Is Colocation Web Hosting the Perfect Solution For Business Owners?
What is Colocation web hosting? Collcation is a new and special form of web hosting which has recently being introduced into the web hosting industry. With a Colocation web hosting plan, the user's server is stored in a highly secured data storage facility which is under the tight surveillance control and monitoring of a team of security professionals. Colocation hosting is a new way which facilitates the online business owners where they can store their private servers in a highly secured premise which are housed with all the necessary security tools and features to ensure the stability and safety of the servers.
Before we can tell if collocation web hosting is perfect for Business owners, let us scroll through all the related information regarding collocation web hosting before deciding if it is the right candidate for you or for any business owners.
a. One of the greatest strength of colocation web hosting lies in the colocation centers which are furnished with very high technological measures and controls in place so as to prevent any data loss during emergencies such as power outrage, natural disasters etc.
b. Colocation hosting plan is equipped with excellent backup protection which is ideal for large business corporation, their colocation center is installed with fire proof protection to secure the physical data servers as well as the rest of the hardware in the data center itself.
c. Colocation hosting ensure a highly secure server environment which some business owners find it worth-while to pursue for in view of their needs to ensure the high security of their customers privacy and financial data which these businesses need to protect and secure with priority.
d. With colocation hosting, you are allowed to upgrade by increasing your server resources whenever you need to as in colocation hosting, the network of servers will allow for infinite bandwidth if required.
e. Colocation hosting is the most expensive type of web hosting where the web-owner needs to pay for the server itself, as well as the storage space in the colocation center where the server is secured. The longer your server is stored in the colocation center, the higher the storage cost which the web-owner need to bear.
f. This type of hosting allows constant web presence for your online business which it will help the business owner to gauge greater revenue over the long run. This is greatly due to the high flexibility of colocation hosting server where multiple options and additional resources are available by the colocation hosting provider at any one time. Also, you are allowed to choose the hardware and software to run on your servers
g. If you are on the colocation hosting plan, you can be rest assured that you will have helpful and highly knowledgeable technical staffs from the web host to assist you whenever you need help. They are confident to guarantee their server up-time and consistent high quality performance of your server under their care. With this, you can really focus on how to improve the operation of your business and leave all the technical issues to the experts.
About this Author
When you are searching for site hosting, reverse researching is important where you should find out the complaints about the host. This can give you a clear picture on their performance. At least this is how I research a host. Long words short, for quick reference you can check out these hosting companies. They are all my favorite.
Darren is a full time web developer attached with a web designing company.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Thomas
A Guide to Server Colocation
Basics of Colocation
Server colocation is usually for those who own their own server hardware and require complete control over the server configuration. Colocation specialists will house and connect a server you own, to a fast internet connection, usually in a secure datacentre, with 24/7 support.
It is important to choose a colocation provider that either has their own data center or has a presence in one of the leading "data hotels." World Class data centres are located in major industrial cities (New York, London, Frankfurt for example). Here they are able to take advantage of the convergence of high capacity network connectivity that occurs in a major commercial centre. For instance fibre, and metrolinks and ease of connection to major Points of Presence (POPS) to the major telco's. For this reason only a very few of the leading ISP's or colocation specialist operate their own dedicated centre's due to the costs of providing remote connectivity, redundant power sources, air conditioning and filtered clean air.
Also not all internet connections are equal. You really need to enquire if your colocation specialist is "multihomed" using the BGP protocol by having at least two connections to Tier One providers. Tier One providers are very large ISP's or Telco's who operate their own fibre links and networks without having to operate traffic (or transit) over another ISP's network. An example of a Tier One provider would be Level3 communications.
In addition to Tier One connections, the colocation specialist should have peering arrangement's at major exchange point's such as LINX. A peering point is where a number of ISP's arrange to "meet up" to exchange traffic between each other rather than pay for transit over someone else's network. In a way they are "cutting out the middleman!" This not only improves redundancy but also reduces latency; people will be able to access the websites and content hosted on your colocated server much faster if you colo host is well peered.
