If your hard disk is packed to bursting point, the IT department is far too busy to fix your email problems, and your business can't afford to buy the tools that you'd like to develop the company website, then it's time to think about using an application service provider (ASP). Rather than installing software on each machine or server within your organisation, you rent applications from the ASP, which provides remote access to the software and manages the hardware required to run the applications.
There are a lot of advantages to this approach. The havoc caused by viruses makes the idea of outsourcing your email and office suite services an attractive option. It also gives you more flexibility - you pay for applications as and when you need them, rather than investing in a lot of costly software which you're then tied to for years. Not having to worry about upgrading to the latest version of your office suite or about battling with the complexities of managing an email system, leaves businesses with more time. Time to focus on what they do best.
However, there are some potential pitfalls. To use applications remotely requires a lot of bandwidth, which is only really available from a broadband connection or a leased line to the ASP itself. It is also important to ensure that the ASP will be able to provide a secure, reliable service which will be available whenever you need it.
Providing applications and storage space for vast numbers of users requires some powerful technology on the part of the ASP. This includes security controls and data storage as well as providing the physical links to customers. For the most part, ASPs don't own the data centres that store the information. Instead, they lease space from data storage specialists. In this way, they can be confident of meeting customers' increasing storage requirements by buying more space as it's needed.
There's a wide variety of applications available for use via ASPs. Office suite applications and e-mail services are two of the most generic applications available through ASPs large, complex business applications such as enterprise resource planning tools like SAP are another popular candidate for delivery through an ASP. Other business services, such as payroll and accounting systems are also available. This is particularly beneficial to small businesses which are likely to grow quickly and don't want to deal with the problems caused by outgrowing their existing system and having to move to a high-end package. ASPs also offer a means of using specialist tools that would otherwise prove prohibitively expensive. Small businesses have the opportunity to use such tools for short periods of time as and when they need them, rather than having to buy the software as a permanent investment.
One of the major barriers for small businesses which want to make a start in e-commerce is ensuring that they have sufficient resources to cope with sudden large increases in customers. This means not only having adequate storage for all your customers' details, but ensuring that you have the technology in place to handle stock levels, efficient delivery and large volumes of traffic. It's very rare for an e-commerce business to handle all of these elements by itself, making this one of the best-established areas of ASP use.
Being able to respond rapidly to changes in the size of your customer base and the type of product that they want to order from your business, demands more flexibility than traditional software can provide.
Task 9. Using information from the text, mark the following as True or False.
1. Software from an ASP must be installed locally on a user's computer. 2. You need a high bandwidth connection to use an ASP service. ASPs usually use their own storage space for customers. 3. Using an ASP gives you more flexibility. 4. An e-commerce business usually provides all of the required technology itself.
1. A salesperson who wants to make presentations at conferences. 2. An administrative assistant who needs to write office correspondence and send and receive e-mails. 3. A programmer who wants to develop applications tailored to a company's needs. 4. A company wanting to produce its own in-house newsletter. 5. A company wishing to develop its own website. 6. A company which wants to analyse all its sales records. 7. A promotions person who wants to be able to edit complex graphics and incorporate them in brochures. 8. A company which wants to share documents on a local area network.
Task 7. Topics for writing.
Applications programs, their aims and functions.
What popular adventure games do you know? Write a short description.
ASP and its functions.
Advantages and disadvantages of ASP.
Task 8. Read the text below to find the answers to the following questions.
1. How do you pay for the applications provided by an ASP? (a. no charge; b. charged according to use; c. single payment) 2. What two main services does an ASP provide? 3. How does an ASP ensure that they have enough storage space for the changing needs of customers? 4. What types of applications are available from ASPs? 5. Why types of applications are available from ASPs? 6. What is one of the best established areas of ASP use?
Read, write the translation and learn the basic vocabulary terms:
assignment
available
binary system
compatible personal computer
compiler
Computing Support
data communications
development
foundation
full-time course
hand-out
HW Installation and Maintenance
LAN (local area network)
machine code
mainframe
motherboard
part-time course
qualifications
software development
suggestion
to free up
to maintain
to provide
to upgrade
to back up
to catch up
to involve
to keep up
to start up
tool
work experience
Paul is 24. He has a Higher National Certificate in Computing and a Higher National Diploma in Computing Support which he completed two years ago. He has been working for a company providing support services for the last eighteen months.
