The evolution of web-based optimisation: From ASP to e-Services

In many application domains, optimisation and other analytic models are often embedded as a decision engine within the respective business processes. In this paper, we study recent trends in the provision of optimisation tools and optimisation-based decision support systems (DSS) as web-enabled distributed applications. We analyse the evolution from the Application Service Provision (ASP) model to the e-Services model, and we illustrate the importance of distributed optimisation components in the effective deployment of embedded bbusiness analyticsQ. We finally provide an overview of the OSP and the WEBOPT projects, which deliver optimisation-based applications and optimisation components in a distributed environment. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.