Quite often a web host or Colocation ISP will negotiate many peering arrangements with other ISP's with whom they are exchanging a lot of traffic. Not only does this give them more resilience, but it also reduces their own transit costs with the Tier One providers enabling them to offer more competitive data transfer pricing.
Latency is particularly important when it comes to game server hosting and colocation. Quite often an ISP specialising in games hosting will give you an IP address for you to test ping times and carry out traceroutes.
Hardware Choices
Server housing costs in London or New York can be expensive. Not suprisingly your hardware should be "rack optimized." Colocation is usually priced "per U." A "U" is 1.75 inches (or 4.44 cms). So rack servers, unlike desktop machines are long and flat. Data Centre's also employ different types Rack Cabinets which are typically 42U in height, enough to house 42 1U servers though some of this space is used to accommodate switches, cabling. Often some space is left free to allow for efficient air distribution in the cabinet.
It's often worth liasing with your colo specialists over the choice of the physical hardware and especially the case and rack mounting. The colocation specialist will know which brands work in their racks. Personally I have found Dell Rack Optimized Servers and rail kits the quickest and easiest to rail up.
So you have decided on the hardware, and you are about to ship your server to the remote colocation data centre. Bear in mind your server will shortly be hundreds of miles away, indeed if you are in the USA, it might even be few hours flight away so there are a few technical points to consider before the machine is boxed, shipped and colocated.
Make sure the Operating System reboots
All colocated dedicated servers run "headless." This means without the use of a keyboard or monitor attached. Therefore you will need to ensure that the servers gets past the BIOS screen and boots the desired kernel without having to press any keys. It might be possible to set the BIOS on your dedicated server to stop on "no errors."
If your are running Linux the kernel you will need to ensure the correct kernel is booted without intervention. This is usually determined by the configuration on /etc/grub.conf if the GRUB boot loader is used, or /etc/lilo.conf if the LILO boot loader is used. After any changes have been made to the LILO configuration remember to run "/sbin/lilo -v" and ensure there are no errors.
Also make sure the kernel "works" properly with the hardware. This is especially true if have compiled the kernel yourself or are using specialist hardware.
Make sure the server "Auto Powers" on
Most colocation facilities provide an auto power cycler from a web interface. However this can fail if the machine does not auto power back up (requiring the intervention of a techie). Most server BIOS's are equipped with either "OFF", "LAST STATE" or "ALWAYS ON". In this case you will require "ALWAYS ON." it is possible to hack cheaper ATX motherboards to be "ALWAYS ON" but it is better to consider a more expensive motherboard.
Properly Configured Network
Make sure you configure the network addresses, DNS server and gateways properly prior to delivery of the dedicated server. This information will have been provided in advance by the colocation provider. Also make sure you can get back into the server remotely by having the SSHD daemon running (telnet is not secure).
OpenSSH is shipped with all the main Linux distributions. You might wish to consider configuring SSH (usually done in /etc/sshd/sshd_config) to work with Protocol2 only, disable root logins (or only allow public key exchanges with the `without-password` option) and to turn off X11 forwarding as this is not required on a production server.
Many servers have multiple ethernet connectors, so it an be helpful, if you are not using the second interface to either mask it off with tape or label the correct ethernet device.
Set up a Serial Console
This is sometimes called "out of band" management. Quite often a colocation provider will have a serial terminal on site. This is basically a server itself but with loads of serial ports. This enables you to connect to your server if the network has failed to your server for any reason.
The most common serial port settings are 9600 8n1 (we do not recommend running it a faster speed). If you are running a Red Hat Linux server serial console access is usually configured in "/etc/inittab." Try inserting the line below:
co:23456:respawn:/sbin/agetty ttyS0 9600 vt100
Cooling Considerations
Servers run pretty hot mainly due to modern processors. Even in a fully air conditioned environment. It will pay you look into cooling. A lot will depend on rack density however this is one more reason why you should consider a rack optimised server, as the air cooling in a colocated environment should have been taken into consideration. You can also familiarise with the chipset architecture of your motherboard and consider setting up "sensors." You can then monitor the temperature of your CPU and motherboard and graph it using MRTG.
