Acorn Host: An Alternative Web Hosting Solution for Non-Profits

During the current harsh economy, many non-profit organizations find themselves reigning in on already frugal budgets, especially when allocating funds for social media outlets as well as launching and maintaining a website for the agency.  The good news is that there are web hosts that specifically accommodate the needs of non-profit websites.  One such web host is Acorn Host.

Web Hosting Features

Acorn Host strives to accommodate the hosting needs of the non-profit community by graciously providing very affordable web hosting services for organizations on tight budgets to launch a web presence.   The non-profit plans are basically similar as the regular hosting plans only at a cheaper price, however, there’s a limit on some features when compared to the regular plans.

The non-profit hosting package includes the following: 1GB space, 25GB Bandwidth, C-panel, multiple domains with a single account, unlimited e-mail boxes and FTP accounts, Webalizer /AWstats, FrontPage extensions, ionCube, Zend, mySQL, WordPress, Drupal, ZenCart, Ruby on Rails and 24/7 emergency customer support.  Non-profit organizations opting for this hosting plan pays a relatively inexpensive price of $3.95 per month.

Who is Eligible?

It’s important to note that there are guidelines that dictate who qualifies for the non-profit hosting package.  As a general rule those that are eligible must serve a public service mission including health advocacy groups, homeless shelters and environmental organizations.  If you’re representing a non-profit agency, school or social service agency, or the organization serves the good of the public, you’re eligible.  It’s also important to note that 501( c)(3) is not necessarily required to be eligible for the non-profit hosting plan.

Who is Not Eligible?

Although everyone would appreciate the non-profit package, unfortunately not everyone qualifies.  Any individual seeking to obtain reduced non-profit pricing must serve the public within their mission and objectives.  Users looking for a financial break that only want to build a personal website or establish a site for hobby or games does not qualify for non-profit plans.

Final Thoughts

For legit non-profits in need of cheap web hosting, Acorn Host is highly recommended among customers.   Typically, accounts for new users are set-up within a few business hours once payment is received.  After the account has been activated, the account holder should receive an e-mail notification complete with the login details.  The non-profit’s domain should be registered with a domain name registrar such as DynaDot or Gandi.  Regardless of which you opt to use, be sure that it’s a reliable and respectable provider.

Non-profit web hosting providers such as Acorn Host cultivate the perfect web hosting environment for even small non-profits to make a grand entrance onto the global stage.

Drupal 7 to Further Simplify Website Management

As one of the leading open-source content management systems, Drupal boasts many different applications; from personal websites to corporate and even the White House. This is due to being flexible and powerful. Drupal is also known for its complicated administrative interface. As a result, Drupal creators released the 7^th version which attempts to make the software more user-friendly. However, experts have mixed feelings on the usability characteristic.

Simple Installation

The installation is fairly simple and standard. The user is required to create a database, modify the configuration file and finish with a simple web-based installation. The installation process is extremely similar to WordPress; it is fast and easy. Following the installation, the program presents the administrator dashboard. For most end-users, they are not aware of the next step. At this point, the program is in the “just-installed” state which requires users to modify modules.

Easier to Use

Many professionals agree that Drupal 7 is actually easier to use and has more enhancements than other versions of Drupal, however the interface is the same. For instance, the management of modules is easier because it can be installed by specifying the URL for the zip file. However, to search for a specific module, a search through the Drupal community is required.

Read all Documents

To maximize productivity, it is important for new users to read through all documentation to become more familiar and comfortable with the system. For instance, a user could be tracking their website and receive a detailed and complicated log of activity. The frustrating aspect is that it will spit out this information without any indication as to how the system is collecting the data. Although the various nodes include a “Track” tab, it will provide this information even if it is not enabled.

The Shortcut Option

On the other hand, the system is, overall, much easier to use than previous versions. One innovative feature is the “shortcut” option which allows frequently used modules and applications to be placed on a shortcut list for easy access at a later time.

