Oct
29
2009

NaviSite- The real cost of running a server In-house

It’s not exactly news that running a web or application server in-house is an expensive proposition for any company, and especially for resource tight SMBs and startups. Hardware and software costs, hiring and/or training personnel to deploy and manage the server, and bandwidth are minimum requirements, and cutting corners in any of these areas courts disaster. Despite an intimidating high cost of entry, deploying an in-house server is still desirable for a number of reasons, most centered around security concerns or flexibility needs. Those advantages come with an element of risk, and businesses who don’t carefully consider the hidden costs in running a web or application server in-house could find any benefits negated in revenue draining budget shortfalls.

Hardware costs should be straightforward to identify, although deciding whether to purchase or lease is much less cut and dry. Purchasing hardware outright may cost less over time, but it also depreciates quickly and businesses can find themselves still paying off equipment that is losing performance ground to newer deployments. Leasing can offer more flexible options, but that typically comes at a premium price.
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Sep
8
2009

Beyond the Hype – Data Center Ratings & Your IT

Data center ratings have become an increasingly popular marketing point for dedicated web and application hosting providers, but what do those ratings really mean, and how do they impact the success of your business? By understanding how data centers are evaluated and scored, you can make a more informed decision about your specific business needs and maximize the value of your IT costs.

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.
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Feb
27
2009

Five key things to look for in Service Level Agreements

All SLAs are not created equal.  If you’ve spent any time comparing managed dedicated server hosting providers, chances are you’ve seen a lot of emphasis put on Service Level Agreements (SLAs).  Sure, 99.9% uptime sounds great, but what does that really mean, and how do you know your provider is living up to it?  Here are 5 key points to consider-
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