Please read below for some general information to help you understand Cloud Computing and Virtual Servers, and then visit www.leadinghosting.com.au for further information and pricing.
Cloud Computing and Virtual Server Solutions for Business
What is Cloud Computing?
What is a Hosted Virtual Server?
Cloud computing is the provision of computing resources over the Internet. In plain English, this means that an IT provider sets up servers, applications and storage in their data centre, and customers make use of these facilities over the internet, without needing to have any servers themselves, nor any knowledge of how to maintain that infrastructure.
A common aspect of cloud computing are hosted virtual servers. A virtual server is a server software environment often exactly the same as what you may be used to having in your business, for example Windows Server 2003 or 2008. The main difference is that this software environment is installed onto an IT provider's server hardware, at a remote data cente loation. A customer business will then access the server environment via their Internet connection, but other aspects of using the server are basically the same as if the server hardware was sitting in the back room of the customer business.
Cloud computing can also entail using IT providers equipment for large and cheap storage capacity or for delivery of very specific applications, both of which a client business would access via their web browser or similar.
So 'cloud computing' is just an IT industry buzz word for new types of remote computing - something businesses have been doing in one way or another for well over a decade.
See our dedicated website for virtual servers and cloud computing.
What are the advantages of cloud computing?
What is the advantage of a hosted virtual server?
With traditional server methodology where a business buys and maintains their own server infrastructure, they have to:
- Pay the upfront capital cost for the equipment, which includes:
- Server hardware with sufficient levels of redundancy
- Software (eg Operating systems, antivirus, backup software)
- Backup hardware (eg tape drive, external hard drives)
- UPS power protection and battery backup for the server
- Maintain the equipment themselves by hiring IT staff, or outsourcing the IT management to an IT firm
- Buy and maintain quality PCs for their network; a poorly performing PC will result in lower productivity for expensive human resources.
- Keep analysing the features and benefits of new server technology and upgrade where a benefit seems to be worthwhile
With a hosted virtual server environment run by a high quality IT provider, all of these costs and complexities are looke after for you, resulting in zero capital cost, a cash-flow friendly monthly access fee, the latest technology, and simple and immediate adaptability to your growth.
For example:
- IT Leaders owns latest generation, industrial-strength Hewlett Packard 'Blade' servers, with multiple fail-over facilities.
All required software licences for the Windows Server operating system and antivirus licences are included and instantly expandable.
Backup systems for all your data are maintained by us - with an optional secondary backup back to your office via the Internet.
Our data centre has highest quality UPS power protection, AND diesel generator backup systems for power outage occurences.
- IT Leaders team of highly skilled engineers looks after our cloud servers with regular maintenance and 24x7 performance monitoring.
We can also extend support to cover all of your staff and equipment in your offices so that no matter what the technology issue is, we can provide the answer promptly.
- The quality and speed of the PCs in your office(s) becomes largely irrelevant with a hosted virtual server solution as these PCs no long do any real work. They just access the server across the internet through one 'virtual desktop' window, and all of the processing is done by the server, not the PCs. In this way, instead of having to upgrade PC computers every 2-4 years, you could keep using them for 5 or 10 years with no loss of productivity.
- With IT Leaders hosted solutions we always use the latest IT infrastructure, so you no longer have to think about 'keeping up' with technology.
See our dedicated website for virtual servers and cloud computing.
Are virtual servers for small companies or big companies?
This hosted infrastructure works great for small business who dont want or need the cost and complexity of their own equipment.
It also works well for larger SME businesses, especially those with multiple sites and fast growth strategies who want maximum performance and immediate flexibility. A larger company can choose to host all or only part of its corre infrastructure. By using fast VPN connections, local physical servers and data-centre-housed virtual servers can work together seamlessly.
Some analysts predict that within 10 years (even earlier in the US), only the largest corporates will continue to use their own server infrastructure, and all other businesses will be using virtual servers. We expect to see the majority of SMEs using virtual servers within 5 years.
Just as people expect electricity to come from the wall socket safely, reliably and cheaply, and don't need to know how that electricity is produced or maintained, so too will IT become like an 'instant-on' utility that is considered to be safe and reliable without needing to have local equipment 'powering' it.
Click here to find out more information on the business benefits of could computing.
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