Application Service Provider (ASP): A company that rents out the use of software running on its own SERVERS to remote customers, who may use a THIN CLIENT technology such as CITRIX WINFRAME or a PC and a web-based connection to log on to the service: the viability of such services depends upon the availability of a BROADBAND connection from client to server.
A significant attraction of using an ASP is that it relieves its customers of the task of installing, configuring and maintaining their own software. A wide variety of application types is now available remotely from ASPs, including office applications such as word processing and spreadsheets; system utilities such as VIRUS SCANNING and FIREWALL protection and, increasingly, disk space for automatically scheduled off-site data BACKUPS.
Dinesh Thakur holds an B.C.A, MCDBA, MCSD certifications. Dinesh authors the hugely popular