Web Hosting News – BOSTON - Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), the world’s leading provider of open source solutions, and Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, today announced the expansion of their virtualization collaboration with the integration of Cisco Virtual Network Link (VN-Link) technology with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. With this integration, Red Hat and Cisco customers will have an opportunity to achieve higher performance, greater network visibility and control and a reduced total cost of ownership for their datacenter virtualization deployments.

Bringing the network and virtualization domains closer to simplify datacenter deployments, Red Hat and Cisco are integrating the Cisco Unified Computing System Virtual Interface Card with the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor included in Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. This combination creates a logical network infrastructure that will help to provide full visibility, control and consistency of the network for virtualization without sacrificing performance. VN-Link automates the movement of network and storage services so they can follow virtual machines as they are moved around the datacenter, helping to ensure consistent policy-driven network capabilities across all servers, physical or virtual, in a customer’s datacenter. With this combination:

* Virtual machines can directly access dedicated physical I/O resources, improving network throughput and freeing CPU cycles to deliver greater application density and improved virtual machine density for greater performance.
* Customers will be able to more easily manage and secure virtual environments with the higher visibility and network control provided by VN-Link on a per-virtual-machine basis for applications running under Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization.
* Application deployment will be faster with the automation of virtual machine creation with policy-based network configurations that are jointly supported by both companies’ virtualization management tools.
* Large-scale cloud deployment with more consistent network management, security and isolation is achievable.
* Customers have the opportunity to lower their acquisition costs by up to 20 to 40 percent compared to traditional virtualization solutions. Utilizing the benefits of the Cisco Unified Computing System’s simplified architecture and Red Hat’s centralized virtualization management, customers can reduce both the cost and time to deploy their business applications, resulting in lower total cost of ownership.

“At Travelport, we have deployed the Cisco Unified Computing System to reduce our IT footprint and deploy both virtualized and non-virtualized applications more quickly, which is essential in the dynamic travel industry,” said Steven Senecal, manager, global server engineering at Travelport, a broad-based business services company and a leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions to companies operating in the global travel industry. “As the Linux market grows, the integration between Cisco’s VN-Link technology and Red Hat’s KVM hypervisor represents a high-performance virtualization offering for the open source market from two industry leaders, and expands the choices for deploying virtualization on Linux platforms while enabling the same level of security and policy for virtual machines that exists for physical servers.”

“With the tight integration between the Cisco Unified Computing System and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, we are offering our joint customers significantly enhanced virtualization performance capabilities,” said Brian Stevens, chief technology officer and vice president, Engineering at Red Hat. “Today, Red Hat becomes the first Linux vendor to offer an integrated VN-Link virtualization solution with Cisco, marking another important step forward in Red Hat’s virtualization and Linux technology leadership.”

“The growth of virtualization in the datacenter and cloud computing, coupled with the adoption of Linux-based server infrastructures, has created a need for a simplified solution for virtualized server I/O,” said Ed Bugnion, chief technology officer, Server Access and Virtualization business unit at Cisco. “The combination of the Cisco Unified Computing System and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization means that organizations can take advantage of Cisco innovation backed by the momentum of the open source community, resulting in an open, integrated and tuned environment for virtual infrastructure deployment.”

The integrated solution is expected to be available from Red Hat and Cisco later this year in line with the availability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, including the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor.

To learn more about this announcement, join Red Hat for a webcast that will be broadcast live from the Red Hat Summit in Boston at 12:30 pm ET on June 23, 2010. The webcast will also be available for replay. To join, visit http://www-waa-akam.thomson-webcast.net/us/dispatching/?event_id=20f5425fcb4a6cbb8136d0918bf9e9f2&portal_id=af9b227bf07c733390c2738ee0330646.

For more information about Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, visit www.redhat.com/rhev. For more information about Cisco VN-Link, visit www.cisco.com/go/vnlink.

