For the answers to these and other questions, make plans to attend

SaaS As a Business and IT Delivery Model – a Webinar Event

According to Forrester’s Enterprise and SMB Software and Service Survey, North America and Europe, Q4 2009, the 2010 global IT market will rise by 8.1% in US dollars. Much of that growth will be due to applications supporting industry-specific business processes developed by firms like yours.

Join this special, live 1-hour webinar just for ISVs and application developers on SaaS As a Business and IT Delivery Model.

• Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 11:00am Eastern (8:00am Pacific, 15:00 GMT)- http://www.msdev.com/Directory/Description.aspx?eventId=1763
• Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 3:00pm Eastern (12:00am Pacific, 17:00 GMT) – http://www.msdev.com/Directory/Descr iption.aspx?eventId=1764

Sponsored by NaviSite, Inc. and Microsoft, in conjunction with SaaS-IT consult the program will give you the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of SaaS, and Managed Hosting and Managed Cloud Services as a future business and IT delivery model.

The webinar will also include key factors to include when you evaluate your ISV business and how it will fit into the new era of IT delivery.

Whether you currently host a SaaS offering or are considering a move toward the SaaS model, this special program will have something for you.

In addition to some great content that you will be able to use, all attendees will have the opportunity to win some great prizes courtesy of Microsoft.

Don’t miss this extremely interesting program. Space is Limited. Register Now to Attend This Free Event

The tangible, obvious numbers are easy. Take the average daily sales total, multiply it by the percentage increase for seasonal holiday sales, multiply that number by hours or days of downtime, and you have a nice, easily understood price tag. It’s not the most accurate price tag however, and therein lays the danger. Intangible costs can ripple and escalate in unexpected and very expensive ways.

Let’s consider an imaginary SMB that sells a popular gadget. They have a shopping cart section of the website that moves 1,000 gadgets a day at a price of $10.00 per gadget.

1,000 gadgets X $10.00 = $10,000 per day in gross online revenue

Our imaginary company also has a call center, with 10 employees that each sell 100 gadgets a day, at the same price.

100 gadgets x 10 employees x $10.00 = $10,000 per day in gross call center revenue.

It’s not enough to look at this and say that 1 day of downtime = $10,000 in lost sales. That’s not how things work in practice. Using big numbers just for the purposes of this example, let’s say that the website fields 10,000 new customer inquiries a day to generate the sales of 1,000 units. It also fields 2,000 support questions a day for existing customers. If just 10% of those queries convert to phone calls, one of two things will happen- the cost of servicing each call will go up in personnel and overtime wages, or the quality of service for each call will go down due to longer hold times and dropped calls. Either of these events will negatively impact revenues and profit, not just through the immediate lost sales, but also lost repeat business from customers unsatisfied with their support experience.

This also has an impact on the overall cost per sale by unit. If the IT infrastructure for our online sales costs $3,000 a month or roughly $100 per day, then our sales cost per item is roughly $0.10. In this example our call center sales cost per-unit are considerably higher. If each salesperson were paid $3,000 per month for a total $30k in monthly payroll, the per-unit cost skyrockets to $1.00, or 10% of revenues. That means it costs roughly 9% more for each call center sale over the online equivalent. That number goes even higher if an overburdened call center takes incrementally longer to process each call.

From one perspective, it isn’t difficult to come up with some large and scary dollar signs to justify the cost of uptime solutions. The problem is that when you don’t have an accurate CoD on which to base decisions, you run the risk of paying for more than you need. So what level of availability do you need?

The difference between 99% annual uptime and 99.999% annual uptime is a whopping 80+ hours. The cost of that downtime varies by industry, but according to a study by the Fiber Channel Industry Association they range from $14,500 to over $6m per hour for some financial industries segments. These numbers take into account losses in productivity as well as through direct and indirect sales, and although this article is focused on the impact of downtime on holiday sales revenues, it would be a mistake to ignore the bigger picture.

The lesson in all of this is that by completely identifying total downtime costs for your business, you are in a much better position to make informed decisions about the level of availability you need, balanced against the level of availability you can afford. Armed with this information and working with a top notch managed hosting provider, you can develop a flexible uptime solution that is not only affordable, but that allows you to scale during important seasonal business cycles. Get a handle on downtime costs, and you won’t find yourself paying for solutions that cost more than the problem.

Easy Configuration – With AppCmd the new UI, plus centralized configuration, including delegation, Admins can now easily work with applicationhost.config and web.config files. IIS 7 now supports the flexibility and configuration needed to build complex, secure, and feature rich functionality. The new UI in IIS 7 makes it easier than ever to configure the Web server and Websites and applications on the server.

Performance – Optimized performance and resiliency. Several architectural improvements have been implemented in IIS 7 which enables better performance, throughput and in the case of PHP – outright seeped in execution.

Troubleshooting – With Failed Request Tracing administrators can peer into the web server and see detailed diagnostic information. With the Runtime Status & Control API (RSCA) administrators will be able to see what requests are executing in real-time.

