First, the basic concept of the ASP mode
The full name of ASP is Application Service Provider, which is directly translated as an application service provider. The actual full name should be a computer commercial application service provider. It is born in the United States, and has developed rapidly in IT industry in Japan, Europe. The so-called ASP refers to some companies, they will sell or rent for applications that are running on their own server through Internet or VPN (virtual private network) to charge for companies that need to use these application systems. ASP or develop these application systems yourself, or buy directly from the ISV (independent software developer).
Further explanation for this concept: ASP is a company with a third-party providing service, which has its own host, deploying, managing and maintaining a variety of application systems on their host, and then providing software from the remote client through the network Computing power (service for customers). Enterprises using application services are no longer responsible for the construction, maintenance of the application system, just pay the ASP rent to use the information system, and the company does not own the application system. He only needs a simple PC, coupled with browser software and very few client software, logged in to a specific application system on the remote server via Internet or VNP, can be used locally on a particular application system on the remote server. operating system. Asp, he wants to provide a hardware and software system to enterprises, providing a secure network infrastructure and reliable data center facility, and he also requires a high-quality IT expert team to manage the entire system. maintain. The mode of operation of the ASP is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 ASP mode of operation
In ASP mode, it is emphasized that the application's application is not ownership. Customers no longer have an application, nor does it need to be responsible for maintenance of internal and external maintenance. After signing the contract (usually a longer-term contract), the customer can connect to the application on the remote, centralized server, and then generate the result of the application by the browser. It can be considered that ASP mode is a revolutionary breakthrough in traditional software service models.
Second, the advantages of enterprise informationization of ASP mode relative to traditional models
The traditional model of enterprise informationization is mainly carried out by internal construction methods. Its typical process is: Purchasing Network Equipment, Server Equipment - → Integrated Enterprise Internal Information System Basic Architecture - → Developing or Using ISV CLIENT / Server Structure Application - → Implement ERP (Enterprise Resource Plan), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), SCM (Supply Chain Management) and other applications.
The advantage of enterprise informationization and ASP mode is: it can improve corporate operation efficiency, reduce corporate operation costs; save companies to recruit IT talents and build an IT system investment; reduce business training costs; solve the application system subsequent maintenance With upgrade questions; it can provide a better environment; companies can enjoy a higher level of service; and the ASP mode is very flexible. The comparison between the two can refer to Table 1.
Third, ASP service content
As an ASP, it is a complete information system and its related services, not just the services provided by the Internet Service Provider and ICP (Internet Content Provider). The ASP service content includes:
1. Virtual host or host hosting: including Web site hosting, email server, etc.
2. Application Software Rent: including office software, corporate personnel, salary management, customer and supplier information management, ERP, MRPII, transfer management, accounting software, e-commerce and other expandable commercial software; 3. Technical support: Provide unified technical support textbooks, manuals, and FAQ (frequently inquiry issues) documentation, and can implement technical support for application services by phone, internet;
4. Security Internet Access and Network Rentality to Appliances: including routers, switches, modems, firewalls, etc .;
5. Application Software Customization Development: According to customer specific needs, ASP can modify software on existing templates to meet special needs.
Fourth, the classification of ASP mode
There are many classification methods for ASP, which can be divided into horizontal patterns for all customers full range of software applications, as well as vertical patterns for a particular industry service. Divided into a variety of forms such as all-round mode and division of labor works in the way. Divided into an infrastructure Infrastructure Provider, FIP, managed management provider (AP), and Pure ASP, based on the operational model and the provider.
1.FIP: Mainly providing data center space and network interface accessible through the network. Space refers to infrastructure such as machine room / amenities, operating environment, electricity and lighting; network refers to wide access, including distribution, submission, and management content services, providing VPN services, etc. Customers must have their own devices, install or run their own applications. FIP uses its own professional services to assist in the customer's business and charge a certain fee.
2. MHP: Provides software and hardware for customer computing, storage, and network platforms, including servers, routers, switches, etc. Unlike FIP main facilities, the MHP provides platform, hosted and runs client applications on these basis. MHP creates a customer's platform in the data center, allowing customers to access them by renting. Customers install their app on the MHP platform and run remotely. MHP also provides network and system management services to ensure continuous operation of the customer system.
3.Aip: The content of the AIP service includes contracting with FIP and MHP to sign a facility, hardware, and operating system, providing professional integrated application system infrastructure hardware, software, and services. Provides a hardware and hardware platform, including middleware, application tools, application servers, web servers, and enterprise applications.
