ASP Offers Hosting On Demand

Application service provider Corio Inc. will announce two services this week, including the launch of its existing infrastructure platform as a separate tools suite and the debut of a vendor-oriented ASP enablement initiative.

By packaging the San Carlos, Calif., companys hosting infrastructure as a separate product, enterprises can ASP-enable custom and legacy applications, either for Corio to host or for internal purposes, officials said. The offering will be called iHost.

“There are very few companies who understand how to integrate the applications all together,” said Corio CEO and President George Kadifa. “What were doing here is selling hosting infrastructure on demand.”

Businesses with customized and legacy applications find outsourcing them can be easier than training IT staff whenever theres turnover, Corio officials said.

iHost and CorioNet, which is the version that will be sold to ISVs, are two parts of a larger rebranding of Corios five-part services suite.

Kadifa denied that the enablement services are the result of an attempt to diversify the companys product line because of poor financial statements from Corio and other major ASPs this summer. Kadifa added that Corio will launch security and networking initiatives in January, although details are not yet available.

“Potentially, we could use that,” said Art Salinas, referring to iHost. Salinas is chief financial officer of Enstar LLC, an Irving, Texas, security company and a Corio customer. “I think there is some market for that if youve developed a custom application; that would definitely be valuable.”