About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat, the world’s leading provider of open source solutions and an S&P 500 company, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with over 65 offices spanning the globe. CIOs ranked Red Hat as one of the top vendors delivering value in Enterprise Software for six consecutive years in the CIO Insight Magazine Vendor Value survey. Red Hat provides high-quality, affordable technology with its operating system platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, together with virtualization, applications, management and Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) solutions, including Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization and JBoss Enterprise Middleware. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide. Learn more www.redhat.com.

About Cisco Systems
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at www.cisco.com.

Research, evaluate and learn more about Virtual Private Servers at FindMyHost.com.

Customers who wish to submit positive reviews for the current or past Web Host are free to do so by visiting the customer review section of FindMyHost.com Click here to submit a review for your Web Host and nominate them for next months Editors’ Choice awards. We would like to congratulate all web hosts and The following list of web hosting providers excelled in their field of service, congratulations to all and keep up the great work!

APLUS.NET	iNetU.Net	HostICan
www.Aplus.Net	www.iNetU.Net	www.HostICan.com
ADULTHOSTING.COM	NETWORK SOLUTIONS	NAVISITE
www.AdultHosting.com	www.NetworkSolutions.com	www.NaviSite.com
VERIO	SUPERB	JUST HOST
www.Verio.com	www.Superb.net	www.JustHost.com
LUNARPAGES	247-HOST	SERVINT
www.Lunarpages.com	www.247-Host.com	www.ServInt.com
NETELLIGENT	NETELLIGENT	CODERO
www.Netelligent.ca	www.Netelligent.ca	www.Codero.com
HOSTFORWEB	HOSTGATOR
www.Hostforweb.com	www.Hostgator.com

About FindMyHost
FindMyHost, Inc. is an online magazine that provides editor reviews, consumer hosting news, interviews discussion forums and more. FindMyHost.com was established in January 2001 to protect web host consumers and web developers from making the wrong choice when choosing a web host. FindMyHost.com showcases a selection of web hosting companies who have undergone their approved host program testing and provides reviews from customers. FindMyHost’s extensive website can be found at www.FindMyHost.com.

To facilitate compliance, Visa established a list of certified vendors, found here: http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/cisp-list-of-pcidss-compliant-service-providers.pdf. Working with a certified vendor guarantees a level of compliance with the PCI DSS spec. A certified vendor must supply you with a responsibilities sheet detailing exactly what they are covering.

To companies that handle credit card data (financial services, eCommerce, etc.), choosing a certified hosting provider has obvious benefits; however, all businesses can benefit from the third-party certification. Here’s how:

Access Control
The PCI-DSS places restrictions on who has physical access to servers in a datacenter, as well as terminal access to the operating system. As such, a certified PCI compliant hosting provider has safeguards that may or may not be present with other hosts:

• Photo security badge, fob, PIN, and biometric access to the datacenter.
• Access privilege granted to fewest necessary personnel.
• Login and change monitoring/logging for each server or device.
• Secure client authentication required for any changes to the environment.

Secure Perimeter
A compliant hosting provider’s perimeter must be secured to meet PCI requirements. By choosing a PCI compliant hosting company, you automatically gain that security benefit, including:

• Outbound traffic from protected servers is monitored to make sure that only established connections are receiving data.
• Prevention of internal IP addresses being discovered and published publically on the Internet.

Firewall and Infrastructure Best Practices
A certified PCI compliant hosting provider must establish a DMZ within your network environment to make sure that sensitive data is thoroughly protected. Additionally, a hosting company that specializes in PCI consultation can guide you through other best practices, like using a separate server for web and database, and segregating a development zone from your production environment.

Credit card data isn’t the only sensitive information a business might need to secure. Healthcare providers or applications that store patient data may need to comply with HIPAA security standards. Education related applications may need to comply with FERPA. If your servers store any personally identifying information, the best thing you can do for your clients is choose a hosting provider with certified security credentials. Visa certification for PCI-DSS compliance is the platinum standard that benefits any security-minded business.

PCI Complaint Web Host

If you are interested in learning more about PCI Complaint Web Hosting services, contact INetU Managed Hosting www.inetu.net.