Task 1. Study this list of some of the subjects included in his Diploma course. In which of these subject areas would he study the topics which follow?
1) Computer Architecture
2) HW Installation & Maintenance
3) Info Tech Applications (1)
4) Info Tech Applications (2)
5) Multi-user Operating System
6) Network Technology
7) Software Development Life Cycle
8) Standalone Computer System Support
9) Software Development Procedural Lang.
10) Data Communications
11) Information Systems & Services
12) Systems Development
13) Communication
14) Project Management
15) Mathematics for Computing
a) LAN Topologies
b) PC Bus Architectures
c) Modems
d) How to connect printers
e) Unix Operating System
f) Pascal
g) Writing a program
h) Creating a database
i) Maintenance of desktops
j) Wordprocessing and other office applications
k) Binary system
l) Making presentations
Task 2. Listen to Part 1 of the recording to find the answers to these questions:
1. Which of the subject areas listed in Task 1 does Paul mention?
2. Which additional subjects does he mention?
3. Why did he choose to do his Diploma in support?
4. What practical work was included in the course?
5. Which subject did he particularly enjoy?
Task 3. Listen to Part 2 of the recording and answer these questions:
1. What suggestions does Paul have for improving the course? Note
a) his suggestions for improvement and b) the reasons he gives.
2. Which of the subjects he studied has he found useful in his work?
Note a) the subjects and b) examples in the work situation.
Task 4. Listen to Part 3 of the recording to answer these questions:
1. In which situations does Paul have to learn fast?
2. What sources does he use for help?
3. What advice did the college provide on sources of information?
4. What was the problem with the set book?
5. How does he feel about going back to college?
Task 5. Study this description of a student's first term. What questions might the interviewer have asked to obtain the information in italics?
In her first term Pauline studied 6 subjects. She had classes on four days' each week. On Monday morning she had IT and Information Systems. Tuesday was a free day for home study. On Wednesday she had Systems Analysis in Room 324. Now she studies Computer Architecture on Thursdays. Programming happens on Friday mornings. Communication takes place once a week on Friday afternoons. She likes Mr Blunt's classes most. She has a 15-minute coffee break each day and a lunch break from 12.00 to 1. 00.
Task 6. up- and -up verbs Complete each gap in these sentences with the appropriate form of the correct verb from this list:
back up keep up update
build up set up upgrade
catch up start up upload
free up
To avoid losing data, you should __________your files regularly.
You can ____________ your PC by adding a new motherboard.
Delete some files to ___________space on your hard disk.
Data is ___________from regional PCs to the company's mainframe each night.
The operating system boots when you _____________ your computer.
She's taking a course to ____________________ her knowledge of computing.
The computer checks the memory when it _________________.
He ________________ a website to advertise his travel company.
You can _________________ with developments by reading PC magazines.
If you miss a class, you can study the hand-outs to ___________________.
The image in a digital camera is _______________ from a red, green and blue image.
Conditional sentence |
Verb form in if-clause |
Verb form in result-clause |
Meaning of if-clause |
Use |
Examples |
0 |
If + Simple Present |
Simple present |
Real and Possible situations at any time, but most commonly in present. |
1) situations that can occur at any time(more than once) and their results, 2) general truths,
3) general instruction.
|
If you press this key, the game starts.
If you boil water, it turns into steam. If you want to start, press the red button. |
I |
If + Simple Present |
Simple Future |
Possible in the present or future |
1) possible future events and their results, 2) command,
3) offer,
4) warnings.
|
If it rains, I will stay at home.
If you come home late, don’t make noise. I’ll call the hotel if you don’t have time. I’ll call the police if you don’t leave now! |
II |
If + Simple Past |
Would or + verb Could |
Impossible or not true in the present . improbable in the future . imaginary situations |
1) improbable future event or situation 2) a hypothetical current situation which is contrary to known facts, 3) giving advice.
|
If I won a lottery, I would buy an island. If I knew the answer I would tell you.
If I were you, I would see a doctor.
|
III |
If + Past Perfect |
Would or + have + past participle Could Should |
Impossible in the past |
If I had seen the red light, I would have stopped. If you had worked hard, you could have passed your exam. |
|