To have any sort of dominance on the World Wide Web for just a year or two is amazing.  That is what makes the run that the Apache Web Server has had all the more breathtaking.  They first hit the top spot in web server technology in early 1996.  They haven’t given it up since.

They did come close recently, though.  Microsoft finally took their gloves off and put real effort into their web server technology.  This resulted in a surge in Microsoft web hosting that, at its peak, gave it a third of all web hosting serve technologies in 2008, just a step behind Apache.

So close, yet…

That surge ran out of fuel, though.  By the time of its November 2011 web server survey, Netcraft showed that Apache’s share of web server software was back up to a dominant 65% of all web sites.  Microsoft had fallen back down to just over 15%, and even Google so far is stuck in low also-ran single digits.  Relative newcomer nginx was third with about 8%.

So why is this dominance so pervasive?  What is it about the Apache web server that gives it such an unshakable place in the web hosting world?  Is there any indication that this will change any time soon?

The flexibility of modules – especially open source modules

Through the use of modules, which are essentially plugins to the Apache web server, the web host is able to configure Apache to their specifications.  These modules allow smooth cooperation with other applications, including other web hosting software packages.  Several dozen modules have been released by the Apache Software Foundation, and several dozen more have been developed independently.

This hints at the thing that gives these modules that bit of extra power: Apache is open-source.  This leads to the usual benefits that attend all open-source packages: individual flexibility, expansiveness of user support, rapid development and bug tracking and fixing, high efficiency, and so forth.

High portability

Another benefit to Apache’s open source nature is that it has been developed for a wide variety of operating systems.  Naturally it works on just about every major UNIX and Linux variant.  But it has also been ported over to Windows, Mac OS, AmigaOS, OS/2, and a few others that you’ve probably never even heard of.  This alone should make it clear why, until they change their philosophy, Windows Server 2008 and whatever variants follow won’t even have a prayer at competing.  It is even available in 10 spoken languages.

Other advantages

• Cost: We could have probably put this into the list of open-source advantages above, but it deserves reiteration in its own right.  In addition to all of the obvious advantages that this entails, consider this also: this makes the barrier to entry so low that anyone so dedicated can run a web hosting service from their basement (Indeed, a lot of people do.  Well, some of them probably use other rooms as well).
• Specific features: There are a few nicely built-in advantages to the Apache web server that only adds to the above list.  Load balancing is one, which is why most Apache web hosts guarantee such high uptime percentages.  Virtual hosts, meaning the ability to create subdomain.domain.com, is another, and a very popular one.
• Security: Again, this almost goes without saying.  It bears asking though: 20 years into the World Wide Web, how many major Apache security incidents can you name?  Can anyone name any at all?  With some software packages and operating systems all but assuming that break-ins will happen, this is no mean feat.

What are the competitors up to?

All of this said, all empires eventually end.  One can certainly not expect either Microsoft or Google to just roll over and play dead.  So what are they doing instead?

Microsoft released this year Windows Home Server 2011, the latest in its own attempts to bring web hosting server technologies to home PCs (reference the basement web host above).  Unfortunately, they shot themselves in the foot right from the start.  Microsoft’s Home Server technology, starting from 2007, had included a feature called “Drive Extender”.  This enabled a few key server abilities, namely multi-disk redundancy, a single folder name space, and the ability to extend storage to any type of hard disk in any combination.

Thus, it was with astonished incredulity from its user base that Microsoft suddenly removed this service, as it was considered one of the server’s main selling points.  The outcry resulted in Microsoft promising to utilize RAID technology instead.  This, however, has not much placated the masses, and third parties have worked to fill the vacuum.  In short: don’t look to Microsoft’s fortunes in this area turning around any time soon.

And the others?

Google, to put it shortly, doesn’t look yet to be really putting that much effort into this yet.  Their focus seems to be using web server technology to serve its own needs.  Granted, these needs are growing with leaps and bounds, but it doesn’t look to be that of all-purpose web hosting anytime soon.