Overall, Drupal 7 is a much better content management system than its predecessors. The software is solid, flexible and powerful. If you have been waiting to publish your site, choose Drupal 7 as it will meet all your needs. However, if you are pondering upgrading to Drupal 7, wait a few months until the kinks are worked out.

Ascent to Partner with Comcast

Colocation web hosting provider recently announced it has partnered with industry-leading telecommunications company Comcast Business Services. The partnership will allow both companies to have access to Ascent’s data center in Pittsburgh through Comcast’s fiber optic network. The partnership will grant customers access to colocation, virtualization and managed hosting as well as disaster recovery and business continuity.

Data Center Specifications

The data center is a 20,000 square foot, SAS Type II certified facility located in RIDC Park, O’Hara Township; approximately 12 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The combination of services between the two companies is a response to the growing demand for cloud hosting services. Both companies are hoping the partnership will offer small and mid-sized businesses with the resources to improve data security and information technology through a point-to-point connection.

Growing Success of Both Companies

Comcast is excited about the collaboration as it will help to continue driving success for both companies through a dedicated Metro Ethernet bandwidth that provides a secure and scalable solution to meet customer’s expanding bandwidth demands. The pairing of services also bring Comcast’s fiber-optic based network together with Ascent’s secure data center to provide customers with quality, performance, robust solutions and exceptional value.

Ascent Company Information

As the leading provider of data center services in the Pittsburgh area, Ascent offers a variety of services including managed, colocation, server virtualization, data security, cloud hosting and business continuity. All customer information and applications are protected by their state-of-the-art data center. Applications and infrastructure is outsources to third-parties which significantly improves operational efficiencies and decreases business risk.

Comcast Business Services Company Information

Comcast Business Services is the leading provider of business-grade Ethernet, video solutions, phone and internet for all types of customers. The voice and data plans come packed with features developed to assist the continued growth of businesses. Comcast’s Metro Ethernet features a 40 gigabit fiber-optic backbone, the largest in the nation. Packaged with the Ethernet is reliable, around the clock support resulting in a robust, scalable solution for organizations of all types.

Ascent Data and Comcast Business Services are leading service providers in their respective industries and regions. Therefore, the partnership between the two organizations should result in a major increase in new customers for both parties. As Comcast continues to expand its services into other industries, the company is continually improving its products and services provide for to a wider audience.

An Expansion of eCommerce Web Hosting in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom-based web hosting provider, Nexcess.net, recently announced that is has expanded its eCommerce hosting line to customers in the U.K. The expansion of services within the country began in April 2011. The announcement was released approximately three months following the launch of its managed cluster solutions line to eCommerce customers.

Partnering with Magento

The press release indicated that Nexcess is hosting provider that specializes in eCommerce hosting. As a result, the company has become an official partner of Magento, an online shopping cart software platform. Unfortunately this addition to its Magento product line is only available to customers in the U.K. For those in other regions, a new set of low-end hosting options featuring the Magento platform will be available.

The SIP-100 and SIP-200 Hosting Packages

Nexcess’ SIP-100 and SIP-200 Magento hosting packages were previously exclusive to United States-based customers. These lines were developed for small Magento stores that do not have the same requirements as large enterprise users. SIP or Secured Isolated Platform is a customizable hosting environment for all eCommerce websites using Magento. All hosting packages are within a PCI compliant environment.

Unfortunately, the SIP-100 and SIP-200 hosting plans do not include CDN access. The cost is $47.95 and $129.95 per month, respectively. All packages are currently powered by Nexcess servers that are located in a Surrey, United Kingdom data center.

Three High-end Magento Hosting Packages

In addition to the lower-end packages, Nexcess is offering three high-end plans that include two dedicated server offerings for those that require more resources. Luckily all plans are cost-effective and customized for eCommerce startup businesses in the United Kingdom. As a result of the recent expansion from the United States, the company has witnessed a positive response. However, one major concern from the European customer base was the lack of service offerings in the United Kingdom.

