1. Understand the Distinctions Between Shared, Collocated, Unmanaged Dedicated & Managed Dedicated Hosting So You Choose The One That Is Right For Your Business.

It is crucial to understand the difference between the types of hosting offered. As the hosting industry has matured, hosting offers have split into a couple of distinct categories, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Shared hosting means that you are sharing one server with a number of other clients of that company. The host manages the server almost completely (though you maintain your site and your account). They can afford to charge you little since many clients are paying for use of the server. However, the resources of that server are being used by companies other than yours. That means heavy traffic to one of the other sites on the server can really hammer the performance of your site. Also, you are typically not able to install special software programs on these types of machines, because the host will need to keep a stable environment for all of the clients using the server.

Collocated hosting means that you purchase a server from a hardware vendor, like Dell or HP for example, and you supply this server to the host. The host will then plug your server into its network and its redundant power systems. The host is responsible for making sure its network is available, and you are responsible for all support and maintenance of your server.

Unmanaged dedicated hosting is very similar to collocation, except that you lease a server from a host and do not actually own it yourself. Some very limited support (typically Web-based only) is included, but the level of support varies widely from unmanaged dedicated host to unmanaged dedicated host. This type of server can be had for around $99/month. Support levels are typically only provided in general terms. Ask the host to go into specifics about what support they will provide — will they apply security patches to your server? — before signing up. This service is typically good for gaming servers (like Doom or Counterstrike servers) or hobbyist servers, but not for serious businesses that need responsive, expert-level service.

Managed dedicated hosting means leasing a server from a host and having that company provide a robust level of support and maintenance on the server that is backed by quality guarantees. This maintenance typically includes that services such as server uptime monitoring, a hardware warranty, security patch updates and more. Be sure to make sure your managed dedicated host is specific about its managed services included so that you can be sure they are not disguising an unmanaged dedicated offering as a managed dedicated server. This has been known to happen unfortunately, which is why it is important to do your homework and ask the right questions (see below for specific examples). Read the rest of this entry »

Web Hosting News - Fayetteville, NC - Dedicated hosting has a strong appeal to companies that operate heavily-trafficked web sites, have expansive shopping carts, or would like the peace-of-mind related to having a dedicated resource. In response to this need Advanced Internet Technologies, announced earlier this month a limited time Power Buy special which promotes a 20% additional savings across their already low priced hosting plans. A company spokesman today has stated AIT intends to extend the offer for one more week. “These savings are really significant because they are compounded with the 40% discount already available on select plans; that constitutes a total savings of almost 60% off the price,” said Sean McCoy, Chief Marketing Officer for AIT. Simply call AIT’s sales staff at 1-800-878-4084 by October 3rd to claim your additional savings.

These hosting plans cater to a variety of Internet professionals, from developers who want a powerful production environment to administrators who want total control over their machine to hosting services resellers who want the flexibility of hosting an unlimited number of domains. Plans include a free domain name, free website builder, free shopping cart, and over 100 additional free features. AIT’s hosting options ensure maximum uptime, are backed by 24/7/365 support, and run on industrial-grade infrastructure. Paul LaFlamme an AIT customer who uses multiple servers operating dual offices in Savannah, GA and Washington, DC. “I use one server as a test bed, and another to store customer data,” says LaFlamme. “I particularly like having root access to the machines; there are times when that level of control is a must. The AIT network is robust, dependable, and fast.” Read the rest of this entry »

Hosting News - HOUSTON – The Planet, the global leader in IT hosting, today announced its participation at the SMB Nation Fall 2008 Conference, scheduled for Oct. 4 – 6 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle. The company is a silver-level conference sponsor, and will showcase its hosting solutions and services at Booth 201.

Carl Meadows, senior product manager for The Planet, will deliver an address on the first day of the conference. His presentation, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, at 1:30 p.m., is titled “Finding the Perfect Hosting Provider: The Power to Choose.”

“Systems integrators are the trusted IT advisors for small businesses,” said Meadows. “They know firsthand that IT infrastructures are critical to core business functions; likewise, hosting in a highly available facility is a necessity for IT projects. By hosting with a company that has fully redundant data centers, monthly server contracts and a wide range of service options, systems integrators can expand business by building customer relationships and recurring revenue streams.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Web Host News - PLANO, Texas – Layered Technologies, Inc. (Layered Tech), a leading worldwide provider of on-demand IT infrastructure, today announced that its recently completed network upgrades further strengthen its ability to handle complex requirements of enterprise-class customers for traditional and virtualization platforms, while simultaneously positioning Layered Tech to effectively manage its rapid growth.