Cheap Colocation Providers
Well apart from us that is! However the following London based colocation providers come highly recommended. In other words, they are in demand, know what they are doing and possess "clue."
Bogons - http://www.bogons.net/ - Based in Telehouse, but they may only usually Sun Netra servers.
Black Cat Networks - http://www.blackcatnetworks.co.uk/ - Based in Redbus Harbour Exchange.
Jump Networks - http://www.jump.net.uk" - Also based in Telehouse North, Docklands.
Additional Thoughts
You may wish to consider disc or hard drive redundancy. Although the "MTF" or Mean Time to Failure" quoted by hard drive manufacturers is impressive, hard drive failure, especially IDE failure happens depressingly often. With advent of S-ATA drives there is really no excuse, expecially if your are on a budget. You should consider cheap S-ATA drives (if you cannot afford SCSI) with Linux software RAID. Modern Linux distributions come with tools to administer and monitor the performance of software RAID arrays.
It can be helpful to duty technicians if all the main power lights are working. The power light, hard drive activity light and network light can be very useful. It goes without saying that the server should be correctly labelled at the front with it's hostname and IP address so it can be identified quickly.
About this Author
Paul Lee [http://www.ma1.se] has over six years experience in the web hosting industry and was formerly Senior System Administrator with Simply.Com Limited. He currently lives and works in London and runs his own consultancy and hosting company Weycrest.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Lee
Why Dedicated Server Hosting Is the Best
Creating a website is an easy task especially with all the resources and tools that are free to use online. However, websites need to be hosted to reach the internet. You have two options for hosting. One is shared server hosting and the other is dedicated server hosting. When it comes to dedicated server hosting, it only means leasing an entire web server from a hosting service provider. It is all yours meaning you do not have to share it with anyone else. On a shared server, you share the resources of the server with a number of clients. There are other options too like opting for a colocation provider if you already have existing equipment. Server hosting costs vary depending on which to choose. Shared servers are the cheapest while dedicated servers are the more expensive solution. However, choosing a dedicated server truly has its benefits and is actually an affordable solution compared to purchasing your own servers. Plus, you simply get the best service that your money will buy.
A shared server may be a good solution for small companies and personal sites. In this case, there is really no reason for the owner to get an exclusive server unless the site expands. However, when your small business starts expanding, the bandwidth and disk space may suddenly become too small for your computing needs. You can deal with this in two ways. One is to stick with shared hosting while purchasing additional disk space and the other is considering dedicated server hosting. The first option will not be a good solution if your business truly takes off because before you know it, you will be encountering the same problem all over again.
Dedicated servers cater only to your site. You have all the disk space and bandwidth on the server all to yourself and you will never have to worry about adding disk space ever again. There will be absolutely no need for you to share the server with other website unlike on a shared server. You will have the option of building your website as large and as sophisticated as you want.
A dedicated server is also more secure over a shared server because you will have full control over the security of your server and your site. On a shared server, you will not have this kind of control simply because you share it with other people. Data on a shared server is almost like a computer being used at home by other people so it will never be as secure as you would like it to be.
Dedicated servers can be managed or unmanaged. When you opt for an unmanaged server, this means it is up to you to do the managing. A managed server on the other hand comes with services that will include technical support, firewall services, and security audits. A list of these services can be quite extensive.
On a managed server you will have the time to deal with more important matters knowing that someone is tending to your computing needs. You have the time to focus on the business end of things or looking over communications with your customers or clients. Managing a server is not only challenging but also time-consuming. Having the luxury of time alone is already a huge benefit in itself.
