What Is An ASP?

LabVantage Solutionstion service provider (ASP) industry is in an infancy phase of what is believed to be a revolutionary change in the way that software is delivered to users. Rather than acquire the software, hardware, implementation resources and support personnel required to run an application in- house, @LIMS's customers are simply renting access to a leading LIMS software package over the Internet.

As a Application Service Provider (ASP) <%=company%> hosts applications for businesses and individuals allowing connectivity through the Internet. @LIMS' customers can interact with remotely managed applications, modules, or suites of modules via Web-browser software on a anytime, anywhere basis. @LIMS.corp maintains the hardware server "farm" required to efficiently host complex applications and removes the need for companies to buy, maintain and upgrade in-house hardware. @LIMS.corp makes sure that the latest versions of application and database software are available to enterprise wide users without the need for costly site-by-site in house upgrades. Using an ASP-based solution also means that the only client software required on the @LIMS users desktop is a Web-browser, which eliminates the need to manage client software on a desk-by-desk basis. These benefits alone could reduce the IS staff needed to manage an in-house solution by one or more full-time positions.

Two converging forces have led @LIMS.corp to the emergence of their ASP model. First, there is an extreme shortage of information technology workers. The Information Technology Association of America estimates that 850,000 IT jobs will be left unfilled in the year 2000. As a result laboratories are finding it increasingly difficult to attract the people needed to implement and support LIMS applications. While the LIMS implementation process has largely been outsourced to traditional LIMS providers over the last decade, companies are still struggling to fill internal LIMS support and network maintenance positions. Over the past few years, the lure of technology start-ups has only made it more difficult for the laboratories to attract the necessary IT talent to support this type of application.

@LIMS.corp believes that the financial and operational benefits offered by @LIMS are hard to ignore. From the financial perspective, @LIMS benefits include the elimination of large capital expenditures and lower the total cost of ownership.

By contracting for @LIMS, rather than buying a LIMS, @LIMS' customers can dramatically reduce capital expenditures. There is a wide disparity among traditional LIMS providers as to what is charged up front, but in the @LIMS model the upfront charges are significantly lower than for traditional implementations. Therefore, @LIMS can offer an immediate, positive return on your investment.

@LIMS.corp estimates that companies that choose @LIMS can reduce costs by 35% to 55% over the life of LabVantage Solutionstion. @LIMS is able to provide these savings and still earn profits for themselves because they use IT resources more efficiently. Database administrators, network engineers and solution engineers can be fully utilized at @LIMS, whereas in most companies today, these specialists are kept busy with projects outside the laboratory operation. Hardware and software infrastructure can also be more effectively utilized within the @LIMS setting.

@LIMS.corp has certainly looked beyond the traditional LIMS market and is focusing on providing the total laboratory solution. By developing a community of laboratory users, it will expand its product offerings to include full e-commerce capabilities, through partnerships, allowing the laboratory professional to order all equipment and supplies through @LIMS.corp's common web site. They believe this will change the way laboratories are conducting business. As we watch this technology paradigm change the laboratory, @LIMS.corp is sure to be leading the way.

What to Expect From @LIMS

• Configurable web sites for conducting business on the Web
• Secure Internet access to application servers (e.g., via a virtual private network, or VPN)
• Highly configurable application-level security to limit functional access
• Template-based software system setup functions to reduce implementation time
• Web-based training courses, manuals and frequently asked questions (FAQ) documents
• Online application support via real-time Internet chat, e-mail and self-service help desks
• Automated offline data backup scheduling for disaster recovery
• Automatic load balancing to ensure optimum application accessibility under user load
• Simple "add a new user" Web sign-up
• User-based monthly application rental fee and low initial system setup fee (if any)
• Regular statistics showing user activity by application for usage analysis
• Delivery of application reports, documents and alerts to users via e-mail
• Electronic workflow via e-mail or a Web browser
• Capability to automatically upload data to and download data from applications