1-800-HOSTING Blog » managed hosting http://blog.800hosting.com Inside 1-800-HOSTING Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:00:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 What is a Dedicated Server? http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/07/what-is-a-dedicated-server/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/07/what-is-a-dedicated-server/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:22:35 +0000 John Cunningham http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=2071 What is a dedicated server? That’s a relatively easy question to answer but a short answer will only scratch the surface. A dedicated server is a physical server that is installed in a data center, connected to an IP network and used to host applications that are accessed via the web or to process database requests, email, DNS or any other number of tasks.

The thing that differentiates a dedicated server is typically that the full resources of the server are only used by one client, hence the word “dedicated”. This is also referred to as dedicated hosting. An example of how this would not apply would be for shared hosting because while you can have literally hundreds of shared hosting clients on a single dedicated server, those resources are not dedicated to any one particular client and are spread among many clients. The example of running hundreds of shared hosting websites on a single dedicated server goes back to the earlier comment about the short answer only scratching the surface.

Good examples of clients who would require dedicated servers would be clients whose websites have outgrown their shared hosting environment. That is typically a function of CPU and RAM requirements. If you are trying to run large database application on a shared hosting server while 200 other websites are competing for processing power, you will probably see a substantial degradation of service. It will likely still function, but it will also more than likely be very slow and at times even unresponsive. Not to mention that your provider will encourage you to migrate to a dedicated server or to managed hosting if you lack the technical expertise to manage the dedicated server.

What is a dedicated server vs. what is not. Dedicated servers typically imply that you have the technical expertise on staff to manage all of the technical aspects of that server, including security, routine maintenance, updates and many other things. If you do lack those resources, managed hosting would likely be a far better choice for you. While the cost for managed hosting is always more than dedicated, the peace of mind you will receive by knowing that your server is managed by a team of experts is always well worth the additional cost.

So there you have it. The next time someone asks you “What is a Dedicated Server?”, you can now give an answer that makes sense.

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]]> http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/07/what-is-a-dedicated-server/feed/ 0 Migrating to Cloud Computing http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/06/migrating-to-cloud-computing/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/06/migrating-to-cloud-computing/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:56:29 +0000 John Cunningham http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=1694 Imagine that you could click a few buttons and migrate your environment from a dedicated server to a cloud computing platform. You won’t have to imagine for very long because that’s something that we’re working on right now.

It seems that one of the biggest obstacles for entry into cloud computing is the migration from your old server. We are working hard to find the best way to migrate dedicated servers or managed servers with very little input (or risk) from the end user. That would include migration of your operating system, all installed applications and of course, your precious data.

Testing has gone very well and we are confident we can roll this out in the very near future. At a minimum this provides a mechanism to get you quickly and easily into cloud computing and enjoying all of the benefits while sidestepping the hassles of a typical server migration.

Another area that is of great interest for us is helping clients migrate from server co-location to cloud computing. It’s essentially the same thing as migrating a dedicated server but the benefits and cost savings would be off the charts. We are still in the testing phase but making excellent progress and we expect to push something out to the public very soon. We have already successfully migrated from various platforms and the response from our techs is always the same, jaw-dropping ease and mind numbing efficiency.

Stand by for more news on this exciting development as we continue working hard to bring you the best cloud computing platform available.

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]]> http://blog.800hosting.com/2011/06/migrating-to-cloud-computing/feed/ 0 Coming Soon To 1-800-HOSTING http://blog.800hosting.com/2010/02/coming-soon-to-our-web-site/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2010/02/coming-soon-to-our-web-site/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:52:58 +0000 Jay Ellison http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=1174 We have some exciting changes coming soon to www.800hosting.com.

We have been working to bring back the ability to configure servers and add-on services on our web site, along with the ability to place orders online.  We removed this function a couple years ago from the previous web site and are very excited to return this convenience to our online shoppers.  1-800-HOSTING visitors will easily find the base server configuration that most closely matches their needs, modify it to their precise specifications, and place their orders online.

Additionally, we are introducing Rapid Deployment Servers.  Several popular configurations will be available with a reduced time to deployment.  While clients may still select any offered operating system and control panel to be installed, the deployment time is significantly reduced for these plans without the need to make changes to the base hardware configuration.  Eliminating inventory allocation, de-racking, hardware changes, re-racking and testing allows us to offer a much faster deployment time from receipt of order, while providing a custom software install.  Add-on services like managed backup, managed firewalls, managed services and the like, will not add to the deployment time. Rapid Deployment Servers with add-on options will also be available for online ordering.

There won’t be any fanfare over this new roll-out, that’s just not our style. Simply check back in a couple weeks to see how easy it is to build and order your precise dedicated server.

Jay

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]]> http://blog.800hosting.com/2010/02/coming-soon-to-our-web-site/feed/ 0 Discover America http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/discover-america/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/discover-america/#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 17:17:15 +0000 John Cunningham http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=534 We recently helped launch the new web site www.discoveramerica.com which is the “official travel and tourism website of the United States”. The purpose of this post was to point out that it’s not only a really cool website but it’s also a site that I will actually use. It never occurred to me that the government could ever run a “good” website until my wife started paying our personal taxes online several years ago and she quickly learned that Dallas Country really had their stuff together, almost too much in fact. While we appreciate the convenience a little lag wouldn’t be so bad when it comes to paying taxes.

