Free check writing software download for business accounts

Service providers offer clients hosting arrangements that include shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and co-location. Despite the increasing variety of acronyms, many companies that provide some or all of these additional services still call themselves ISPs. These firms often offer Web server management and rent application software (such as databases, shopping carts, and content management programs) to businesses thus, these companies also sometimes call themselves managed service providers (MSPs) or application service providers (ASPs). Because the hosting services they offer are designed to help companies conduct electronic commerce, these hosting service Chapter 9ДЈ firms sometimes call themselves commerce service providers (CSPs). To distinguish themselves from companies that provide only Internet access services, these hosting service firms sometimes call themselves something other than ISPs. Many of these companies offer Web hosting services as well. As you learned in Chapter 2, a number of companies, called Internet service providers (ISPs), are in the business of providing Internet access to companies and individuals. Many small Web stores use a third-party host provider for both Web services and electronic commerce functions, particularly when the Web site is small or the company sells a limited number of products. Other companies, especially midsize and smaller companies, often decide that a third-party Web hosting service provider is a better choice than self-hosting. This is the option used most often by large companies.

WEB HOSTING ALTERNATIVES When companies need to incorporate electronic commerce components, they may opt to run servers in-house this is called self-hosting. Although small companies can sometimes use a single vendor to supply all their electronic commerce software, most larger companies need to integrate a number of software products, each of which performs a particular task or process particularly well. As you will learn in this chapter, companies that engage in online business activities often combine software and tools from different vendors to accomplish their goals. Dun & Bradstreet benefits because it no longer has to worry about supporting many different financial data and credit information formats in its regional data centers webmethods software takes care of translating the different formats into a single form. Dun & Bradstreet s customers save money when they use webmethods software instead of writing their own customized programs to interpret Dun & Bradstreet data. It uses webmethods software to translate data from proprietary systems into a common format that any Dun & Bradstreet customer s 398 computer can understand. One of webmethods largest customers, Dun & Bradstreet, compiles financial and credit information.

With XML and webmethods software, a manufacturing company s order can be translated into a Web page that both the manufacturer s software and the Web server can understand. Covisint, the auto industry procurement portal you learned about in Chapter 6, uses webmethods software to integrate its Oracle database system with its Commerce One procurement and auction software, its Supply Solution supply chain execution software, and a variety of other vendors software products.Дў Businesses on the Internet can face challenges when trying to exchange information with each other information such as invoices and inventory tracking information using XML. Since then, the company has installed software in more than 1200 of the world s largest organizations that helps those organizations conduct electronic commerce with their suppliers. Merrick wanted to create a company that could exploit a new technology called XML (about which you learned in Chapter 2) in helping get B2B electronic commerce off the ground. 1 CHAPTER9 ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SOFTWARE LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this chapter, you will learn about: Finding and evaluating Web hosting services Basic functions of electronic commerce software Advanced functions of electronic commerce software Electronic commerce software for small and midsize businesses Electronic commerce software for midsize to large businesses Electronic commerce software for large businesses that have an existing information technology infrastructure INTRODUCTION In 1996, Australian Phillip Merrick started webmethods in Fairfax, Virginia.

Free check writing software download for business accounts