Network investments include expanding its number of carriers so that customers have a superior blend of Internet pathways.  Level 3 Communications, Global Crossing and Sprint give Layered Tech’s customers strong overseas access, while SAVVIS, Internap and Time Warner provide U.S. Internet access.  Layered Tech also enhanced access between its data centers with 10-gigabit circuits, while hardware upgrades include new Cisco switches in VSS configuration.  The upgrades and improvements have resulted in faster, more reliable access for Layered Tech customers.
Read the rest of this entry »

Dedicated Server News - Reading, UK – DediPower, one of the UK’s fastest growing managed hosting providers, this month celebrates its 10th anniversary.  From small beginnings, today DediPower has ‘000’s of customers ranging in size from rapidly growing “internet” innovators to large, well-established organisations and multinationals.

With origins in web development, founders Craig Martin, Spencer Tarring and Russell Champion, identified the growing need for reliable and effective web hosting solutions for their clients in the late 90’s. This exciting market opportunity changed the direction of the company that today is focused on delivering dedicated hosting solutions in its two UK enterprise class data centres.
Read the rest of this entry »

Web Hosting News - New York, NY - The results are in from last week’s premium .ME domain name auction and the numbers demonstrate the power of the most popular new domain name. During Thursday’s T.R.A.F.F.I.C. auctions, the eleven domain premium .ME names offered to the public fetched a total of $218,000.

Date.Me went for $70,000. Below is a complete breakdown of the .ME auction results:

Read the rest of this entry »

SaaS Hosting News - ST. LOUIS, Mo., — SAVVIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:SVVS), a global leader in IT infrastructure services for business applications, today announced that it is preparing to launch a new solution to help independent software vendors (ISVs) meet the rapidly growing demand for service-based licensing and delivery models.

SAVVIS’ comprehensive new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution will provide a secure, scalable, global, and function rich hosting platform that will enable fast, economical, and reliable deployment of SaaS applications. The offering is targeted at both ISVs entering the SaaS market and existing SaaS providers wanting to outsource their IT infrastructure so they can focus on their core business.

SAVVIS’ new SaaS solution is organized into three service categories that provide an expanded and highly differentiated suite of SaaS enablement capabilities. Read the rest of this entry »

Reseller Hosting News - LONDON, UK - ResellersPanel, the synonym of free reseller web hosting, announces that it has recently launched elefanteinstaller.com – a new website, which offers detailed descriptions, demo versions and the free installation of more than 30 open source PHP scripts, among them phpBB2, WordPress, Joomla, Mambo, osCommerce, Drupal, Coppermine and many others, grouped in the following categories: Blog, Forum, CMS, E-Commerce, Photo Gallery, Wiki, Classified Ads, Calendar, Guestbook, Project Management, Client Management, Ad Management, Customer Support. The one-click automated script installation available through the new Elefante Installer website will help users avoid the difficulties related to the otherwise quite complicated PHP script installation process, which requires at least some basic knowledge of MySQL, phpMyAdmin, the Apache web server, etc., on their part. Read the rest of this entry »

Reseller Hosting News - Philadelphia, PA - Fasthosts Internet Inc., a leading reseller web hosting provider, today launched in the US and debuted an aggressive launch offer, 1 year free unlimited reseller web hosting.  Currently the UK’s largest reseller web host, Fasthosts now offers the US an excellent new way to resell own-branded web solutions including web hosting and domain names.  Fasthosts’ unique philosophy offers resellers unlimited web space and bandwidth enabling them to create their very own packages and set their own prices, and includes a high quality hosting plan free to resellers that delivers 100% profit.  With 12 months free Reseller Package subscription, Fasthosts comprises an excellent no-risk way for American IT pros and entrepreneurs to start their own web solutions brand.

Reseller web hosting enables an entrepreneur to retail web solutions (such as hosting, domains and email solutions) and earn profit on the items they sell.  IT professionals can combine their own services, such as web design, programming or IT advice, with web solutions in order to charge premium prices.  The low costs and recurring fees model make reseller hosting a highly profitable business activity.  The reseller hosting market is growing and will be of interest to many individuals with IT skills.  Read the rest of this entry »

Web Host News - London - 1&1 Internet Ltd., the world’s largest web host by known servers, today debuted a new product, 1&1 MailXchange, based on Open-Xchange Inc.’s award winning collaboration technology.  Priced from £6.99/month+VAT, MailXchange is a 1&1 hosted solution requiring no server management or licensing fees from customers.  Small business owners and private users looking for an affordable alternative to Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint could benefit from this hosted and feature-rich email and collaboration service.  The solution can also be utilized with any Windows Mobile smartphone.

With 1&1 MailXchange, users can take advantage of Open-Xchange’s advanced web-based personal information management (PIM), delivering email, calendaring, contact and task management to enhance efficiency and teamwork. The centralized document management system allows users to attach documents to corresponding tasks, as well as share them without emailing large files.  The web-based MailXchange interface is available anywhere with Internet access, thus delivering businesses with multiple locations or employees working out of office, the ability to share information highly effectively.  With 1&1 MailXchange users also have the option of synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook. Read the rest of this entry »