Anyway just a quick post congratulating all the great people at www.discoveramerica.com for the launch of a very helpful and interactive web site and for selecting us (1-800-HOSTING) as their Managed Hosting provider for such an important web site.

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]]> http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/discover-america/feed/ 0 Why Managed Hosting http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/why-managed-hosting/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/why-managed-hosting/#comments Fri, 08 May 2009 22:00:10 +0000 Jay Ellison http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=493 Web hosting certainly has gotten more affordable over the years, making the internet more profitable. Profitability provides the opportunity for increased content and functionality, making the end user’s experience more dynamic.

With all the additional content and functions, security threats are much greater. In 2008, Symantec detected 1,656,227 malicious code threats. This number is an astounding 60% of the approximately 2.6 million malicious code threats that Symantec has detected in total over time. Web based attacks are the primary source for these threats with most occurring through legitimate websites that have been compromised.

In addition to security issues, data loss is on the increase. This is primarily due to hardware malfunctions, power outages, corrupted software, and human error.

Why is Managed Hosting the right choice?

• SAS70 Type-II Certified Data Center
• Multiple Tier 1 carriers with BGP4 routing for always-on connectivity
• Diverse/redundant fault-tolerant power systems with diesel generator backup
• State-of-the-art environmental control systems with redundant cooling systems
• Technical expertise of support staff on-site 24/7/365
• Quad Strength Security services to protect your data & network environment

Managed hosting is a more efficient use of resources and actually reduces overhead costs associated with IT. Since finding and retaining good personnel is an expensive challenge, managed hosting can free up more of your time and money to do what you do best, not recruiting, training, and managing an IT staff.

With all the threats to your online business, security is critical. Managed hosting provides security updates and monitoring of the server for denial of service attacks and unauthorized access. In most cases, a managed hardware firewall is preferred to ensure maximum data security and compliance to PCI / DSS standards.

Having equipment on hand for immediate deployments means you can scale your business quickly and efficiently. When a new server is needed, where do you get it? How long does it take to deploy? Can it be done in a matter of hours, or does it take days to order it, have it delivered, and then deployed?

Connectivity and power are key issues. What happens if your connection or power goes down? Do you have a backup connections and power waiting to be switched to immediately?

Disaster recovery is paramount in running a web based business. Most companies do not prepare adequately with redundancy, high availability, and backups. Do you have the wherewithal to deploy new hardware and restore data if something catastrophic were to happen to your business?

It all comes down to economies of scale. Unless your business is running hundreds of servers, it is not cost effective nor practical to put the above systems in place for your installation. Research by Gartner and others shows that managed services can reduce the total cost of infrastructure ownership by as much as 60%

One of the biggest drawbacks to doing it yourself is simply a lack of experience. I am a great believer in paying someone to do what they do well, so that I can focus on what I do well. There is no need to go out and re-invent the wheel. Hire the experts to do it for you so that you can focus on what will make your business profitable and successful

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]]> http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/why-managed-hosting/feed/ 0 Information and Metrics http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/information-and-metrics/ http://blog.800hosting.com/2009/05/information-and-metrics/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 17:00:14 +0000 Christopher Shaffer http://blog.800hosting.com/?p=4 Being involved in most all aspects of the operations of 1-800-HOSTING I get to feel firsthand the impact of having disparate data sources, or not having proper information for processes you would like to apply metrics to. Trying to make decisions without having reliable and useful data is almost pointless if you don’t know where you’ve been then how do you know where you are going? A good example is our previous phone system that was in operation when I started with 1-800-HOSTING many years ago.

When I first started we had no idea how many calls we received, made, abandoned, or were forced to hold each day. Running a contact center where customers are invited to call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year with a phone number such as 1-800-HOSTING, and then no way to measure our performance and the customer experience seemed a bit odd. Fast forward and we now we have the ability to measure, report, and convey our progress to our employees and customers a like.

Previous 30 day statistics:

- SLA (Calls answered in 20 seconds or less): 95%

- Average Wait for Answered Calls: :11s

This is information that has a direct impact on the customers experience by allowing us to adjust schedules of the technical support, sales, and billing staff members based on when our customers contact us most.

The other problem that we, and every other company out there faces, is allowing for internal and external systems to share related information rather than manually replicating it. While I am not a application developer, I do have a pretty good understanding of how information “should” flow between all of the systems we employ, and know it can always be improved. Automation and systems integration are a key focus here at 1-800-HOSTING and we are working hard to integrate as many functions as we can to save both time and money.

Here is a short list of some of the software and systems we use:

Billing and Customer Account System

  • The Request Tracker Ticketing System
  • Network and Server Monitoring Systems
  • Server Deployment Environment
  • Network Statistics Reporting
  • Network Device Management
  • Datacenter Management Software
  • Website Statistics System
  • Authentication Systems

The goal is to never have to enter the same bit of information more than once and then ultimately in the same place. While many of our systems share this philosophy there is still a lot of work to be done towards total company automation.

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