Lastly, you will have technicians for twenty-four seven support. As you own the entire server, any problem that arises is dealt with priority and is resolved in a matter of seconds or minutes. To put it simply, you do not experience this on a shared server. You get premium service on a dedicated server because of what you pay for. You may now sleep soundly at night knowing that you have professionals on top of things.
There are many options in terms of servers for your internet computing needs. There is shared hosting or dedicated server hosting or a colocation provider just to name a few. The type of server that you get really depends on personal choice, website needs and affordability of server hosting costs. However, if you can afford it, dedicated server hosting is the best choice.
About this Author
Sarah Shore writes articles for ConNetU, a UK-based provider of dedicated server hosting, IP transit solutions and more. ConNetU offers 24 7 support and server management with all of their packages, with a range of options available for different requirements and budgets. As a leading colocation provider, ConNetU shares the cost of overheads across a large number of clients, thus allowing them to offer reduced server hosting costs to your business.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Shore
What Is The Difference Between Collocated Servers And Dedicated Servers?
When it comes to hosting a website, many individuals are torn between whether to use collocated servers or dedicated servers. In fact, many individuals do not know the difference between the two. There are several differences to be found between collocated servers and dedicated servers and the different functions of each may make an option more or less attractive to the website developer. There are many companies that will offer their customers the use of either a dedicated or collocated server and there are several advantages and disadvantages to each type of service. Ultimately, the decision rests with the website developer and their needs for the website.
The main difference between a collocated server and a dedicated server is the ownership of the server. With a dedicated one, the user is provided with exclusive use of a server that is owned by another entity, generally the hosting provider. A collocated one is owned by the user and is housed in a rental space along with the servers of many other companies and individuals. In other words, with a dedicated server you rent it and with a collocated server, you rent the space to house it. Each option is more cost effective than purchasing and housing the server on your own, but there are major differences in what you can and cannot do with the equipment.
With a dedicated server, the individual has exclusive access to it and can place any software, content, or applications on it that they wish. Websites that use dedicated servers also have a higher reliability and can handle a great deal more traffic than sites that are hosted on shared servers. With a dedicated server, any issues that arise with it are the responsibility of the company that the individual is renting it from, which could be a good or bad thing. One of the biggest disadvantages to a dedicated server is that the individual only owns the data on the server, not the server itself, so if they are dissatisfied with the service they are being provided, they have little recourse until their contract expires.
One of the biggest advantages of a collocated server is that the individual owns and has full access to the server at any time. The applications can be run from a remote location while the server is housed in a secure facility with an uninterruptible power supply, internet connectivity, and increased security features. Allowing the server to be collocated frees up valuable space in the home or business that would be needed to house the server and allows the individual to split the cost of utilities between all the individuals with servers housed in the area. The biggest disadvantage to collocated servers is that all issues, maintenance, and needed repairs to the server must be handled on your own.
About this Author
Fusepoint is the leading provider of managed IT solutions for companies throughout North America. Fusepoint services include infrastructure hosting, disaster recovery, and firewall security
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt
Green Data Centers – Desire to Help the Environment Or Driven by Economics
They seem to be the new buzz word and the new hype in the green movement. Companies can't wait to promote their latest green initiatives and tell the public how they're going green. On the one hand, it's essential for large corporations to find ways to cut energy use in order to reduce carbon emissions and do their part to slow the green house effect. However, these initiatives aren't always based on the desire to help the environment. For many companies, these decisions are purely business choices and based solely on economic factors.
Reducing the Carbon Footprint
Data centers are taking up more and more energy with each passing year. Very soon data centers will use more energy than any other industry as demand for servers, colocation and data storage increases. That is why government and environmental organizations and looking to data centers to cut their energy use.
