Script Service
newObjects Script Service is a simple but powerful freeware tool. It allows you to write Windows NT/2000 service in script (VBScript, JScript etc.). You have your script running. It receives calls to a procedure called "OnTimer" on configured intervals (up to this point this is simply a scheduler), but also any external application is able to call functions implemented in this script. Thus you are able to write something that receives requests for asynchronous execution and then ask it from time to time for their state. If you have problems how to implement maintenance pages for DB management (regular tasks), or news mail sending, or other tasks not possible to happen during the ASP page execution - then this is what you need.