It’s a great time to be a young and growing design and/or software development firm. Our highly connected world means an endless stream of opportunities for companies trying to meet the demands of SMBs and hungry eyeballs churning through websites, print media, and mobile delivered content at exponential rates. Ironically, at the same time it’s never been as tough for young designers and developers, who must fund a variety of disciplines in order to be competitive. It’s not enough to know your way around Photoshop; the successful design companies are the ones that stay abreast of the current and breaking technologies needed to deliver the highly interactive Web 2.0 experience users expect. That means costly training and license fees. Fortunately it just got a lot easier, thanks to Microsoft’s new WebsiteSpark prog ram.

The Microsoft WebsiteSpark hosting program knocks down the barriers to entry for new design and development companies, giving them the technology they need to compete for SMB opportunities in the Windows Hosting platform arena without paying a dime in upfront costs. Offering free licenses for Visual Studio 2008, Expression Studio and Expression Web, and user and processor licenses for Windows Server and SQL Server, the WebsiteSpark program clears a path for young design companies by giving them free access to industry leading software and letting them avoid costs that could otherwise bleed away at revenues during the critical first few years of operation.

WebsiteSpark is designed to help young businesses enter the Windows Hosting segment with more than just free technology. The program also creates new business opportunities through increased visibility, partner connections, and networking with other, similarly minded professionals that offer complimentary technologies and services. It adds up to a significant number of advantages for small design and development firms that are building business in the Windows Hosting environment.

NaviSite is proud and excited to be partnered with Microsoft in this initiative, and is pleased to announce that WebsiteSpark Hosting is now part of the NaviSite SMB service offering. As with Microsoft’s BizSpark program (also available through NaviSite), WebsiteSpark Hosting is one more example of the NaviSite commitment to the success of SMBs through low cost, high value services and world class support. If you are ready to jumpstart your design or development firm and benefit from the fast growing Windows Hosting market, then WebsiteSpark Hosting with NaviSite is the answer. Call 866-322-1905 or click WebsiteSpark Hosting and get started today.

The GrowSmartBiz Conference will gather more than 500 small business owners and entrepreneurs together with industry experts, including Wired magazine Editor-in-Chief and author of The Long Tail and Free, Chris Anderson, who will serve as keynote speaker. Attendees will participate in group learning discussions and networking opportunities that will provide actionable, cost-effective strategies for growing their businesses. The first-ever GrowSmartBiz Conference will be held Tuesday, September 29, 2009, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The small business sector is responsible for more than 40 million jobs and a reported $6 trillion in revenues1. The GrowSmartBiz Conference was created as a result of the Small Business Success Index (SBSI) – an ongoing measurement of the overall health of small businesses commissioned by the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and Network Solutions.

“This conference will provide small business owners with the resources and information they need to successfully navigate today’s challenging economic environment,” said Melina Formisano, vice president of marketing for Network Solutions. “We’ve brought together a great group of marketing and small business experts to focus on the topics that small businesses view as critical to their success, including: access to capital, marketing and innovation, and computer technology.”

In addition to key business takeaways and new contacts, all conference attendees will receive a free domain name from Network Solutions, a copy of Anderson’s latest book, Free, and business planning software from Palo Alto Software®.

To register for the GrowSmartBiz Conference or for more information about the event, please visit the conference Web site at http://tinyurl.com/gsbiz and use offer code GSB999 to receive two admissions for just $99, good only on September 9, 2009. Follow the GrowSmartBiz Conference on Twitter at @GrowSmartBiz and join the conversation by using the #growsmartbiz hashtag.

About Network Solutions
Network Solutions® is focused on helping small businesses start and market their companies on the Internet by offering a full range of Web-based services that include: hosting, Web site design, ecommerce solutions, online security, search engine marketing and domain name registration services. Drawing on 30 years of experience, we make it simple and affordable for our customers to build and manage an online presence. Our customers receive the best customer service in the industry, which has been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates® Certified Call Center program for providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for the last four consecutive years. Customers around the globe trust us to manage more than 7 million domains, over 2 million e-mailboxes, and hundreds of thousands of Web sites. We make it easy for small businesses to get online so they can have more time to do what they do best – run their companies.

