ASPs Wither, Web-Based Services Endure - ' What You Should and '
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Should NOT Do: Using Hosted Software">
What You Should Do
Research before you decide. Understand your needs and study vendors, providers and technologies before you make a decision
Make it your own. Think through and negotiate your own Service Level Agreements; don't adopt someone else's
Start small. Don't outsource everything all at once
Take control. Own your key hardware and software
Be proactive. Back up and protect your data
What You Should NOT Do
Don't assume too much. Build relationships inside your providers so you can monitor their financial health
Don't outsource without a contingency plan. Make one for each provider in case any run into trouble or go out of business
Don't ignore the technology. Some Web standards are still in flux or not established
Don't risk the family jewels. Processes that are critical to your company are still safer inside your firewall
Don't forget security. Make sure the provider's managers follow industry best-practices and an ongoing secure model
Don't scrimp. Think through how to deploy your technology assets. For example, if you're saving money on software, build up your network infrastructure
Business Intelligence 