There are many ways in which data centers are going about tackling this problem:
o Power efficient servers- by installing power-efficient servers in the data centers, facilities are able to reduce the amount of energy they use per server. This allows for the same number of servers to occupy the data center without using as much energy.
o Recycled heat- with all the heat generated by servers, some companies are looking for ways to harness that power and use it rather than continue to let it go to waste. Ways that companies are recycling heat is by using it to heat other parts of the building, other buildings nearby, to heat a swimming pool or even to heat a greenhouse.
o Recycled power- with the current technology, there is a certain amount of power that doesn't get used. Instead of wasting it, some data centers have found a way to harness the extra power and recycle it back into the system. This way instead of using only 70% of the available power, they are able to save that extra 30%, recycle back into the system and use it again.
Environmental or Economic Motivation
While all these initiatives are great, the question comes down to the motivation behind them. Do these companies really care about the environment or are they trying to save money on rising oil prices and using the green movement as a benevolent front?
Energy is becoming more and more expensive and companies are forced to pay high prices for a product they previously got for much cheaper. Not only are energy costs rising, but there is a limit to how much power is allocated to each facility. This limits the number of servers that can be brought into the data center and in turn puts a cap on the amount of business a facility can do.
Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars on additional power lines into the building, it's easier and cheaper for data centers to "go green" and cut the amount of power they use. This, in turn, will increase the number of servers they can put in the data center and increase their business.
In some cases, going green isn't due to the desire to reduce carbon emissions or to help preserve the environment. Instead it's motivated by money and the desire to do more business. In either case, the end result is a greener data center, which reduces carbon emissions; so maybe, just maybe the motivation behind it is irrelevant.
About this Author
Saleh Tousi is the CEO of SmarttNet, a Vancouver IT company offering comprehensive business Internet services including Canada Colocation since 1995.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saleh_Tousi
Benefits of a Managed Server
Dedicated servers, whether managed or unmanaged, are usually housed in data centres or colocation centres which are built of the most reliable equipment, power and mechanical systems. This is done for safety measures, risk reduction and scalability. Usually, dedicated unmanaged and managed servers are rented or leased by a company that provides web hosting. The server is used solely by one client and not multiple clients which gives the client full control of the server. Though managed servers are known to be the most expensive solution for maintaining a website, it is also the best solution for anyone who can afford it. It is, in fact, cheaper than purchasing your own server or hiring your own technical team. Plus, there are many providers nowadays that offer cheap dedicated server hosting.
Usually, hosting providers take care of services for managed servers as part of a package or bundled service. Some of the services include system updates, various monitoring packages, and security audits.
One of the greatest benefits you can get out of this kind of hosting is that it is controlled by experts. When we say experts, what we mean are the right people who are more than able to handle the job. They can be anywhere from Cisco certified to Microsoft certified to web component developers. All tasks that are assigned to the hosting company will be handled professionally. This means that they know their stuff and that you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Also, tasks that take so much time such as regularly taking care of security updates, operating system updates and control panel updates are the responsibility of your hosting provider. Security is always important. If you do not have time to do this, you will at least have peace of mind that somebody else is taking care of it.
Aside from security or operating system updates, there are always technical problems that often come up. Having technical support on top of every problem all the time is always a great comfort to any client. It is also a known fact that dedicated server clients are treated with the utmost priority. It is what you get in terms of what you pay for.
Managed dedicated servers are also known for having a high level of security. Stringent security measures are implemented by providers to ensure the safety of confidential data on the server. They utilise advanced security systems to prevent spammers and hackers from succeeding in entering the network. This also includes the prevention of viruses or worms from entering the network.
Managed dedicated servers are also popular for having fast response times. It is usually two times faster than that of a shared server. On a shared server, once one of the sites get a lot of traffic, this can possibly slow down the response time of your website which is never acceptable for those in the e-commerce industry.
Also, with a managed server you will have the ability to configure the server the way you want it. A problem that most clients on a shared server encounter is dealing with restrictions as to what could and could not be run on their servers, plus the permissions and settings they allowed. Having a managed server gives you more control.