4. Pure ASP: Refers to the supplier of providing a single actual application service online if possible, if possible, based on the rental mode. Just manage the licensed application purchased from the ISV, do not manage client applications, do not have managed infrastructure facilities. Although there are some "pure" ASPs, most actual application service ASPs are varied and have transcended this limit. Some suppliers also manage the system you develop, or use the criteria they provide to help customers in system integration. Other suppliers have components in AIP, especially those management and security components. There are also some suppliers to host their development, and may be integrated with ISV products.
5. Features of ASP mode
1. Based on online: that is, all services provided by the application service provider are completed in an online medium.
2. To be centered, provide an authorization service: The core of the ASP service is to provide users with an application and manage this app by signing a business protocol. This is different from the business process outsourcing. BPO is a complete "functional block" of the package user enterprise, such as human resource management or financial management, user companies don't care about what methods or software for BPO companies to complete these Functional block function. The ASP and hosted services are also different, and the hosting is mainly concentrated in the management of hardware facilities such as networks and servers rather than application management. 3. Centralized management and resource optimization: The application is placed in the entire application server of the ASP carrier. It is a centralized management that has fallen a lot of complex operations for the user, including system installation, debugging, initialization, and so on. The user uses ASP and only needs to be applied remotely through network.
4. A pair of standardized services: ASP services are a pair of services in design. ASP cooperates with other manufacturers to provide a number of companies or un-customized service to order in a specific contract period. Tradition is unable to implement such a pair of interactive services.
5. One-stop service based on SLA: SLA (Service Level Agreement, Service Quality Protocol) is an internationally available customer / service assessment criteria, a legal document signed by service providers and users, the document promises as long as the user Service providers pay the corresponding service fees, they should enjoy the services provided by the service provider. Application service providers in ASP mode should provide users with SLA-based full-course applications.
Six, ASP typical operation mode
1.IDC Internet Data Center (Internet Data Center)
The appearance of IDC dates back to the ISP (Internet service provider) of Internet access services in the 1990s, which is different from the ISP at the time: ISP only provides users with communication lines and devices of the Internet, while IDC It is not only to provide a communication line, but also store the "massive" data of the user, which is used and managed online.
Specifically, IDC is an infrastructure constructed to meet the needs of enterprises to apply outsourcing services, including stable broadband Internet access and secure and reliable data maintenance equipment and equipment room environments. IDC provides network resources to users in lease, which is difficult for companies to avoid system maintenance, upgrade. It can be said that the appearance of IDC is the specific reflection of the market change of data services to centralized management.
2. ISV Independent Software Supplier (Independent Software Vendors)
Before the ASP mode appears, ISV is produced by software manufacturers. However, due to the expensive cost of enterprise software and its matching hardware, it is necessary to maintain and implement a large number of IT experts, this makes many small and medium-sized companies, but also the ISVs in front of this vast market. The appearance of ASP mode has enabled ISV to find the key to the market gate, through software rental methods, ISV can develop more SME customers.
It should be pointed out that the initial ISV is not ASP, and the ASP is only a way to sell products. But now, more and more ISVs have begun to develop through the ASP service to become ASP (such as Oracle Business Online, UFS 'Weku.com).
Seven, the architecture of the ASP mode information system software
The ASP Service Center provides services to enterprises in ASP mode. Its software architecture (Figure 2) is divided into four major modules: ASP application software platform, ASP subscriber site, ASP data center, management and technical support.
Different ASP service centers have different software architectures, Figure 2 is just an example. The ASP application software platform is the application software provided by the ASP Service Center. Different companies have different functional needs. There should be different solutions; the ASP user site is an ASP service center to manage, negotiate and other e-commerce systems for users; ASP data The center is the data management and data maintenance of the ASP service center itself; management and technical support is the functional module of the ASP service center. Figure 2 ASP Service Center Software Architecture
Asp Mode Information System Network Topology As shown in Figure 3, it consists of two parts:
1. Client
Computer application situation in my country's SMEs is uneven, which can be roughly divided into three types, multi-machine and local network types. ASP mode is flexible to the company's computer resource requirements, and each enterprise can configure the corresponding system according to the specific situation of the company to find your own solution. Software requires only a web browser, hardware can obtain a service from the ASP service center as long as the hardware has related devices that can be on Internet, such as computers, modems.
2. ASP Service Center
The system's requirements for the ASP service center are high, and the hardware and software that needs to be configured in different sizes of ASP service centers are different, and the ISP (Internet Service Provider), ICP (Internet Content Provider) dedicated to the supplier of specific application services. The hardware and software configuration is similar to ISP, ICP, and different scale.
