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.

The thing that makes MySQL attractive to startups is the same thing that works against it as a business becomes more and more successful- it’s open source software. For new companies it means no licensing fees and a rich open source community. For SMBs with revenue dependant databases, it means no vendor support and limited native interoperability with other entrenched business applications. When salaries, shareholder’s dividends and operating capital is on the line, that’s a deal breaker.

It’s one thing to say “there are unlimited resources in the open source community.” It’s another thing to be looking at a corrupted database that’s crashed, halting sales and bleeding revenue and perhaps losing valuable customer and billing information in the process. The value of the vendor partner relationship is clearly evident when the chips are down. You don’t handle your business accounting without professional support. Your critical database infrastructure should receive the same care.

MS SQL is built from the ground up for businesses. It boasts tremendous scalability, from a single database to hundreds able to run on a single instance. Powerful built in tools deliver the capabilities that businesses need, without trying to write and debug customized scripts. Automated transaction and full backups, error checking, e-mail notifications, dump file clean up, and many more features make MS SQL an administrators dream, and business intelligence tools and broad XML support help you get the most out of web based applications. However, that’s only half the story.

Implementing MS SQL in a hosted environment adds significant value to the base features of MS SQL with end to end support and robust server and network architecture. This gives both high performance and high availability. The advantages of hosted MS SQL are numerous- 24/7/365 manned support from certified engineers, world class hardware, connectivity, and bandwidth, and budget friendly, pay as you go pricing just to name a few. A high end hosted MS SQL provider will also offer critical support options like load balancing, network attached storage, and managed firewalls that add security and flexibility to your database deployment.

Hosted MS SQL is a smart, solid option for SMBs that have mission critical databases. It delivers superior performance and multiple levels of support in a scalable, affordable package. In an unforgiving business environment with information management and availability playing an ever increasing role in the difference between success and failure, companies that gamble on open source solutions do so at their own peril.

While every business is unique, their requirements from a service provider are often quite similar. They want things to work, and when problems occur, they want quick resolutions. That second part is important. Hosting customers are much more sophisticated, they understand that when it comes to complex applications and server deployments, occasional issues are inevitable. As Webchutney COO Rahul Nanda put it, “Just about any host is going to work okay 95% of the time. How they respond when you are having problems is the key.”

Businesses need more in a vendor relationship than just a supplier of goods and/or services. As Webchutney discovered, customer service issues were the tipping point in choosing NaviSite as their managed dedicated server hosting provider. Although they had concerns about the quality of the hardware and reliability of their previous host, it was a lack of professional, efficient customer service that pushed them to make a move. The poor quality of support had a direct, negative impact on their ability to do business.

Sadly, it’s not hard to find examples of bad customer service. A recent problem with home satellite TV service was only resolved after 5 phone calls and more than an hour of getting transferred back and forth between two different departments. As aggravating as that was, it didn’t result in lost revenues.

Businesses can’t afford to wait hours before talking to a service engineer, and with award winning Always There™ support, NaviSite customers don’t have to. Webchutney learned this early on in their relationship, as an issue that came up shortly after their deployment was resolved quickly thanks to an aggressive response by the NaviSite team. It was exactly the level of support that they were looking for, delivering what Mr. Nanda termed “that delight factor.”

The value added by exceptional customer service is realized in other benefits as well. Monitoring and analysis allows downtime to be eliminated, while providing a baseline to identify when and where upgrades are needed. Deep experience in networked applications and other technologies provide valuable resources for businesses that wouldn’t otherwise be able to maximize those efforts.

More than anything, Webchutney was looking for a vendor/partner that freed them from concerns over IT operations and allowed them to focus on their core business. Outsourcing those IT needs to NaviSite put Webchutney back in control, and outstanding customer care was the glue that cemented the relationship.

If you aren’t getting that “delight factor” when dealing with your managed dedicated server host, then you need to consider how that’s impacting your ability to deliver quality service to your own customers. Building a long term relationship with a vendor partner that has the added value of superior support is a real difference maker, and can have a tremendous impact on your continued success.

As maddening as it can be to lose personal data, when it comes to your business it’s a mistake that could be catastrophic. As a result, data backup solutions are a multi-million dollar industry, and to be sure, there are many options to consider. From automated robotic tape rotation machines to software driven RAID disc arrays, there are solutions to fit any scenario. Unfortunately they also share a common weakness: unless your core business actually is data backup, managing your backup solution in house assumes responsibility for a complex process without the human resources it takes to do it correctly. That’s a complicated way of saying if you handle your own backups, chances are you’re going to run into Murphy’s Law, and it won’t be pretty.

Smart companies know it’s more cost effective and efficient to outsource needs that don’t fall under their primary skill sets. This is especially true when it comes to the Information Technology component of a business. In a lean economy, it makes no sense to invest time and money in equipment and training for things that don’t generate revenue. Outsourcing IT needs to a managed dedicated and virtual server host isn’t simply cost effective, it adds value to those budget lines by doing the job better than you would otherwise be able to. Outsourcing to an enterprise class provider like NaviSite increases those benefits exponentially.

It starts with NaviSite’s Always There™ support. It’s more than a slogan; it means live people, on site, 24/7/365. Consider the cost of around the clock IT staff, and the economies of scale gained from outsourcing become readily apparent. As it pertains to your data security, it means a backup solution that’s fully managed and able to meet even the most rigorous requirements. You’re able to choose what you want backed up, when you want it backed up, and how long you want it retained. File restorations are fast, easy, and hassle free, and pay as you go pricing is designed to fit every budget.