Data Center Locations

The United States data center location is in Dearborn, Michigan. The next data center will be located in Southfield, Michigan which is planned to open in late 2011. The information technology corporate office is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Magento is a popular shopping cart and eCommerce solution that is growing amongst online retailers. By only offering eCommerce web hosting plans, Nexcess has found a niche with few competitors. The recent expansion to the United Kingdom should make them an industry-leader in the European marketplace.

How to Prevent Domain Hijacking

Although a website owner may feel secure upon registering a domain name, many don’t realize that domains are subject to hijacking.  Domain hijacking, or domain theft, is a prevalent nuisance that is on the increase.  Hackers need not to even access the target web server to create havoc.

The process of hijacking a website really doesn’t require a lot of knowledge or even effort.  There are various methods hackers use to hijack domains such as launching Trojan viruses, illegitimately acquiring login information or utilizing software to hack into a web hosting account to reconfigure ownership information.  Once hackers gain access to the targeted web server’s control panel, the chaos and headaches begins for website owners.

While most domain hijacking attacks are illicit, large companies take advantage of their branding leverage citing copyright infringements.   By doing so allows more established companies to legally “hijack” specific domains.  Unfortunately, small companies simply don’t have the necessary resources to defend their domains when toppled by a larger company with the same resources readily available to combat legal battles.

Locking the Hijacking Tool Shed

The truth is hijacking of a domain doesn’t take an arsenal of tools to access an authorized account.  The two basic items needed to hijack a domain is the target domain’s registrar name and the administrative e-mail address for the target domain.  Upon accessing these two essential items, hackers can easily hijack a domain without the knowledge of the authorized owner.  Website owners often don’t realize that this information is available online for the public to view by visiting www.whois.com.  A simple search can reveal the imperative information needed to hijack a domain, however, it’s possible to thwart hacking attempt by opting for a private domain registration.

A private domain registration allows website owners to hide vital information such as personal details including name and administrative e-mail address.  So, when a potential hacker looks up the domain on WHOIS, the information is hidden from public view.  It’s strongly recommended that website owners take the proactive security measures and choose to hide such details to thwart hijacking attempts.

Additionally, website owners should always inquire about the respective registrar’s security policy.  Also, ask about domain locking options as most registrars provide the feature to prevent unauthorized security breaches.

An Ounce of Prevention

Perhaps the best way to protect a domain name from being hijacked, aside from the above suggestions, is to opt for a reliable and trust-worthy provider.  Remember that usually you get what you pay for, so if a proven legit provider costs a few dollars more, it’s worth the extra cost to protect your domain name from hijacking attempts.  The initial proactive security costs are a well-worth investment, especially when compared to trying to undo the chaos created by a successful hacking mission.

Government Decides to Move Email to Microsoft Exchange

The San Francisco county government recently announced that it has decided to move all email to the Microsoft Exchange Online which is a cloud-based system. This will be a major upgrade to the current systems. Unfortunately during the week of May 9^th, 2011, Microsoft Exchange Online fell victim to three outages that significantly affected business email customers across the network.

Government Employees Affected by the Migration

As per the press release from the San Francisco government, over 23,000 employees from 60 departments will benefit from the email migration. Since the governmental community is large and diverse, this investment in information technology has many advantages including decreasing costs and improving productivity. Although Microsoft has already begun the transition, the total migration will occur over 12 months.

Collaborative Tools

Microsoft Exchange Online delivers an improvement in collaborative and communicative tools such as calendar and email functions in addition to hosted archiving of emails. The city and county government of San Francisco continues to think toward the future and has always leveraged technology to improve all services. This is another example of a highly beneficial upgrade.

Microsoft’s Statement

The Vice President of US State and Local Government at Microsoft followed-up with a statement highlighting the company’s excitement support San Francisco government employees with the tools necessary to be efficient. Further, this transition will help government employees better serve the San Francisco community.