Lastly, opting for this kind of hosting solution frees you from the hassle of managing your own server which can truly be time-consuming and a challenging task. A managed server is maintained by system administrators around the clock. This only means you will have more time to focus on the more important aspects of business matters. This also means you will have the luxury of spending quality time with family and friends without having to compromise your business needs. By outsourcing these services, you are not only saving time but money as well. You do not have to worry about cost and security as there are providers that offer cheap dedicated server hosting where servers are housed in secure data or colocation centres.
About this Author
Sarah Shore writes articles for ConNetU, expert suppliers of a range of fully managed server hosting solutions. ConNetU offer a range of options suitable for clients of all sizes and budgets, with choices available between private cabinet housing and Per-U colocation services, as well as a variety of CPU, memory and storage options suitable for a range of requirements. ConNetU's cheap dedicated server hosting is flexible, reliable and cost-effective.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Shore
Does Cloud Computing Offer an Easy Stepping Stone for SaaS?
Eighteen years ago applications were often delivered on a stack of 3.5" floppy disks that needed to be inserted one disk at a time during the installation process. Over time, the software industry delivery model evolved to CDs and downloading the software over the Internet.
Today, many software companies are facing another transition in their delivery model. The Software-as-a-services (SaaS) delivery model, where the software is accessed through a browser or thin client and never installed on the user's desktop, is becoming more prevalent across the industry.
SaaS has many advantages over the traditional software delivery model. The recurring revenue stream, simpler maintenance and application updates, and the lower cost of delivery and distribution are especially attractive for both the application provider and the end users.
However, unlike previous transitions which were changes in manufacturing or delivery technology, the transition to SaaS presents dramatic changes to both the migration and the delivery of the software solution.
Migration - Many companies face the challenge of migrating from a desktop or client-server architecture to a multi-tenant SaaS model. In many cases, the transition to SaaS involves a re-write of the entire application, which can be fraught with delays and incompatibility with legacy systems. This can have a dramatic impact on time-to-market, especially when customers are pressing for a SaaS application in the short term with all of the same features they currently enjoy on their desktop or client-server solution.
Delivery - SaaS changes the delivery requirements dramatically. Since the application is only available online, the solution needs to be available 24 hours a day without fail. For many software companies, this means that the IT delivery infrastructure suddenly becomes core to customer satisfaction. With SaaS hosting, the bar is raised from servers being mostly available, to always available and always online. Many SaaS companies consider colocation or managed server hosting so they can outsource the infrastructure expertise and focus on what they do best - software and application delivery.
Migration to SaaS with private cloud computing - A number of companies have moved their client-server application to a private cloud computing platform as the first step in migrating to a SaaS delivery model. They leverage the benefits of a private cloud and virtual servers to deliver their solution over the Internet. The end user doesn't know if they're running on in a multi-tenant software application or on a virtual server dedicated to their instance of the software. They see the same set of features they had with the legacy system.
As opposed to the public cloud, the private cloud can deliver a secure platform where the end user can be assured that their data is safe and the network is secure. Each instance of the application can be spun up on its own virtual server within the private cloud. Every time a new customer is added, an additional virtual server is spun up, with the operating system, application and configuration preloaded and ready to go within minutes.
The private cloud can simplify the process of migrating client-server applications to SaaS. Once the hardware platform is in place, a new virtual server instance can be spun up for each new customer quickly and for minimal incremental costs. Migrating client-server solutions to the private cloud removes the risk of rewriting code to a multi-tenant application from the critical path and delivers the same end user experience as in the client-server model.
Lower Risk, faster migration and preserving the end user experience - all good reasons to consider private cloud computing in your migration to a SaaS delivery model.
About this Author
Yan Ness is CEO of Online Tech, the Midwest's premier managed data center operator, and has more than 20 years of experience launching and managing high tech companies, from startup to scale. In 2003, Yan led a group of investors to acquire Online Tech and has since delivered a range of services from data center colocation to private cloud hosting from our SAS 70 data centers.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yan_Ness
Dedicated Server Hosting
There are a many different types of internet hosting services available for businesses and individuals these days. Finding the service appropriate for your needs takes an assessment of the various hosting services in order to line the options up with what you require.