Leveraging managed services to protect your data should go further than websites, applications, databases or other key information. It’s important to remember the heart of most modern business communications: e-mail. A thorough backup solution needs to include e-mail, and the best, most flexible way to accomplish that is with a managed, hosted Exchange service. The benefits of a hosted mail service over a traditional POP3 e-mail account is evident in the widespread popularity of services like those offered by Google and Yahoo, but those services don’t come with the robust features and service level guarantees that businesses require. Managed hosted Exchange from NaviSite isn’t just backed by a tough SLA, it’s delivered on world class hardware and network infrastructure, and easily integrated with a larger data backup strategy.

For most businesses, providing reliable data backup is a losing proposition, consuming a disproportionate amount of resources and, in true Murphy’s Law fashion, breaking down at the most inopportune times. Done correctly, backups should be a transparent, set it and forget it procedure that just works. The answer is outsourcing that backup solution and other related critical services to an enterprise class provider like NaviSite.

Webchutney had a very clear mission and their reason to look for a new hosting provider was the quality of service they were getting from their dedicated server hosting provider. Sporadic outages were frustrating, but even more troubling was the lack of professionalism and follow through on the part of the engineering and support staff. The servers were under powered by industry standards, and Webchutney had little visibility into what was going on from day to day. As COO Rahul Nanda summed it up, “We didn’t feel like we were in control.”

After making the decision to change providers and following a period of research Webchutney selected NaviSite as their managed dedicated and virtual server host. “Several factors contributed to the selection of NaviSite, including their reputation as an experienced provider of enterprise-class dedicated hosting solutions, a long history of excellence, and their broad portfolio of solutions that met our requirements,” says Rahul Nanda, COO, Webchutney.

Click Here to Download our Client Case Study with Webchutney: http://dedicatedhosting.navisite.com/specials/pdf/NaviSite-Dedicated-Hosting-Webchutney-CaseStudy.pdf

Webchutney now enjoys great visibility into the health and performance of their servers thanks to the NaviView control panel, and will be utilizing the functionality to give their own clients limited visibility, adding value to their scope of services.

Click here for more details: http://www.navisite.com/about-navisite/media/press-release/?p=137

Click Here to read more about how Webchutney Reduces Downtime with NaviSite Dedicated Hosting Solutions: http://biztech2.in.com/india/news/enterprise-solutions/webchutney-reduces-downtime-with-navisite-dedicated-hosting-solns/55862/0?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email

Measure twice, cut once
Whether you’re migrating a simple one server website or a complex multi server platform, the devil is in the details. That means not only a lot of the obvious information gathering (IP addresses, host names, DNS entries), it also means combing through every line of code to identify any reference to the current host that will break post migration, to detail any directory structure artifacts and other legacy inconsistencies, and to clean up those issues well in advance of any changes. Once you’re confident that the site is fully clear, lock it down to prevent any changes during the migration process. For complex sites with lots of moving parts this may take coordination with several departments, but it’s critical to draw a line in the sand at some point to prevent version management headaches.

Communicate, communicate, communicate
There’s no such thing as too much communication when it comes to big changes that will impact lots of people. Ideally your site migration will be perfectly transparent to all users, and if that’s the case than all that communication was a great opportunity to tell customers and employees about changes made to improve their experience. More importantly, if there are hiccups during the migration, strong upfront communication will eliminate confusion and mitigate calls and emails to your customer service staff. What’s key here is making sure that communications aren’t just customer facing, but internal as well. A website migration is a big change that has the potential to impact every single employee, so make sure they have the information they need.

Testing and more testing
Once you have the site locked down and backed up and service and network connectivity established on the new provider hardware, it’s time to copy over the data and start the testing process. There are no shortcuts here, testing should be absolutely thorough, because any problems you don’t find, your customers surely will. That’s so important I am going to say it again- any problem you don’t find, your customers will. Enlist the entire organization, the more eyeballs the better, and review everything from copy to image links to form functionality and every other aspect of the site. This is when you can avoid things like two days of lost sales because of an incorrect IP address buried in a mail script. Make your DNS changes only once you are absolutely sure that everything is 100% correct. Getting it right the first time means exactly that, so don’t pull the trigger until you are sure.

You have a safety net
After a site migration project, the last thing anyone wants to consider is moving back to the previous platform, which now seems creaky and old compared to the nice shiny new hardware and clean code of the migrated site. In the event of big unforeseen problems (massive load problems, broken routing, scripting incompatibilities, etc), resist the temptation to work on them in a live environment. The IT landscape is littered with the reputations of managers who bet on ‘a quick fix’ that dragged out to days or worse. The old infrastructure worked, so change your DNS back, regroup, and figure out what needs to be fixed without the pressure of crisis management decision making. Of course, to do this, you’ll want to make sure that safety net is still in place. It’s a good idea to allow for a month (or two) of overlapping service as an insurance policy.

Don’t go it alone
Careful planning and execution is the key to a successful site migration, but there’s one more thing that smart IT professionals rely on- they get help. This is where NaviSite comes in. We do this sort of thing for a living. Our Always There™ support staff can guide you through your migration process from start to finish. We help you with the pre-planning process all the way through the ongoing administration and analysis of the new site, and our highly trained fully certified technicians are ready to help with any issue that may come up.

Right the first time
There’s a lot riding on a site migration, and it needs to be right the first time. With NaviSite as your managed dedicated hosting partner, the process can be smooth and easy, transparent to users, and you will immediately benefit from our enterprise grade support and infrastructure. Whatever the motivation for moving your site or server infrastructure, it’s time to stop thinking and start acting, and we’re ready to help.