Benefits of Microsoft Exchange Online

Microsoft was selected due to many factors with the most critical being price. Also, security, functionality and flexibility were concerns, especially with the number of attacks recently hitting major networks. Furthermore, Microsoft boasts a proven track-record of success, features SLA-backed service and can easily integrate with existing infrastructure to minimize downtime.

Migrations from Other Departments

The San Francisco government is not the first area of the government to make the change to cloud-based email system. Several months ago the United States Department of Agriculture began the migration process to Microsoft Exchange. They have seen a major improvement in the email systems.

If this benefits the taxpayers of San Francisco and California in general, it is an excellent move by the local government. As necessity continues to grow across the country; local, state and federal government divisions will require a secure, more robust systematic infrastructure to operate efficiently. San Francisco is one of few to take the first step and move in that direction.

A2 Improves Dedicated Hosting Service

A2 Hosting is a Linux-base web hosting provider that recently enhanced the amount of resources dedicated to their managed dedicated hosting monthly packages. Each plan now features double the data transfer. Additionally, the provider has waived the setup fee on all dedicated hosting packages to make their plans much more affordable. These two new enhancements are sure to increase traffic.

Discounted Plan Promotion for New Account Holders

New dedicated hosting account holders will be able to save up to 40 percent on their first bill when using coupon code “GODEDICATED” during checkout. If the member is not completely satisfied with their hosting service, A2 provides a free 30-day money back guarantee.

Standard Plan Features

Every server is individually managed by A2 Hosting’s Grew employees and includes a variety of standard features such as cPanel control panel, around the clock Host-Guard Server Monitoring and managed hardware upgrades. Also, CloudFare CDN is free with purchase and all servers are back with a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee. The amount of basic features in all plans beats most of the competition.

Comments from the A2 Hosting Marketing Manager

The Marketing Manager at A2 commented that dedicated servers have become extremely popular with their customers. As a result, the provider has removed the setup fee to eliminate that barrier for new customers looking to migrate accounts. Also, by doubling the data transfer and providing limited-time discounts, webmasters will be able to see how A2 operates and treats their customers.

A2 Company Information

Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, A2 Hosting is a Linux-based web hosting provider that offers around the clock support. The company boasts a variety of services such as affordable, developer-friendly hosting for personal and business websites and full service solutions for all types of companies. Also, A2 Hosting is compatible with numerous Internet-based technologies such as PHP, MySQL, Python, Perl, Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL and much more.

With the decrease in price and increase in demand for dedicated hosting, more providers are appearing on the market or expanding their offerings to remain competition. A2 Hosting is an excellent web hosting provider with many features, plans and a high-level of security. By increase the amount of resources dedicated hosting customers receive, the company is becoming more competitive and attractive to potential account holders.

The Venetian’s New Web Standard

Ektron is a provider of web content management systems, marking optimization tools and social software solutions. On May 18^th, 2011, the company announced that the Las Vegas-based Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino is utilizing the Ektron Web Content Management platform in an effort to re-launch its website, Venetian.com.

The Corporate Director of eCommerce Technology for the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, parent company of the Venetian, released a statement noting that the organization researched several different content management systems but Ekron fit their corporate structure. Furthermore, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation is committed to building working business relationships with top-tier partners that provide excellent support.

The Director has recognized that Ektron offers a pure .NET content management system that integrates Microsoft technologies. This was the primary reason for the decision to use Ektron. The software also features open architecture and API which delivers unlimited scalability. Sands information technology professionals are planning to tie the Ektron API to the back-end data systems and other third-party tools for full functionality.

The site was redeveloped by Vana Technologies, one of the best full-service development firms in the industry. Ektron worked closely with Vana and the Las Vegas Sands eCommerce team to create best practices and develop a robust infrastructure to host the installation of the content management software.

