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Taleo Research Article
Web-Based or Web-Enabled... and ASPs“Web-based” and “Web-enabled” are two commonly used terms to describe staffing management systems. Typically, when either term is used, it is in a sentence with ASP. Those terms are all used to describe very different things. A web browser is used by both web-based and web-enabled systems to display information. However, the similarities end there. A closer examination is necessary to detect the differences. Web-enabled applications function differently from Web-based applications. The term “ASP” (acronym for application service provider) describes the method of software delivery. Not all web-based systems are ASPs. Understanding these distinctions is very important when choosing a new system or evaluating your current technology to assure you have the best tools for success. Web-enabled A Web-enabled system is an application, originally written for the client/server or mainframe environment, which has been rewritten to be accessed through a Web browser. Typically, this is accomplished by adding a new layer to the existing software. The original system that runs underneath is performing the same functions as before, but the program input and output is being translated into HTML, the language understood by a Web browser. The extra step slows down the process while adding expense and complexity. Vendors of an older generation of software will often Web-enable the application, to offer their customers some of the benefits of Internet technology, without the risk and expense of rewriting a program’s entire code from scratch to make it truly Web-based. The vendors can continue to deliver dated technology, though eventually its customers will insist on Web-based, in order to gain the full advantages of Internet-based recruiting. A vendor’s decision to Web-enable its software i s partly an indication of how old the application is and how much the vendor is willing to invest in the application’s future. Ultimately, if an application is to survive the test of time, it needs to be rewritten as a Web-based system. If you must select a Web-enabled application, ask the vendor to give you a schedule of when the application will be rewritten as Web-based. Web-enabled should be your last choice. Web-based A Web-based application is developed so it can be extended by additional components, and managed by an application server with built-in features such as security and expanded abilities to integrate with other applications. The front-end interface of a Web-based system tends to be user-friendlier, since it incorporates the design conventions we have all become accustomed to on the Web. ASP The term “Web-based” is frequently associated with application service providers (ASPs). An ASP is by definition a third party hosting a Web-based system on an external server. That is, all ASPs offer Web-based systems. However, that does not mean that “Web-based” and “ASP” mean the same thing. Some vendors offer a Web-based system where it is up to the purchaser to host the application. When a vendor describes its system as “pure-Internet”, beware that as the purchaser, you may be responsible for all hardware, network connectivity, configuration and implementation. With that delivery model, the ASP cost savings, and IT resource allotment reduction are forfeited. To reap the full benefits of leading systems, the overwhelming trend in recruiting applications is to ASP-hosted, Web-based systems. Conclusion Technology is constantly changing, and it is important to keep up on developments. The Web has been the most significant development in telecommunications and computing. Software development has responded to take the greatest advantage of the Web, by moving to a Web-based architecture. To achieve the best results from your technology in this competitive economy, make sure your current staffing automation system—or one under consideration for your next upgrade—is state of the art. |
