web hosting

How Will You Host Your E-commerce Site?

If you desire to open a storefront online, take note that there are several methods that can be used to power your e-commerce site, including an in-house solution, colocation, shared hosting, dedicated and managed hosting.  The method you choose will depend on various factors, but mainly your budget, level of technical expertise and the requirements of your business.

In-House Method

Hosting your e-commerce site in-house involves setting up a server room, purchasing the necessary hardware and software components, leasing a reliable high-speed connection and employing an IT team.  Experienced IT personnel are required to handle day to day technical aspects such as performing backups, monitoring security and basically doing whatever it takes to keep the server up and running.  The costs and complexities that come along with an in-house operation are considerable and often too much for startups and small businesses to handle.

Colocation

Colocation refers to an alternative solution that allows businesses to store their server hardware and network equipment in a facility maintained by a hosting company.  The firm provides you with physical storage space, internet bandwidth and electricity to power the hardware.  There are many advantages to this type of arrangement, including a lower cost for bandwidth and the enhanced reliability you get from the data center.  The disadvantages are that you must purchase your own hardware and actually find a provider that offers a colocation service in your area.

Shared Hosting

One of the most common ways to run an e-commerce website is through a service arrangement known as shared hosting.  In this environment, the websites of multiple companies are stored on a single server, which share an internet connection and various other resources between them.  While suitable for the needs of many, this type of service is best for companies that anticipate a small to moderate amount of traffic and have a limited budget.  This is mainly because there are strict limitations in regard to disk space, bandwidth and control.  With that said, a reputable firm should be able to provide you with a stable platform that can support the needs of both startups and small companies.

Dedicated and Managed Hosting

Dedicated hosting is a method that calls for you to a lease an entire server from a hosting company.  The provider is responsible for maintaining the hardware and network connectivity while the bulk of server administration falls on your shoulders.  This could be a downside because of all the technical challenges that go into maintaining a server, but there are number of benefits as well.  For example, you have extensive control and flexibility that permits you to run your own operating system, database servers, web applications and services.  For those who lack the experience or time needed to handle these tasks, managed hosting exists, a solution that eases the burden of server administration.  Though notably more expensive, managed hosting will allow you to focus more on promoting your e-commerce site and servicing customers rather than dealing with the all the complexities as these processes are handled by the provider.

The fact that there are so many options for hosting an e-commerce site works to your advantage.  What you need to do is a carefully assess your situation and determine which service is best for your business.  After settling on a reliable solution, the fate of your online business is in your hands.

Layer Technologies Breaks Through on Inc. 5000

Many companies are struggling during the recession, but you couldn’t tell by viewing a certain list featuring a comprehensive look at 5,000 of the nation’s top-performing privately owned firms.

Based in Plano, Texas, web hosting provider Layer Technologies, Inc., just added another accolade to its long list of honors by ranking number 622 in Inc Magazine’s the third annual Inc. 5000.  Thanks to Northern Capital Insurance, the number one company on the list this year, insurance is leading the way as the nation’s leading industry with an average growth rate of a whopping 667%.   Other notable brands representing their respective industries featured on the list include beverage brewing company Honest Tea, rental car service Zipcar and internet powerhouse GoDaddy.

Jim Melloan, Inc. 5,000 project manager, says that the Inc. 5,000 is the best source for learning about new private companies that achieve success through innovative business models and older privately owned corporations that are still profiting and growing at an impressive rate.  Melloan noted that this is the reason investors and other spectators look forward to the list every year.

Layered Technologies made the prestigious Inc. 5,000 list due to its tremendous growth rate of 441% over the past three years.  The firm invests faithfully in research and development to implement the new technologies and features that has helped it remain one of the top 10 global web hosting providers.  Layered Tech evolved from a regionally known dedicated hosting provider to a world-renown web host with a scalable infrastructure that powers a broad range of internet applications and millions of websites.