Research, evaluate and learn more about web hosting at FindMyHost.com.

PG&E’s High Tech Energy Efficiency program provides technical services and analysis of energy efficiency measures to companies like Fortune Data Centers. The California utility offers incentives for a broad portfolio of technologies, including virtualization/consolidation, massive array of idle disks (MAID) data storage systems, high efficiency power conditioning and delivery equipment, PC network management software, and strategies for lowering air conditioning energy use and costs.

An independent engineering firm analyzed the design documents for Fortune’s flagship data center project in San Jose, then provided Fortune and PG&E estimates of energy savings. Fortune Data Centers received an incentive award of over $900,000 from PG&E to partially offset the premium costs of the energy efficiency design improvements which Fortune implemented.

Fortune Data Centers reconstructed a former clean room facility and built it into a highly efficient data center with an exceptional Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.37—far superior to the industry average PUE of 2.0, and better than the EPA’s 2011 target PUE of 1.45 for state-of-the-art enterprise-class data centers. To achieve such a rating, Fortune Data Centers invested in highly-efficient infrastructure components, selecting critical components such as Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) based on their energy efficiency ratings.

Mechanical improvements included Fortune’s redesigning the cooling system to minimize the power required for air distribution. Rather than use a traditional raised floor, Fortune elected to supply cold air from an overhead plenum to take advantage of the natural density of cold air and the buoyancy of hot air. Other steps included changing the coils in the air handlers to improve energy efficiency.

“We are firmly committed to energy efficiency while minimizing our impact on the environment, which is exemplified in our San Jose facility,” said Fortune Data Centers CEO, John Sheputis. “And, a big priority is reducing costs for our customers. Our data center is one of the most advanced, energy-efficient data centers in Silicon Valley and allows us to pass along significant cost savings to our customers.”

“PG&E commends Fortune Data Centers for renovating its existing facility into a world class energy-efficient data center,” said Mark Bramfitt, principal program manager for high tech programs for PG&E. “For more than 30 years, PG&E has worked with our customers to help them become more energy efficient and save money. We are proud to have provided technical assistance and financial incentives to support Fortune’s commitment to energy efficiency.”

About Fortune Data Centers
Fortune Data Centers was founded to create a class of industrial grade data centers for corporate clients seeking a cost-effective alternative to the prospect of in-house development and facility management. Fortune’s San Jose facility is designed to provide best in class reliability and total value for large scale deployments of mission critical applications. The property meets or exceeds the toughest industry standards for data centers-in all operational categories of availability, security, connectivity, and physical resilience. Fortune is a privately held company, founded in 2006.

Research, evaluate and learn more about windows hosting at FindMyHost.com.

This year, for the first ever Dallas DrupalCamp, the event will feature presentations from local Drupal experts like Ben Finklea, CEO of the Austin area Drupal search engine optimization company, Volacci, and Tom McCracken President of Dallas area Drupal agency, LevelTen Interactive. Sessions plan to cover a wide range of Drupal oriented subjects from setting up a Drupal website for the first time to advanced optimization techniques and how to master niche subjects within the Drupal framework.

The camp will feature three different tracks to accommodate a range of skill sets. The Developer track is for Drupal users who are at an advanced level, and wish to learn more about the inner-workings of the Drupal platform, and how to best use it. The Webmaster track is for those who either know little about Drupal, or who are familiar enough with the platform to get around, but need help to do advanced tasks. The final track is comprised of free form sessions that encourages participation and collaboration. Affectionately referred to as “Birds of a Feather”, these sessions provide the opportunity for anyone to speak on a subject, or for people to get help with their Drupal websites. This year’s DrupalCamp will also provide attendees the opportunity to participate in the Drupal.org website redesign, with official Drupal.org redesign sessions.

