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May 24, 1999

Application server vendor Progress Software backed the ASP model today with a programme to help independent software vendors (ISVs) develop apps for ASP distribution, and revealed details of partners from around the globe that have already launched app service offerings.

The launch of the Application Service Provider ENablement (ASPEN) programme took place at the vendor's worldwide user conference in Boston MA. Under the scheme, the vendor will offer assistance from its professional service organisation to help ISVs convert existing applications for ASP delivery

"The goal is to rapidly ASP-enable the over 5,000 packaged applications that are already available from our 2,000 ISVs," VP of the ASPen programme, Jeff Weil, told ASP News Review in an exclusive briefing last week.

"What we want to do with Aspen is get our partners educated in this more rapidly than the competition. We're delivering techology, services and partnerships for our ISVs to get a jump-start on their competition," he added.

At the conference, Progress gave details of ASPs from North America, South America and Europe who are already delivering applications based on the Progress platform.

Prophet 21, based in Yardley PA, is hosting its wholesale distribution management suite with Manasquan NJ reseller Sales Systems, which provides the application to customers as an outsourced service. The service, launched in February, is offered to customers with ten users or less.

UK company Systemcare has set up a separate ASP division SOS to market its Mfour family of supply chain management products as an application service to retailers and wholesalers. Existing customers as well as new prospects are likely to sign up, managing director Mark Amstrong told ASP News Review last week.

B&M from Brazil offers HRWeb, a human resources and payroll app service which uses a shared-server model to deliver apps cost-effectively to customers, charged on a per-employee basis.

To help other ISVs bring hosted solutions to market, Progress announced it has teamed with North American ASP Futurelink to offer application hosting for solutions based on its app server environment. Other service provider partnerships are likely as the programme develops, said Weil. "Very few ASPs want to become Internet service providers and network service providers. The partnerships are very important," he explained.

The vendor will extend 24x7 support to ASPs, network service providers and data centre providers who host apps based on its platform.

Progress, founded in 1981, has an established market presence among ISVs serving the small and medium-size enterprise market. A large number of vertical market client-server applications have been built using its development tools and embedded database platform. In 1997, it acquired startup Java application vendor Apptivity and has been migrating its core platform to a three-tier, thin-client model.

Progress believes cost of ownership and architecture strengths of the platform make it ideally suited for application services targetting small and medium size companies. It has support for thin client deployment using either HTML, Java or Citrix ICA. The company also offers Internet application management utilities for monitoring IP usage and quality of service.

"We're really moving very aggressively on this and trying to take an early leadership position," said Weil.

It revealed how its product roadmap over the next two years will further support ASPs as they migrate towards offering integration of a variety of application services within vertical market portals.

Progress also announced it has joined the ASP Industry Consortium as an executive member.

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