Full-featured hosting services are among the most common and most versatile. They include virtual private servers, colocation facilities, cloud hosting services, and dedicated server hosting. For the purposes of our discussion today, we're going to hone in on dedicated server hosting to determine if it's the right option for your business or personal needs.
A dedicated server is a sort of hosting arrangement where a client can lease an entire server that isn't shared with anyone else, hence the "dedicated" portion of the descriptor. Obviously this has its advantages to shared hosting, as your organization will have full control over the service. This also grants the leaser the choice of specific hardware, operating system and other variables.
Most hosting companies handling hosting offer the services of administration as an additional service. The servers are traditionally held in data centers that, like colocation facilities, provide the right power structures and ventilation services. Data centers also have extensive security clearance elements that add an extra layer of production to the material in the server units.
Obviously there is some disparity between hosting companies as to what specifics are offered in a dedicated server arrangement, but the basics are generally the same throughout the industry.
The power factor of dedicated hosting is a big plus, of course. Most companies that choose them do so because of the power advantage, as other hosting options tend to dilute the amount of versatility and top-end strength that can be included.
Because dedicated server hosting gives the opportunity to rent an entire unit without sharing, users are more comfortable with the arrangement. In avoiding the potentially expensive purchase of the whole apparatus, businesses can save considerable money by using a hosting service outside the company. While dedicated server hosting is more expensive than other forms of hosting traditionally, the advantages wind up saving considerable money in the long run.
Most companies offer a sort of "set it and forget it" data center that enables business and personal users to get on with their lives after setting up the dedicated server hosting services. The hosting company handles the software and hardware angles, ensuring maximum security to go with the full complement of other services.
Packages at hosting service companies also offer the full versatility and selection companies are looking for, allowing for personalized set-up based on personalized needs. This means that you can select the amount of space and the type of operating system you want to run based on your organizational requirements, giving you the ultimate in choice and personalized service.
As you can see, dedicated server hosting is an option for those looking for total control of their data and material. While the costs of this type of hosting service is higher than other versions, the benefits are clear. Organizations looking for custom services with lots of space and security are best served using dedicated server hosting.
About this Author
Carat Networks is your destination for dedicated server hosting, VPS and colocation. Using the Atria Networks Data Centre in Toronto, we ensure maximum versatility and security for all customers and clients. Our dedicated servers utilize the best and most modern in networking equipment. We invite readers and visitors to visit us on the web to check out what we can do for your business today.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Preyank_Jain
What Is Co-Location and How Can It Benefit Your Business?
As your online business begins to grow, you need to look into ways that you can get more bandwidth to your site so that it loads quickly for your customers. Nothing will make customers leave your site faster than a slow-loading site. However, a dedicated server option can be very costly to new businesses and you are then require to manage the server, which may mean you have to hire someone to do this.
The advantage of co-location is that your server is placed on someone's server rack or area where their bandwidth is located and then you get to use their bandwidth as if it were your own. For example, we will assume you have a medium-sized business and you need more bandwidth, so you find a company that is larger than yours is and you rent out a space on their server rack and use their bandwidth.
The advantage of you using someone's else's bandwidth and rack it is less expensive than purchasing your own bandwidth, therefore, paying the company that you are sharing with is a good option for medium-sized businesses.
Another advantage is you worry less about outages especially if you are sharing with a larger company that has better support. For instance, if you lost power in your location and the location of where you have your server 'shared' at, it is their responsibility to make sure that they have backup generators in place to keep your site online.
Moreover, you can access your server remotely from your home or office. You can also go in and add additional memory or anything else you want to do because it is your server and you own the hardware. In addition, you own your server's software and can configure it anyway you wish.
