application service provider

An application service provider (ASP) is a business that provides computer-based services to customers over a network. Software offered using an ASP model is also sometimes called On-demand software or software as a service (SaaS). The most limited sense of this business is that of providing access to a particular application program (such as medical billing) using a standard protocol such as HTTP.
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<business, networking> (ASP) A service (usually a business) that provides remote access to an application program across a network protocol, typically HTTP. A common example is a web site that other web sites use for accepting payment by credit card as part of their online ordering systems.
As this term is complex-sounding but vague, it is widely used by marketroids who want to avoid being specific and clear at all costs.
(2001-03-26)