Many are viewing Inc.’s 2009 list as a report card on the U.S. economy.  In light of the harsh economic climate, aggregate revenue of companies that made the list increased by an estimated $29 billion since 2008, with an average three year growth rate of 126%.  Since its inception, Inc. has played an active hand in creating more than one million jobs, serving as the perfect example of the positive impact fast growing businesses can have on the economy.  You can view the complete results of the Inc. 5000 list by criteria such as industry and region on the Inc.com website.

About Layered Technologies

Founded in 2004, Layered Technologies Inc. is a web hosting provider that specializes in managed hosting, dedicated servers, virtualization, cloud computing and a broad range of additional web services.  Leveraging the best of technology and a world-class infrastructure, the firm delivers the level of support that enables businesses of various sizes to eliminate costly upfront investments and save significantly on operating expense while focusing on the core aspects of their business.  Its highly scalable infrastructure lends its power to millions of websites and a host of web solutions and applications such as SasS (software as a service), SQL Server and content distribution among others.  Boasting one of the largest customer bases in the industry, Layer Technologies clients range from cutting-edge startup companies and thriving medium enterprises to some of the most successful integration and consulting firms in the world.

Bursting Five Managed Hosting Misconceptions

More small and medium sized companies are thriving due to the benefits of managed hosting.   However, with the popularity has come various myths about this service that have done nothing but confuse interested customers.  To keep you in line with the facts, this article will debunk five of the most common misconceptions about managed hosting.

1.) Managed Hosting is a Completely Outsourced Solution

The way some describe it, managed hosting is a type of service that completely alleviates you from server administration and daily management tasks, a fully outsourced service that does not require you to lift a finger.  In most cases, this isn’t true.  While you typically get far more automated assistance than offered by a dedicated hosting provider, the level of managed services all depends on the price, package and host you select.  Even when signing on for a fully managed contact, you will still be responsible for design, promotion and the basic administration of your site.

2.) Only Inexperienced Users Need Managed Services

Many have the misconception that managed hosting is strictly designed for businesses and individuals who lack the abilities needed to maintain a web server.  This comes from the fact that managing a dedicated server requires a certain level of technical skills, which is the reason that several choose to outsource these tasks to another company.  Be that as it may, managed hosting can benefit all types of customers, even those who are well versed in administration and know their way around a web server.

3.) Managed Hosting is More Reliable

Almost all companies will promise you a respectable uptime and reliable service.  The same holds true for managed hosting providers.  Although you have your own server, there are still many incidents that could possibly result in service interruptions and downtime.  The reliability you get from a managed hosting solution all depends on the company you choose.  If they have taken the time to build a stable infrastructure with redundant systems, downtime should be a very rare occurrence.

4.) Managed Hosting is More Secure

One of the biggest misconceptions you can fall into is automatically assuming that a managed hosting provider will keep your server secure.  Most companies take the necessary steps to detect and prevent common threats such as malware, intrusion, DDoS attacks and other exploits.  What you should know is that no server or web hosting system is ever 100% protected.  Different strains of malicious software are released on a frequent basis and hackers grow more sophisticated everyday.  This is why it is so important for both you and your managed hosting provider to make security a priority.

5.) Managed Hosting is Cost Prohibitive

In general, managed hosting is more expensive that your typical dedicated server plan.  However, it can also result in tremendous cost savings for your business.  These savings are obtained by the fact that you don’t have to make any costly upfront investment on hardware, software or infrastructure.  You can also spare yourself from having to hire a professional IT team.  At the very least, you can keep staffing expenses to a minimum.  Over the long run, managed hosting can be far more cost effective than leasing a dedicated server.

Choosing Between a Dedicated Server and Managed Hosting

The more popular your website becomes and the bigger it grows, thus, the more likely you will get to the point where you want to automate as many as the essential management processes as possible.  With success comes more complications, something that definitely holds true for a thriving website.  When you reach this point, it is critical that you start to seek out products and solutions that can be dedicated to performing the tasks you can no longer afford to handle in order to expand your web presence.  For most, this comes down to making a decision between a dedicated server or managed hosting plan.

