Application Service Provider Model: Perspectives and Challenges

− With the advance of Internet technology and network bandwidth, Application Service Provider (ASP) mode of computing is becoming a very attractive target of the next wave of Internet revolution. However, the ASP model and its implementation technologies have not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper we highlight the essence, benefits, and importance of the ASP model as the first form of commercial service-based computing, and the interplay of the ASP model and component technologies. We survey the main supporting technologies for ASP, identify major challenges to the development of ASP applications, and propose solution approaches. We predict that the ASP model coupled with service standardization will lead to networked economy in which cooperative and specialized computing will be realized at the service level.