The first three migrations from the old site to the new are planned during 2011 and will include:

• Lasvegassands.com
• Palazzo.com
• Marinabaysands.com

The new content management system will allow for the easy management of installation for support modules as well as future updates to all websites. Also, the software will allow all properties across the globe to connect and share content. Ultimately, all websites under the Las Vegas Sands Corporation umbrella will run a single instance of Ektron and be able to share content across all sites.

The founder of Ektron released a statement detailing that the organization will help the Sands ensure the online experience will be enjoyable while providing value to the websites and enhancing visitor’s experiences. Further, the company is excited with the relationship they have built with the Las Vegas Sans Corporation and Vana Technologies.

This appears to be an excellent upgrade for the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and will prove to be a worthy investment in the future. Since all websites owned by the Sands Corporation will be able to communicate with one another, information can easily be passed for a more connected system of casinos.

Surviving Website Downtime

Downtime is an annoying occurrence that most website owners experience sooner or later when managing web hosting needs.  Downtime is basically considered as the amount of time that a website is inaccessible to users for various reasons.  While some websites have near perfect uptime rates, others are offline at least a couple of hours each day.  Understanding downtime and how to prevent it from wrecking havoc on the daily operations of web hosting is essential for success.

Downtime Causes

Although often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of downtime, there are several common reasons.  The first being planned downtime by the web host for tasks such as server upgrades, hardware, operating systems or software.  Another cause is component failures such as faulty hardware, defective programs, viruses, file corruption, and programming errors.  User errors or malicious intent are other causes which include accidentally erasing files or hackers.  Finally, natural disasters which can’t be prevented such as hurricanes and tornadoes are also common causes of server downtime.

Affects of Downtime

Regardless of the cause for sever downtime, the impacts are usually significant.  The most obvious impact of downtime is a loss of profits.  A staggering example is Amazon.com’s approximate two hour downtime in June 2007 that resulted in an estimated $3.48 million profit loss.  Customer satisfaction also takes a hard hit whenever a website experiences downtime.  Along the same lines, a loss of interest from potential investors is often a result of website downtime.  Search engine rankings are also affected negatively by downtime as it’s factored into the top five things considered when rankings are generated.

Proactive Steps to Prevent Downtime

While downtime can’t always be predicted, especially in cases of planned downtime or natural disaster, there are proactive ways to prevent website downtime.  Consider the following steps:

• Use a DNS backup service
• Purchase a monitoring system to ping websites on a regular schedule and send notifications of outages.
• Backup data on regular intervals
• Maintain current domain name
• Utilize Google Webmaster tools
• Implement accurate server downtime error codes

Reporting Downtime

Remember that time is a valuable commodity, especially when it comes to generating profits via an e-commerce site.  Once your site has been verified as down and the respective website is offline, try to locate the cause of the outage.  Often scripts running cause a strain on the server, thus resulting in being knocked offline.  If you can’t locate the reason for the outage, contact your web host’s technical support.  Hosting providers aren’t always aware of outages, so it’s important to notify them as soon as possible to report the outage.  After reporting the issue, it’s equally as important to send notifications to your customers to let them know you’re aware of the website being offline and explain the situation to the best of your knowledge. Finally, stay in touch with the web host’s customer support and IT team that’s been assigned and responsible for fixing the issue.

TERMINALFOUR Wins GBP 100,000 Content Management Deal

Industry-leading web content management company, TERMINALFOUR, recently announced it has won a GBP 100,000 contract to provide its system to Manchester Metropolitan University. This deal is the 75^th university client across the world.

Information about Manchester Metropolitan University

Manchester Metropolitan University had over 52,000 undergraduate student applicants for Fall 2011. The university is spread across seven campuses with main locations in Manchester and Cheshire. The school delivers over 1,000 courses to over 36,000 students across the United Kingdom. To accommodate the increasing online demands for students and faculty, the university’s collection of websites was reviewed.

