| > | | | | competencies, and the fact is that most IT |
| At its most basic, getting an Internet project up and | | | | departments weaned on office networks are in no |
| running requires two essentials: access to hardware | | | | position to support a real time data center-type |
| and access to the Internet. Hardware and bandwidth | | | | operation. |
| are a major consideration in light of both the potential | | | | When we talk about outsourcing hosting, another |
| expense and the issue of quality of service. This is | | | | term you are likely to hear frequently is |
| one of those areas where you can pay as much or | | | | collocation. Co-location facilities physically house |
| as little as you like. There is a correlation between | | | | hardware and equipment in a secure location. The |
| what you pay and the quality you get, but there are | | | | facility generally offers some degree of security |
| plenty of good deals to be found in the current | | | | against physical intrusion, fire, and power or |
| market, so shop around. | | | | bandwidth interruption. The quality of the physical |
| Let’s take one step back and make sure | | | | facility and staff is generally related directly to the |
| everyone shares some common ground, in terms of | | | | price and a site visit is appropriate where |
| terms. | | | | high-reliability installations are required. |
| "Servers" are the hardware that holds and distributes | | | | If you are in the e-commerce business, or providing |
| information to people via the Internet. A small site | | | | support services through your website, down time |
| may reside on a server with a number of other sites, | | | | can be very expensive. Larger hosts will provide |
| a large site may require hundreds of separate | | | | redundancy for drives, power supplies and bandwidth. |
| servers in a variety of physical locations, all | | | | If your site produces revenues, don’t scrimp |
| connected together and running as one cohesive | | | | on the host. |
| system. | | | | Security of your data and your customers’ |
| Servers can handle a wide variety of functions, from | | | | data is a sensitive issue. While your host is unlikely to |
| housing websites, to running mailing systems. For a | | | | guarantee security of any system, they should have |
| quick rundown of server terminology check out the | | | | in place adequate assurances that their environment |
| Webopedia server listing. | | | | does not contribute to the risk. They should also be |
| While some firms are interested in owning and | | | | willing to guarantee turn-around time on installation of |
| feeding their own equipment, most firms these days | | | | patches and security fixes as they are released by |
| choose to outsource all, or at least part, of the task. | | | | vendors (like Microsoft!). |
| Outside of firms with special needs, it is hard to | | | | Selecting the right host for your company requires |
| make a case for purchasing hardware in the current | | | | taking a hard look at your needs. Issues that must |
| market. Like a new car, a server depreciates | | | | be resolved and prioritized include your need for |
| massively the moment it is taken from the dealer. | | | | ongoing maintenance and physical support services, |
| Add to the equation the maintenance of the | | | | network quality and speed, contract terms, and of |
| hardware and the software, and you have a cost | | | | course the value for money. Let’s not forget |
| center that not only becomes more expensive over | | | | that the current market, with its slough of |
| time, but less functional relative to the newest | | | | bankruptcies, has also taught us that the financial |
| technology. | | | | stability of the firm is a factor. |
| A web hosting company (sometimes called an | | | | For most clients, the level of the host’s |
| "Internet Data Center" or "IDC") will offer a variety | | | | customer service is the key to satisfaction. Poor |
| of packages, including the rental of hardware. The | | | | customer service is commonly cited as a reason for |
| low monthly costs associated with hosting these | | | | moving from one host to another, so make an effort |
| days tips the hardware scale firmly toward the | | | | to assess any firm’s abilities in this area. |
| decision to rent, rather than buy hardware. Let the | | | | Several sites now focus on rating web hosts and |
| web host’s staff worry about changing disk | | | | these should serve as a good starting point for your |
| drives, updating the operating system with the | | | | investigations. Try Hostsearch.com, with its wizard |
| newest security patch and keeping the electricity and | | | | interface, and Web Host Directory. Make a point to |
| Internet connection going 24 hours a day, 7 days a | | | | ask around - word of mouth is a strong persuader in |
| week. Outsourcing lets you focus on your core | | | | the customer service game. |