Figure 3 Enterprise Information System Technology Reconstruction Network Topology
The ASP Service Center must solve the following key issues:
1. Safety. The security of network communications can use SSL (including digital signature, public / private key for encryption, verification technology, etc.), strict firewall and safety testing technology, certificate system, password system, permission limit to resist unauthorized users (such as hackers) ) Entering the system; data security can be used through a redundant disk array, an optical disk library backup system, and an important application data using a master-slave database server dual-standing hot backup to reach a system 24 hours normally.
2. Performance. The web server can dynamically allocate each application server to realize the dynamic balance of system loads, and different functionality are distributed on different application servers. A good server and network device configuration fully guarantees the normal response speed when the user accesses the server off site.
3. Scalability. The system each application module can be repeated or distributed on a different application server, but as the business grows, the system cannot meet the new user needs, can add a corresponding application module without terminating the system service, can achieve the system Seamless upgrade.
8. Problems and solutions in ASP mode
The ASP mode is not perfect, there are some problems in the process of development:
1. Information security issues
The current enterprise is increasingly dependent on information, which stores in "Information Bank" in ASP, and different customer information may be stored in the same host. Due to the openness of the Internet, it provides convenience for information stealing. The core business data of the company is not hoped by people outside the enterprise. From the technical statement, it is a high demand for the host control, and each visitor is administered on the host.
2. The lack of application software
Application software is the key and core of ASP. my country's software industry has been weak, and special applications specializing in web development will be less. Most application software can't adapt to the Internet environment. It does not meet all users' needs, vigorously develop based on The network application software is imminent.
3. Satisfaction of personalized service
The ASP mode is a "one-to-many" service relationship. As the application of ASP is increasing, there will be more and more companies to present their own unique requirements to the ASP, how to solve this contradiction is that the ASP service provider needs to be considered. problem. 4. Legal guarantee problem
As a new business model, ASP has not yet recognized industry guidelines and corresponding legal protection. Enterprises can only find high reputation IT companies to do ASP. If the user's data is blocked, it is destroyed, no compensation Standards and supervision mechanisms, this is unfavorable to the development of ASP.
Nine, ASP mode application prospects
According to statistics, there are more than 30 million companies in China, while SMEs account for 99% of the total enterprise, 60% of domestic industrial outputs and 40% of domestic industrial outputs and 40%. SMEs are gradually become an indispensable driving force for China's economic development. Therefore, the ASP application potential for the market in the market is huge. Although the ASP mode currently has some problems to be solved, there are some concerns. However, with the development of information technology and the development of the Internet, some issues facing ASP will gradually be solved. With the development of ASP applications, the interests of ASP can bring to enterprises will gradually convey. Therefore, ASP mode will bring huge changes to the information construction of the company, especially SMEs.
Ten, conclude
As an emerging enterprise information model, ASP has been developed abroad, and many ASP service providers are also growing; the development starting point of domestic ASP has high advantages. The rise of ASPs is neither a hole, nor is it blooming everywhere. With the improvement of China's network, further understanding of network services, ASP is not a pragmatic network economic model; in ASP evolution, companies and manufacturers will benefit.
In short, based on the informationization scheme based on ASP mode, providing the best opportunity for enterprise information management, enhancing corporate management and operating standards.
references
01. "ASP mode and its application analysis" Cheng Guang "Journal of Zhongzhou University" 02. The Application of "ASP Mode in Enterprise Informationization" Zheng Qiang, Gan Wei "Computer and Modernization" 03. The Effective Ways of the Implementation of ERP "" Qian Yan Jun, Zhang Zhengjun, Lin Jun "Intelligence Method" 04. "Enterprise Information Construction Based on ASP Model" Wang Zhiqiang, Qin Guangli "Informatization Management" 05. "Enterprise Informationization Solution Based on ASP Mode" Gao Yang, Zeng Xiaoqing "Science Management Research" 06. Research on the Information Technology of Small and Medium - sized Logistics Enterprises Based on ASP Mode "Zhong Xiuli, Cui Southern" Innovation and Industrialization ". "Research on the Technical Transformation of Information System in ASP Mode" Zhou Nande, Sun Yanming "Computer Application Research" 08. Research on the ASP Solution for SMEs "" Yang Zhibao, Luo Yapo, Xiao Tianyuan "Engineering and Application" 09. "The Optical Ways of Enterprise Information Construction - TheSP Mode" Kang Wei "Henan Science and Technology" 10. Talking about the Application of ASP Mode in Manufacturing Informatization "Sun Yanming, Wu Shaoqin, Zheng Shixiong" Electromechanical Engineering Technology "
