Application Services Made Easy

If your ISP targets local businesses chances are you're going to be asked to serve-up a few applications—sooner or later. Systemsfusion is one way to do it—sooner.

by Jeff Goldman [January 8, 2001]

Systemsfusion helps ISPs become application service providers (ASPs) while minimizing the costs involved. Using the company's Evolutionware platform, independent software vendors (ISVs) are given a new channel for application distribution, while allowing ISPs to easily resell hosted applications online to their users.

The company was founded in 1998. In October of 1999, Systemsfusion released Evolutionware, its fully automated platform, which integrates web hosting and ASP management. A year later, it followed up with Evolutionware 2.0, which increased automatic functions on the ISPs end and added a carrier-grade solution for larger clients. As of Q4 2000, the company has accumulated nine partner ISVs and approximately 20 ISP customers.

Provider prayers answered
Nevo Hadas, Systemfusion president, said that the new revenue streams from ASP opportunities are too good for ISPs to miss.

"This software platform provides the necessary bridge between base connectivity/Webhosting services and the opportunities of the ASP market," Hadas said. "Evolutionware 2.0s value propositions result in increased revenues, reduced administrative costs, greater customer retention and lower costs for new product integration."

Systemsfusion is a member of Sun Microsystems ServiceProvider.com SP Starter Solutions Program, the Citrix  Business Alliance, and the ASP Connect Program from Tarantella.

Diverse bundles
The partnerships with Citrix and Tarantella indicates Systemfusion's desire to accommodate a broad range of enabling platforms for its ISP partners, as a result of programming diversity among the participating ISVs.

Simply put, Evolutionware allows ISPs to add ASP services to their business portfolio in a simple, cost-effective manner.

The solution fully automates the basic procedures required to host applications, including integrated customer management and billing services, while also covering such standard IP services as domain name registration and email. ISP users access the application services through a Self-Administration Interface, which automates user access, purchasing, upgrades, and account management.

Application deployment is extremely customizable-the deployed applications can be configured, packaged, priced, delivered and billed according to each ISP's particular needs. A Java-based point-and-click interface allows ISPs to select and pre-package solutions for their users. Billing and customer management are automated through the same interface. As a result, ISPs can take on a new set of services for their customers, while minimizing the expenses involved.

ISPs can use Evolutionware to deploy their own set of applications, or they can choose from a set of pre-integrated applications available through Systemsfusion's Evolutionware Distribution enabling Network (EDeN).

EDeN was created as a distribution channel for Systemfusion's partner ISVs. (Below.) It's intended to make application selection easier for ISPs by consolidating available applications at a single point of distribution. The service includes around-the-clock telephone support center for all EDeN-distributed applications.

Hadas notes that collaboration is a key factor in the effectiveness of the offering. "The theory behind our Evolutionware Distribution enabling Network is simple," Hadas said. "It brings application developers together and offers their products to service providers, along with integration, management and billing services to add value. In practice, it requires that many disparate organizations be brought together to provide an end-to-end solution."

Get what you pay for
Currently, applications available through EDeN include Evoke Communications Web conferencing solution and the entire suite of Corel applications, including WordPerfect Office 2000 and the CorelDRAW 9 Graphics Suite.

Additional software offerings from seven other partner ISVs are expected online within the next few months. Among those applications soon to be available are Qortet Unified Messaging Service from Aelix, and E-xact Transactions Speedy Merchant e-commerce solution.

Evolutionware's pricing varies according to the size of the ISP. For smaller service providers, the single-server version starts at $3000, plus fifty cents per user.

Systemsfusion contends that this level of service will easily support over 10,000 customers. The larger, carrier-grade version using several servers starts at $60,000, plus fifty cents per user. Ultimately, each ISP setup is customized to suite the provider's need, so the price of the service varies with the specifics.

A new Server Provider Hosted Application Environment (HAE) partnership program allows ISPs to get more fully involved with Systemsfusion's offering. ISP partner's work with Systemsfusion's sales team to develop joint marketing campaigns, and partner ISPs are listed on Systemsfusion's home page.

The marketplace for ASP solutions is growing fast and it's already a crowded place to be, but Hadas contends that it's the breadth of Systemsfusion's offering that makes it a unique selling proposition for ISPs.

"By both aggregating and distributing software applications, and also providing automated management capabilities for the service provider, we go a step beyond other players in the marketplace," Hadas said.

The challenge Hadas faces now are to hold on to the lead that Systemsfusion has established, as others join the race to the top.

— End  

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