The Cost Aspect

While it is true that managed web hosting has traditionally been more expensive than leasing a dedicated server, if you look a little closer, you will see that there are tremendous cost savings to be obtained.  The cost benefits of managed service can be observed from the ability it provides to dramatically cut down on the resources needed to power your website or business.  With this type of solution, you can start saving by subtracting from your staffing requirements as you will not need anywhere near the amount of physical resources.  In addition, you can pocket substantial savings on operating costs, office space requirements and all the expenses needed to ensure that your business continues to run smoothly on a day-to-day basis.  Aside from saving money, a managed hosting service also spares you valuable time.  All the time-consuming tasks will be shifted the shoulders of the hosting provider while you set your focus on the less technical aspects.

Less Control, More Freedom

Indeed, a dedicated server provides you with added flexibility and complete control of your entire web-based operation.  However, with this option, maintaining your presence can become a full-time job in its own right.  For those who do not have the time or expertise to deal with the hassles that come along with a dedicated server, managed hosting providers step in to lift the burden, allowing you to expand and grow your website.  Over the years, these services have gained a reputation for being hassle free and rather cost efficient when compared to trying to maintain the same systems in-house.  In addition, there are many companies that will allow you to choose only the services you need, providing you with a comfortable level of control and the freedom to focus your efforts in other areas.

Conclusion

In theory, your job as a website or business owner should be to continuously develop new ways to increase your visibility and bottom line.  However, this is much more difficult when you are scrambling to hire a competent IT staff and trying to ensure that the systems remain available.  By opting for managed hosting service, you will have the time and freedom needed to focus on the tasks necessary to ensure the growth and stability of your web presence.  Sometimes it takes a little help to truly succeed online and a reliable managed hosting service can be that assisting crutch.

Hosting Considerations for E-commerce

When it comes to e-commerce, one must take several factors in consideration.  Apart from deciding what market you want to tackle and thinking of ways to promote the business, you must also factor your online presence into the mix.  Your business site will require a hosting solution and there are so many too choose from.  There is shared hosting, dedicated hosting, managing hosting and a wide variety of niche variations.  You also have the option of hosting your business in-house or going with a provider that specializes in colocation.  Making a choice can be difficult, but it is much easier when matching up a solution with the specific needs of your business.

In-house vs. Colocation

Hosting your e-commerce business in-house is a do-it-yourself solution that calls for you to purchase the hardware, software applications and lease an internet application.  It also means you need an expert staff to maintain these vital components.  You need to think about server administration, network monitoring, data backups, security and much more.  This is independent method is the most costly way to run your business online.

Colocation is the perfect alternative to hosting your business in-house.  This is the kind of arrangement where you store your server hardware in the provider’s data facility.  They supply you with you an internet connection and the power necessary to run the equipment.  The major benefit to colocation in comparison to an in-house solution is cost savings.  The key is finding a provider you can rely on to keep you online.

Shared vs. Dedicated Hosting

Shared hosting is the most affordable way to get your e-commerce business going, a situation where you share a web server with other users.  With this type of hosting, you are sharing the actual hardware along with the operating system and other critical resources.  Shared hosting is often the first choice of small businesses who don’t have demanding needs.  It also quite limited in terms of control and is prone to more stability and security issues when compared to having your own server.

With dedicated hosting, you sign up for a hosting plan and have the server all to yourself.  You have your own internet connection, operating system and all the other resources that are tied up in shared hosting.  The server can be enhanced with your own software applications, programming technologies and security mechanisms.  Because performing these tasks are more complex than a shared hosting solution, managed hosting exists to aid those with limited server administration skills.

Dedicated and managed hosting services are geared towards businesses that receive a high level of traffic and require maximum stability.  The major difference between these solutions and colocation is cost as you are paying a monthly or annual fee just to lease the server opposed to owning it.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is lot more that goes into e-commerce besides opening up a store and marketing your products.  Finding the right type of service is so critical because it forms the very backbone of your online business.  Ultimately, the solution for you depends on your expertise, manpower, budget and requirements.