Said Lee Raney of Koine Media, a Dallas-based Drupal web development company, “In tough economic times, companies and non-profits are turning to open source solutions like never before. At DrupalCamp, attendees will see that Drupal will not only save them money, but it is truly a better CMS than the proprietary alternatives. Part of the power behind Drupal is the world-wide community, and Drupal has a strong community in Texas as well. That’s why we are excited to be a part of the first-ever DrupalCamp in the state of Texas.”

DrupalCamp Dallas is organized by a team of local Drupal users and agency owners: Lee Raney, Jennifer Conley, Tom McCracken, David Hahn, Randall Knutson, Colin Alsheimer, Dustin Currie and Mark Sonnaubaum.

About Drupal Camp Dallas
Drupal Camp Dallas is a two day event for Drupal developers, users, and those who are curious about the open source platform. Admission for the event is $30 and users can register on the website, www.drupalcampdallas.org.

About Drupal
Drupal is a popular content management system that blends web content management and social media capabilities with an enormous library of custom extensions. The Drupal framework and supported exentions are all backed by a large network of professional developers and hobbyists. Using the Drupal framework, companies and individuals can easily create engaging, socially interactive websites.

Drupal powers many popular websites world-wide, including large entertainment companies like Warner Brothers Records, Sony/BMG, CBC, and MTV Europe. Major news and magazine sites like Now Public, FastCompany, Forbes and The New York Observer are powered by Drupal, as well as on-line communities like Team Sugar and Spread Firefox. Finally, Harvard University, Recovery.gov and The United Nations provide other noteworthy examples of Drupal’s strength and versatility.

Research, evaluate and learn more about cPanel Hosting at FindMyHost.com.

“The advances in the latest version of NetBeans will have a huge impact in the productivity of developers,” said Jim Parkinson, vice president of Developer Products and Programs at Sun. “The integration between NetBeans and Kenai allows developers to stay in their IDE and quickly navigate between Kenai.com, local code, bug reports, IM chats and project wikis. Instead of interruptions, interactions with code, or looking for project information, team members become a natural part of the developers’ workflow.”

The tight integration of the new NetBeans IDE will enable millions of developers to discuss, edit, debug and commit code through one easy-to-use interface. Other key features of NetBeans IDE 6.7 include:

* Support for Maven, a community software project management and comprehension tool;
* New “Team” menu provides access to projects on Kenai.com;
* Automated continuous integration system with Hudson, an extensible Java(TM)-based solution which makes it easier for developers to integrate changes to their project, and makes it easier for users to obtain a fresh build;
* Improved PHP support allowing developers to connect with each other and the latest technologies;
* Support for Zembly, a single registry and repository of popular Web APIs. The Zembly Client Library NetBeans plug-in enables developers to discover popular APIs and with a simple Drag and Drop functionality, create the necessary code to consume the APIs from Java and JavaFX(TM) applications.

The integration with Kenai.com will allow developers to stay in the IDE to create projects in the cloud, get sources from Kenai projects, query, open and edit issues for them using Bugzilla. NetBeans IDE users can also quickly navigate between Kenai.com hosted projects and local sources while developers can easily stay connected with other team members with an integrated chat, Kenai’s user profiles, wikis, and mailing lists. Learn more about Project Kenai at www.kenai.com.

Other highlights of the NetBeans IDE 6.7 release includes improved PHP and GlassFish(TM) software support. The NetBeans IDE provides a rich set of features for Ruby, Groovy, and JavaScript(TM) and other technologies. Support for JavaFX 1.2 technology is currently available for NetBeans IDE 6.5.1 and will soon be available for NetBeans IDE 6.7. Learn more at www.netbeans.org/features.

Sun also offers a tiered set of developer support services for its software offerings, ranging from single incident to comprehensive developer plans. In addition, with a broad portfolio of training and certification offerings, developers can enhance their skill sets to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies. Learn more at www.netbeans.org/kb/support.html.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision — “The Network Is The Computer(TM)” — Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership.