SQL 2008 – The bulletproof, high-performance database is tightly integrated into IIS7 and the .NET environment making it easy to build dynamic Websites and Web applications.

Expression Studio & Web– Microsoft’s integrated toolset empowers Web professionals with an unprecedented environment making rich Websites possible with less code and less integration.

WebsiteSpark – Microsoft’s program for Web Professionals, offers free copies of Windows, Expression Studio and Web and SQL – for both development and managed dedicated hosting.

NaviSite can sponsor or nominate Web Design agencies and Web development firms into WebsiteSpark programs. NaviSite is an approved Microsoft WebsiteSpark Hosting Partner and works closely with Network Partners across the world. NaviSite’s 16 data centers and extensive managed hosting offerings and Microsoft Gold Certification with Hosting Competencies.

Protecting your business data is more important than ever due to all the catastrophic, unforeseen events that can damage or destroy your data permanently. Customer data, accounts payable, invoices, email and historical communications and business applications are the backbone of your company. Without your business data, your business could not move forward on a day to day basis. Imagine not being able to access your business data for an hour, a day, a month or possibly forever. Now you can protect your small business from data loss, prevent unplanned downtime, and prevent business failure. NaviSite, a leading dedicated and managed hosting services company, shows you how vulnerable your data can be without the proper backup plan in place.

Please Click Here to access the complete White paper and Learn how you can protect your business and focus on what you do best

Depending on your point of view, you may focus on certain data center features when reviewing managed hosting and colocation providers. Some businesses are concerned with connectivity, others with environmental features, or physical security, or routing protocols; it’s a long and diverse list. At the heart of every individual concern is an overriding one and it’s the same for every business- uptime. As anyone who has spent time reading and evaluating service level guarantees (SLAs) knows, there are a lot of ways uptime can be defined.

Data center ratings ideally provide a standardized, industry accepted means to fairly and objectively review data centers, so customers can cut through the marketing hype and truly understand the differences when making important business decisions. In practice however, this hasn’t fully been the case.

Here’s the first problem- there are two different “industry standard” ratings systems, and likely more to come. SAS 70 Type I and II certifications refer to the rules followed by the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Originally used for auditing profit and loss statements for organizations and businesses, the IT dependencies of large financial institutions has led to SAS 70 audits being done on service providers as part of regulatory requirements. Successful completion of those audits was viewed as a market advantage, and today a relatively obscure finance term has become an advertising bullet point.

Parallel to this, a ratings system was developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and The Uptime Institute more specific to data center operations. They established a tier system that focuses largely on physical infrastructure, so for example a Tier 1 facility fulfills minimal operating data center infrastructure requirements, while a Tier 4 facility has fault tolerant redundancy. While there has been some debate on the methodology used, both the AICPA ratings system and the Uptime Institute’s Tier system provide solid yardsticks to measure the uptime and reliability of a data center. As Shakespeare put it, there’s the rub.

Data center uptime does not necessarily equal uptime for your Website or hosted applications. In real world business situations, your success isn’t dependent on having four identical routers on standby in the event of an equipment failure; it’s dependent on the live person who is on site ready to answer your call in the middle of the night. That’s the difference you get with NaviSite. We’ve covered the infrastructure bases, gotten the SAS 70 Type II certification, and built the N + 1 redundancy into our data centers. We consider that merely the groundwork. Just as a 5 star restaurant rating is no guarantee you’ll be satisfied with your meal, when you are evaluating potential managed hosting and colocation providers, data center ratings should just be one item on a long checklist. At NaviSite, our top rated data centers are just step one of our total commitment to your success.

Hear us Speak at HostingCon 2009.

We have a special HostingCon registration discount code – that we are offering to our ‘community’, which can help you get upto $60 off the conference pass required to attend the event.
Discount Code is : NAVISITE2009

Click here to register for this event. Don’t forget to enter the discount code (NAVISITE2009)

We would love to meet with you at HostingCon 2009!

NaviSite SMB hosting was featuring its recently launched Business Email service powered by Microsoft Exchange. With NaviSite’s Exchange hosting service, businesses of any size have access to corporate class email services like: shared calendars, BlackBerry synchronization, Free software including Outlook 2007 or Entourage 2008 for PC and MAC.

In summary – businesses get the full power of Microsoft Exchange, without the capital cost of servers, and hardware, Microsoft licenses and Microsoft Exchange experts. NaviSite runs their Exchange email service on multi-million dollar infrastructure and backs up the service with a 100% guarantee that email will be up!

NaviSite is pleased at the turnout and reception at Mass Innovation Night and the quality of the attendees and conversations. Small Business + Innovation are the foundation of many of our best customers businesses. Visit and Follow http://massinnovationnights.com/ and @massinno on Twitter.

