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Archive for the ‘infrastructure’ tag

Cloud Tip of the Month- August 2013   no comments

 

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Why move to The Cloud? Here is August’s cloud tip!

Cloud Architecture is Exceptionally Flexible

The entire concept of cloud computing is divided into three forms of cloud. These include Public cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud. All three have significant characteristics; however their choice depends on the personal requirements of businesses.

 

Check out the benefits!

  • Public Cloud

In this type of cloud form, data stored is in a cloud server- which is located at a distant place elsewhere. It enables users to share and access data from anywhere and at any point of time. This means public cloud promotes shared environment for businesses. It can save having to hire a tech department and can be placed in a data center like TurnKey, where our techs can handle your entire IT infrastructure.

  • Private Cloud

A private cloud is beneficial for those organizations that do not want to share their confidential data with any third party. Data stored in a private cloud is secured in the firewall settings, which enable only the authorized parties to access data and do not invite any third party. The private cloud model is good for super-secure businesses, but tend to cost more to buy all the equipment and hire techs.

  • Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud is a mix of both and gives users or business entities the advantage of both the cloud environments. Suppose, a business enterprise wants to share its services and products with its clients across the globe, but at the same time wants to hide the confidential information from them, Hybrid cloud architecture would suit best for such types of businesses.

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Watch Out! The Amazing Disappearing Web Host   1 comment

Posted at Aug 19, 2011 @ 5:20pm Web hosting

You may have seen this happen before. I know I have. A perfectly good web hosting company– reliable, good reviews, decent services– suddenly disappears in a puff of smoke, overnight! As all of us increasingly rely on web hosting services for our businesses, personal websites and data storage, it becomes ever more important to find providers that will be there tomorrow, and the next day, ad infinitum. Of course, few companies will admit when they’re having problems, and that makes finding a reliable host difficult. Fortunately there are several warning signs to look out for when deciding who to trust with your valuable data.

But It’s Here Today!

Sure, nothing lasts forever. That’s a fact of life. But when you purchase a service from a legitimate business, you expect it to last a good long time. You expect to be able to get your site up and running and move on to bigger and better things, like running your business. Unfortunately, over the past few years a disturbing trend has emerged. Many companies, good solid-seeming companies, have simply vanished, taking the hard work, blood, sweat and tears of their customers along with them.

Who Are They?

There are more disappearing web hosts than I can list here but one prime example is Yahoo’s Geocities, Geocities was around for years and there was no effort to protect customer data when Yahoo decided to abandon that particular pet project. Some customers managed to retrieve data via third-party services, but the majority of customers were just out of luck.

Where Did They Go?

In many cases, like Geocities, the parent company decides to pull the plug. When this happens, it is the parent company’s responsibility to inform their customers. If they don’t, well, there’s not much we can do about it. In the case of many other smaller web hosts, often the company owners simply can’t afford their overhead costs. They don’t own their infrastructure to begin with (they are resellers, “re-selling” the hosting resources of another, larger company) and they can no longer keep up with the bandwidth needs of their customers (regardless of the fact that they may have promised to do so.)

Warning Signs

There are many warning signs to look out for. If the host owns other online properties that aren’t doing so well, beware. Review the company’s profit numbers. If those numbers look bad, there’s a good chance they won’t be around much longer. If financial information isn’t available, look for news coverage of the company that might hint at a growing problem. Often, when a company is going under, things will start to fray at the edges. If customer service isn’t what it used to be– tickets aren’t answered, waiting times are longer, services are sluggish–it may be time to get out while you can still retrieve your data. If there is a sudden change in their terms-of-service, this may indicate an attempt to protect themselves from potential litigation. They surely know they’re going under long before anyone else does, and they will try to mitigate the damage to themselves in any way they can.

How To Avoid the Disappearing Web Host

There are a few common-sense ways to pick a solid web host that you can trust. Look for a host that has been in business for a number of years. Choose one that owns and operates its own infrastructure. Owning a datacenter is an expensive undertaking and only a company with significant resources can afford to buy the building (including heating, cooling, etc.) and the hardware. A company that owns that kind of an infrastructure is not going under overnight. You will have much more time to make other arrangements if things start to go south, and will likely see evidence of this happening long before you lose access to your data. Last, look for customer reviews. A company with a large amount of reviews has a large amount of customers. A good customer base is like a cushion for your and your data. It’s a community of people who are just as interested in seeing the web host thrive as you are, and they will all speak up if the service starts losing its luster.

Here is where I plug TurnKey Internet 🙂 We’ve got the infrastructure, the customer base and the many years of solid service under our belts. Why not give us a try next time you find yourself shopping for a reliable web host.

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Written by admin on August 19th, 2011

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