the world?
Whether you're a new business or an expanding one, an ASP solution can provide a quicker deployment than is possible via a local area network (LAN). Being quicker to market equals a competitive edge.
Lower Costs
Using information technology in your business gives you a competitive edge. But to stay competitive, you're faced with the increasing costs of diverse and expensive hardware, software and network technology, all of which can be obsolete by the time they are installed.
With access to an existing network and operational applications, an ASP solution spares you the expense of creating, running and maintaining a complex infrastructure. The system is operated and managed by teams of skilled, experienced specialists, and your costs become controllable and predictable
The ASP model provides substantial cost advantages over other forms of application deployment, both initially and over time.
| Traditional Desktop Model | Client/Server or Network Computing Model | ASP Model | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-year total | 100% | 114% | 56% |
| Second-year total | 100% | 96% | 48% |
| Four-year total | 100% | 85% | 35% |
Source: The Tolly Group, June 1999
Single, Central Database
If you have remote users or satellite offices, you know how difficult it can be to keep your database information current. Now your staff can access and update details in real time, and share all of the latest information with their co-workers. That means no more selling that last unit in stock to two different customers!
Your database stays in a central location within a secure environment that keeps it clean from possible corruption and software viruses. Since it is no longer copied to various locations, there's far less risk of data error.
Competitive Edge
In today's rapidly changing business environment, success depends on the speed at which an organization can empower its employees and service its customers. Technology plays a strategic role in service, and of all the tools available, applications are the most critical. Organizations that can extend the reach of business-critical applications to users wherever, whenever and however they are needed, have a strategic advantage in our highly competitive business world.
Maximization of IT Resources
Its is increasingly difficult to find skilled IT personnel who are knowledgeable in the multiple systems needed to ensure that your organization runs smoothly. Given the time it takes to keep your systems and users operational, your in-house staff often don't have time to ensure your network is running at an optimal level.
The more your company grows, the more your IT department needs to grow to keep up with the demands of your organization--or that's how it used to be before ASPs came along. Now you can transfer new projects and IT functions to experts who work for you, off-site, on an as-needed basis.
Full Application Functionality
A native application is software that is usually loaded onto a local PC hard drive. It has all the functionality that you use today and all of the performance you require to do your job. In contrast, some Web-based applications already available via the Internet offer only partial functionality, fewer security features, and poor performance in comparison. At Stargate Connections, we offer the robust, stable native applications you've come to rely on.
Access to World Class Applications
For small to mid-sized businesses, and in some cases, even large businesses with specialized departments, the software you need may be out of your budget's reach. With an ASP solution, the applications you need are available when needed, without an increase in your infrastructure or personnel costs. While creating the required network from the ground up is prohibitive, an ASP solution can bring world class applications back within reach.
Seamless Interface With Any Operating System
No matter which operating systems you use, or if several are used across your organization, any application deployed by Stargate Connections can be accessed via any operating system. Whether you're running Windows, Mac or Linux, you can access any application, from anywhere in the world, any time of the day or night.
Focus on Your Core Business
Applications enable organizations to generate revenue, offer new and better services, and enhance overall productivity. But as IT has become more and more specialized, the expertise required to manage it effectively has also become specialized, expensive and hard to locate. Before you know it, you may be spending far too much time and money on running applications, instead of building your business.
You know what your company needs to succeed, because you know what your company does best. When you are dealing with a complex specialty such as IT, it makes good business sense to hire experts to look after the details, so you can focus on your core business.
How does ASP work?
Stargate partners with independent software vendors, and software resellers and integrators to deploy brand-name software applications from our in-house datacentre via a variety of connection methods (ISDN, ADSL, fiber, etc.) All of the necessary file, print, database and application servers are located in and managed centrally from our secure facilities, with the applications running on high performance, multi-user enabled Windows NT? servers.
Server-based computing means deploying existing software applications, managing them, and supporting them, all from a server located in our data centre. Users at our corporate client sites use thin client or "dumb" terminals to connect to their files at our facility, all the while enjoying hassle-free computing, available 24x7. Benefits include lower costs for their IT infrastructure and management, easy-to-use computing services, fast, reliable performance and high levels of security for client data. Delivering these features is the priority of our management and our professional staff.