Research, evaluate and learn more about Cloud Computing at FindMyHost.com.

More than 500 people from the region joined the company to celebrate the expansion at a launch event last week.

The expansion makes the Hosted Solutions facility the largest, highest quality, commercially available data center available in the region. It features robust and fully redundant electrical systems, HVAC infrastructure, and multi-provider network access deployed in a best practice 2n+1 configuration to maximize redundancies. The Raleigh data center’s advanced physical security and next-generation building automation systems assure a secure and optimal operating environment.

The announcement follows a similar, multi-million dollar expansion to Hosted Solutions’ data center in Boston, completed in April. Together, the improvements demonstrate a significant commitment by Hosted Solutions to provide its customers with superior, reliable service. That commitment begins with a state-of-the-art physical infrastructure, and extends through its exclusive “Hi-Touch” consultative services to help companies design, implement and operate services that directly and positively impact their bottom line while helping them operate more efficiently.

The Raleigh data center is Hosted Solutions’ flagship facility, serving customers from the Raleigh region as well as cities throughout the East Coast. The facility also houses the new Stratus Trusted CloudTM infrastructure. The Raleigh expansion includes:

* 3′ raised floor for higher density server environments
* Dual sourced static switched PDUs capable of switching between sources within 4ms in case of failure of primary source
* High efficiency compressorless Stulz CRAC units back-ended by redundant 450ton McQuay chillers and dual chilled water loop
* Redundant paralleled UPS systems
* Redundant 2MW generators -8MW of utility power delivered to the facility with expansion plans to add an additional 4MW for a total of 12MW

“Our customers are increasingly outsourcing their entire operational IT infrastructures to us,” said Rich Lee, Hosted Solutions’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “They have comfort in doing this because of the quality and reliability of our facilities and the strength of our internal teams. They appreciate that even in a down economy, we’re willing to make such a significant investment, ensuring that they have access to a state-of-the-art, green, energy-efficient infrastructure. Our customers, which include 800 companies ranging from SMEs to Fortune 100 businesses, can rest assured, knowing that their mission-critical systems and applications are protected and available 24/7.”

About Hosted Solutions
Hosted Solutions’ high quality Data Center and Managed Hosting services maintain and protect customers’ mission-critical IT systems and applications, enabling them to reduce operating costs, lower the risk of downtime, focus on core competencies, and achieve their top business objectives. The company operates SAS 70 Type II Certified facilities in Boston MA, Charlotte NC, Raleigh NC, and Cary NC, providing best-of-breed data center operations with hardened physical infrastructure, the highest level of security, and a complete managed services portfolio. Hosted Solutions was acquired by Boston-based private equity firm ABRY Partners in April 2008 for $144 million.

Research, evaluate and view Hosting Plans from Approved Hosts at FindMyHost.com.

Its growing portfolio of services includes:
■ Dedicated hosting
■ Shared hosting
■ Virtual Private Server hosting
■ Server management
■ Web site building tools

Besides its core hosting business, ZipServers also operates three subsidiary divisions:
ZipHosters (personal web and mail hosting)
ZipXtreme (hosting solutions tailored for online gaming)
ZipSupport (online customer services that support all other ZipServers divisions).

Rather than shoulder the cost of building and managing its own data center infrastructure, ZipServers applies its expertise to leverage third-party data center services to create advanced solutions and offer cost-effective management that its customers would not be able to develop or typically could not afford. The ZipServers team draws from a combined 50 years of experience in the hosting industry to ensure customers the highest level of support and superior performance.

This “customer-first” focus, as well as a commitment to keeping prices at a level small to medium-sized businesses can afford, has lead to an exceptional growth plane. In five short years, ZipServers’ customer base has grown to more than 1,000 from more than 30 countries.