TERMINALFOUR’s Site Manager Uses

As a result, TERMINALFOUR was selected to implement its primary product, TERMINALFOUR Site Manager to fulfill the university’s website content management requirements. This system will be primarily used to support the maintenance and future development of 100 websites while replacing the outdated system that is currently being used.

TERMINALFOUR Site Manager should eliminate the complexities of website publishing with eliminating systematic bottlenecks commonly found within operational and administrative functions. The system is easy-to-use and customizable which will give students greater interaction and create a much better online experience.

TERMINALFOUR’s Portfolio of Universities

In the past year, 12 new North American universities have signed up for TERMINALFOUR’s system. Therefore, the Site Manager now powers some of the most prestigious institutional websites in the world. TERMINALFOUR’s portfolio consists of the UCD in Ireland, University of Virginia in the United States, Rhodes University in South Africa and St. Andrews in the United Kingdom.

Statement from Manchester Metropolitan University

The New Media Manager of Manchester Metropolitan University released a statement recognizing that TERMINALFOUR understands the needs of higher learning institutions, especially large universities. Their portfolio, credentials and experience have made them the perfect candidate for this contract.

Statement from the CEO of TERMINALFOUR

The Chief Executive Officer of TERMINALFOUR also released a statement recognizing that Manchester Metropolitan University is one of the most progressive educational institutions in Europe. Therefore, for the company to acquire this contract is a major endorsement of their product and reputation.

TERMINALFOUR has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the world. TERMINALFOUR Site Manager was specifically developed for higher education. The software improves the process of creating, flowing and delivering information in a structured environment. The company continues to improve its reputation amongst institutions of higher education with their innovative products and services.

Wal-Mart Continues to Strengthen Web Presence

In December 2010, Wal-Mart invested in 360buy.com, an ecommerce website. The retail industry-leader recently announced that it plans to invest in a fast-growing Chinese ecommerce website: Yihaodian. The deal is currently under discussion but is slated to be closed within the next 60 days. The amount of money invested in the ecommerce company has not yet been disclosed but it is sure to be significant.

About Yihaodian

Launched in 2008, Yihaodian delivers over 75,000 products to its online customers. The company currently boasts over 2,000 employees and a logistical networked based out of Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The company is provides products to a fast-growing customer base with a focus on next-day delivery of critical daily items while keeping prices to a minimum. These characteristics have driven the success and profits of Yihaodian.

Online Sales to Surpass the United States

The CEO of Wal-Mart Global Ecommerce and Global Sourcing revealed in a statement that online sales in China are rapidly growing and projected to equal U.S. sales over the next several years. Therefore, by investing in this ecommerce company, Wal-Mart is continuing to establish an ecommerce-based presence and move forward to capture their objectives of becoming a leading global multi-channel retailer.

Wal-Mart’s Investment in China

Wal-Mart launched its first Chinese retail store in 1996. Since that time, China’s booming growth has made it an important part of the Wal-Mart portfolio. Back in November 2004, Wal-Mart donated $1 billion to Tsinghua University to develop China’s first high institution for retailing research.

Two years later, Wal-Mart acquired Trust-Mart for $1 billion. This acquisition was the most important expansion by Wal-Mart in China. Efforts for investing in China continue with the purchase of 360buy.com and now Yihaodian.com.

China as an Emerging Market

Since China is growing at an unimaginable rate, citizens are spending more online. Therefore, Wal-Mart sees this as an excellent opportunity to continue expanding globally on land and Internet. The recent acquisition of these two online retailers is an excellent step in the right direction toward achieving their goals and objectives.

Wal-Mart is a retailing powerhouse that continues to grow and expand. During the past decade, upper management has taken the retailer to an entirely new level and brought them into the digital age. Acquisitions of 360buy.coma and Yihaodian.com further strengthen Wal-Mart’s online presence and in one of the fastest growing emerging markets in the world.