Application Service Providers (ASP) make their applications available to users remotely using network, usually the internet. Many applications are provided to users today solely over the Internet.  If you have a have web-based email account, you are already using this type of service.  As bandwidth has increased in our homes and businesses, a larger number of software products are available only as browser-based applications.  Recently, the terms Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud computing have become popular. Both are essentially an extension of the original ASP concept. Many of the early ASP's still required the installation of software on a user's computer; most of today's hosted solutions require very little from the client's computer.  Installation consists of accessing the site, and possibly the installation of a browser plug-in.

There are several advantages to applications delivered over the web:

• No software to install and maintain locally
• Applications are always the latest, most up-to-date versions
• Costs are generally lower
• Increased customization options
• Frequent software updates

Web-based applications make advanced software available to a larger group of potential users.  To the organization, ASP/SaaS/Cloud-based training management systems allow the internal IT team to focus on other important projects while still delivering valuable, needed applications to the learners and providers.  

Although already available as a traditional client-server product, TrainingForce was launched in 2000 as one of the earliest ASP-provided learning management systems. Oak Tree Systems has the benefit of working with this technology over an extended period of time, with many of the same developers. Experience and maturity matter when you are selecting the best solution for your training data.