It seems like an oxymoron, but free comes with a price. In the case of Gmail and related applications, that price is paid in limited functionality and reliability. The value of that price is a sliding scale. Taking an extra couple of minutes to track down an e-mail is a minor cost, having a primary business communications tool down is a major one. For casual users this isn’t a big deal, but in a business environment it’s a huge one.

If you haven’t migrated your business communications to a Hosted Exchange solution, it’s time to ask yourself why. Hosted Exchange delivers anywhere, anytime access to communication tools from numerous devices and platforms, but with an important difference- it’s back by tough Service Level Agreements. As my father was fond of saying, you get what you pay for.

The upcoming Exchange 2010 release builds on the powerful feature set of previous versions, and integrates e-mail and voice mail boxes, giving your employees comprehensive communications that will fundamentally change the way business is done. As people adapt to a fast evolving marketplace driven by changes in technology one thing holds true- the better you can communicate with customers and employees, the more chance you have for success.

Most experts agree, cloud computing is an important development and one that will play an increasing role in the post Web 2.0 business world. Like microblogging and other new technologies, the trick for smart companies is careful integration with their existing business practices. Stay focused on real, measurable benefits as opposed to getting caught up in the promise of developments that haven’t been achieved. Early adopters are rewarded, but only when a particular new technology adds value to your core products or services.

It’s notable that a Google outage is more newsworthy than localized weather systems across the country. It’s an indicator at just how much the Internet has made for a common human experience worldwide, but it also points up the downside of too much reliance on a single entity that already has a lot of high traffic services to juggle. If storms in the Google cloud are raining on your parade, then Hosted Exchange is your silver lining.

The thing is, when it comes to NaviSite and Exchange, we go way back. We’ve been a leading provider of Exchange hosting for a decade, going back to 1999 with our offering of managed hosted Exchange 2k. We’ve spent the last ten years helping businesses of all sizes take advantage of the power and convenience of a Hosted Exchange mail solution, and with the advent of Exchange 2010, that high level of service and support will transform the way businesses communicate.

Sounds like big talk, right? Well imagine fully integrated email and voice mail, with a single mailbox that’s accessible from the desktop, laptop, handheld, or cell phone. Your organization benefits from managed, centralized communications that liberate employees from the office and allow businesses to effectively operate in a changing economy.

Exchange 2010 helps SMBs utilize the latest in communications technology, with support for a variety of mobile devices, including the industry leading iPhone and Blackberry. Employees aren’t locked into a particular platform, and can use the phones and PDAs they are most comfortable with. Configuration and support is seamless and hassle free.

Exchange 2010 delivers the performance and features that forward thinking companies need. Archiving and document retention isn’t just automatic, it utilizes space saving technology that lets businesses realize significant savings in storage costs. Tools for encryption, moderation, mail blocking and more are built in. High availability and disaster recovery features help businesses reach compliance with internal and external requirements. Powerful administrative controls give businesses the tools they need to perform day to day operating tasks without delays or calls for support.

Consumer focused services like Gmail may be fine for personal use if you don’t mind occasional outages, limited functionality, and no support. Smart businesses need more than that. They need enterprise class, high availability communications solutions that are fast and efficient, with guaranteed device compatibility and backed by tough Service Level Agreements. Managed hosted Exchange 2010 will deliver all that and more.

NaviSite is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner, and we have longstanding relationships with multiple Exchange teams, from development to support and more. With each new release of Exchange, Microsoft has raised the bar on integrated business communications, and Exchange 2010 not only continues that winning streak, but it brings those communications fully into the 21st century and integrates it with the Web 2.0 experience.

We’re really excited about Exchange 2010, and as it gets closer to release, we’ll have some big announcements. And maybe we will take a little time out to watch American Idol, but our minds will probably be elsewhere.

In 2009, Websites and Web based applications have moved on from being just information and basic transactional models to being the foundation for new sources of revenue and increase in employee productivity. Now more than ever the knowledge that downtime, slow response, blocked IPs, poor support, billing issues can all be solved by choosing the right technologies and providers, will cause churn as businesses choose new providers.

Small Businesses now feel much more comfortable, and in some cases are required to move their infrastructure to a hosted solution. Local infrastructure in an office server closet is more of a liability in 2009 than ever before with revenues and productivity at stake. With the capital crunch, and the need to replace this aging equipment, small businesses and their IT service providers will move to hosted infrastructure. In 2009, the monthly hardware lease and license rental model is far more appropriate than the massive capital outlays and consulting services required for onsite upgrades and new deployments.

The year 2009 also marks the first full year when the majority of Small Business technology providers (MSPs VARs etc.) are comfortable with recurring business models and the concept of recurring billing with their small business customers. Hosted infrastructure like dedicated servers and VMware based Virtual Dedicated servers enable providers to expand their relationships with their customers with more affordable, lower upfront cost solutions. Applications, databases, storage, collaboration and backend server needs will be deployed on dedicated hosting solutions in numbers never seen before.