In addition, the co-location providers will give you additional security protection because your server will be in a secured environment. Many of the providers will also offer to support your server in the event that something were to happen to anything on your hardware or software. This is an additional expense but well worth it, in the event you are not skilled in IT and do not have someone on board that is.
One of the problems you may run into when looking for providers is actually finding one near you, which of course is important. If you have a co-location that is on the other side of the world, it is going to make it next to impossible for you to go to the location to see your hardware for various reasons.
While this is a more expensive option than just basic hosting, the advantages far outweigh any disadvantages because you are still saving money over a dedicated server. In addition, you are getting security, and you own the server, which means you can check on it and add any kind of hardware you see fit. While there are a few disadvantages to this option, the benefits are very useful for medium-sized businesses.
About this Author
Co-location is a popular option for people who want full choice and control over the hardware and software they use, but don't want the expense of maintaining a building which is powered and connected for 24 hours a day. Rapidswitch are a hosting company specialising in co-location services, to find out more information about how this can benefit your business visit the Rapidswitch website.
Article Source:
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Saving Time and Money by Using an Agent For Telecom and IT Purchasing
In today's economy, businesses need to ensure their technology budgets are maximized. When it comes to spending for telecom and IT, making sure you get the right services and the best pricing can be tough and very time consuming. Fortunately, telecom brokers, commonly referred to as "agents" can represent a spread of different vendors getting you a variety of pricing in fractions of the time. However, not all agents are alike, and finding one that has the technical knowledge to understand your business but also a wide portfolio of vendors is key.
First off, you may not know what an agent is or does. A telecom agent or broker (usually the same) is a company or individual that is very knowledgeable about all telecommunications services and can provide you with suggestions and pricing from a variety of vendors. Telecom agents are technically consultants, who rather than being paid by the client, are paid by the vendor in the form of some commission for what is sold. Agents typically represent a set of vendors to be able to provide a mix of pricing for the services which are required. When the client chooses the vendor and service they want, the agent gets the contracts and order forms from the vendor, supplies them to the client, and helps aid in the completion of the transaction. Unlike resellers, agents connect you directly with the vendor.
Here are some quick guides to help you qualify your telecom agent to make sure they're the right one:
Location
The physical location of an agent these days is less important, as long as they can easily be reached by phone and email. However, ensuring they represent vendors and services in other cities than their own is key. Many agents are just specialists in the market they are based in, so choose an agent that clearly does business in not only their city and yours, but others as well. Having a national or global scope means they've dealt with a wide range of services and clients and are sure to meet your needs.
Services Provided
Some agents only represent vendors for a specific type of service. For example, you may find agents for only small business internet access like T1s and DSL, or agents that only deal with telephone and voice services, but not data. While you may only be looking for one type of service now, being connected to agent who deals with all of the telecom and IT products is important. Look for an agent who represents things like bandwidth, colocation space, and content delivery as well. If they have the right team, they may be able to examine your application and recommend a different service you may not have previously considered.
Solutions Not Prices
Many agents, especially small agent shops, try to appeal to their clients as having the lowest pricing and that's it. The reality is, you need an agent who can understand your business and what you're trying to accomplish and build a solution around it. Examine the agents website to see if they focus on providing solutions or just throw prices at the wall and hope they stick.
Hopefully these three points will help you in your next telecom or IT purchase.
About this Author
About Carrier Neutral
Carrier Neutral is a leading telecom and IT agency for colocation and datacenter space, bandwidth and IP transit, content delivery, private line, managed hosting, and other business telecom services. Carrier Neutral has a no contract, no cost, no obligation policy for agent services and strives to deliver the best vendors at aggressive prices. Unlike most agents, Carrier Neutral has a highly technical team that engages all of their clients to ensure they are providing the right service from the right vendor. With tens of years of combined industry background, the Carrier Neutral group is your best choice when looking for business telecom services.
Adam LaFountain is a telecom executive with over 10 years of experience in datacenters, network strategy, and web hosting.
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