As the worldwide hosting service market becomes increasingly competitive, ZipServers is actively developing products and services that will extend its customers new advantages while maintaining the ideal balance of capabilities, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

Challenge

ZipServers wanted to create a Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting service that was fully automated and highly secure.

“So many other VPS hosting products out there really showed us what we didn’t want ours to be,” said Charles Nix, Director of Marketing for ZipServers. “Ours had to have stronger security. When we looked at competing VPS solutions, we found countless vulnerabilities. We would never present our customers an option with so much risk. We insisted our solution would give every VPS complete isolation.”

ZipServers also needed to make sure that its VPS solution would be easy to manage—for customers, of course, but also for its internal team. “The scalability that VPS can provide is exceptional. In fact, many organizations that don’t think they need additional scalability end up developing very exciting ways to use it, with enormous benefits, once they realize the opportunities,” said Nix. “But our human resources can’t ever be as scalable as these systems. We knew we needed to develop a solution that is as automated as possible, so that our customers can scale up and down at will without causing enormous changes in support requirements on our side.”

Solution and Results

ZipServers selected SoftLayer™ on-demand data center services and Parallels virtualization technology to create a dynamic, on-demand VPS hosting service. The service deploys Parallels Virtuozzo containers on SoftLayer dedicated servers, integrating SoftLayer’s open API, fully automated services, and Virtual Private Network into a seamless solution that is easy to use, cost-effective, and secure.

“SoftLayer and Parallels were the right partners for what we wanted to accomplish,” said Nix. “SoftLayer’s portfolio, fully-automated model, and open API, in conjunction with Parallels software gave us the exact toolbox and materials we needed.”

ZipServers’ VPS hosting service leverages SoftLayer’s automation to extend customers greater control, more options, and sustainable performance for their virtual environment. Reloads, backups, and control are available via control panel, as is the ability to upgrade service without human intervention. The virtual server environments have access to SoftLayer’s full-range of products and services, including network-attached storage. When ZipServers recycles its hardware annually (so as to always run on the latest, more powerful equipment), customers experience no downtime; their VPS environments migrate “live” between physical servers.

SoftLayer’s automation and Parallels tools simplify ZipServers’ own operations. “We’ve integrated Plesk billing and many of SoftLayer’s other automated backend services,” said Nix. “It makes our VPS service almost as easy for us to provide as it is for our customers to use.”

ZipServers’ VPS also gives customers completely isolated environments, thanks to the security of the Parallels Virtuozzo solution and SoftLayer’s Virtual Private Network. “I can’t say enough about the security that we’re able to build in,” said Nix. “With the Virtual Private Network, our customers can manage their environments in total security, and network their virtual machines with un-metered inter-VPS bandwidth. They get free SSL, and PPTP is available as well.”

Choosing SoftLayer and Parallels helped ZipServers develop the product that they hoped for, with multiple short-term and longterm benefits. “SoftLayer and Parallels gave us a headstart. We didn’t have to find ways to automate every aspect of our solution or shore up security challenges. All of that was already done for us,” said Nix. “Instead, we were able to focus our energy on how we wanted to bring it all together. That saved us a lot in development time and cost, and continues to save us in

About ZipServers, Inc.
ZipServers, Inc. (www.zipservers.com) is a provider of high-quality, low-expense managed hosting solutions. ZipServers.com is proud to provide small to medium sized businesses the same award winning support, industrial grade hardware, data center facilities, and network that Fortune 500 companies enjoy.
operations costs on an ongoing basis.”

CLICK HERE to review the Approved Host Report Card for ZipServers.com

About SoftLayer
Headquartered in Plano, Texas, SoftLayer delivers world-class, on-demand virtual data center services on a global basis from facilities located in Dallas, TX; Seattle, WA; and Washington, D.C. SoftLayer integrates all facets of IT to innovate industry-leading solutions that are fully automated. This empowers customers with complete control, security, scalability, and ease-of-management for their IT environment. For more information please visit www.softlayer.com or call 866.398.7638.

CLICK HERE to review the Approved Host Report Card for Softlayer.com