Nginx is the more interesting case.  Most of its market share has been achieved in the last 3 years.  There are specific reasons for this.  nginx can support up to 10,000 simultaneous connections and MP4 streaming.

A hardening monopoly

Nginx has still not yet achieved the broad respect that Apache has.  Then again, it itself is an Apache fork, meaning that most of the former’s advantages are already built into it.  Though that being the case, some would say there’s no point really considering it a “competitor” so much.  Combined, these two own ¾ of the market share, and growing.

In short, as amazing as it may seem, it appears that one of the main parameters of what makes the World Wide Web function, the underlying web hosting technology, is something that is not only not going to change anytime soon but, unless some really meteor of a competitor comes in out of nowhere, is going to solidify even harder.  In a world where technologies change on an almost hourly basis, this is an astounding statement.

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Although SharePoint will not solve all of a firm’s problems because it is only a resource, the content management system has enough features that can provide increased business value over the previous method. On the other hand, many established vendors have additional features that Microsoft must compete with.

On that note, is primarily used for file sharing and the distribution of information across many departments. Due to its popularity, the system has grown and become extremely critical for many groups within an organization. In its simplest form, SharePoint is a transparent records management system that archives data from today, last week or a year ago. Many other content management systems offer the same task with plenty of other features.

However, where SharePoint shines is that the system is an excellent starting point for any initiative. Although it can be replaced by a more feature rich system, the platform answers the true needs of its users. For instance, there are several advantages to the system including:

• Records management
• Process automation
• Invoice processing

In many organizations records management is a priority. Therefore, Microsoft SharePoint was designed to enhance the existing architecture of any system without the user being aware of the change. Users can create, delete, edit and perform many tasks common to records management.

Also, when developing the system, Microsoft determined that many processes needed to be automated. Therefore, a simple analysis determined that 87 percent of processes can be implemented into SharePoint with minimal effort. The remaining processes only impact a small amount of the work force.

At any organization, there are thousands of invoices processed every year. Therefore, procurement departments can easily manage all of them within the SharePoint environment. Therefore, the system can managed these documents regardless of size, file type and fax type. As a result, organizations do not need to purchase a separate software license for a program to manage the files and integrate them into SharePoint.

Microsoft SharePoint has been an extremely successful content management system that has been implemented into many major organizations across the globe. Although it may not have many of the other features found in its competitors, the system relies on simplicity for the average user.

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Amazon Web Services

Despite Amazon’s recent outage, the company continues to offer attractive cloud storage features tailored for small businesses. Amazon is a top choice for small business ventures because customers are not required to purchase hardware. Instead, users pay a small fee each month to access Amazon’s infrastructure in a cloud computing environment.  Customers have the ability to order computing services and storage on an as-needed basis to meet individual hosting needs. Amazon places computing power in the control of the customers as they can add or remove processing power and storage space in real time as well as delivering several layers of security to protect valuable data. Amazon is a great pay-as-you-grow cloud hosting option.

Office 365

Microsoft just recently threw its proverbial hat into the cloud ring introducing Office 365. Small business owners opting for Office 365 have access to all of MS Office’s applications without the need to install the actual software on computers or servers.  Users are granted access to documents, contacts, e-mail, and calendars to devices connected to the Internet. Office 365 is available for a very affordable $6 per month.  It’s best suited for small businesses employing less than 25 employees and don’t have an IT employee on staff.  In addition to the 25 GB mailbox, users benefit from the ability to edit documents and spreadsheets simultaneously.  Additionally, users have access to PC-to-PC audio, instant messaging, and video calls.

Google Apps

Google also offers cloud storage services designed for small business owners. Google is a bit more established than Microsoft, offering cloud apps now for over a year. Google’s cloud services are very similar to Microsoft’s cloud plan.  Users  are granted customized e-mail addresses, calendar, mobile e-mail, IM access, Google Sites, Google Docs, spam filtering, 24/7 customer support and 99.9% guaranteed uptime.  Google’s cloud services are available for an affordable $5 per month.

Apple’s iCloud

Although not currently available as Apple is scheduled to unveil iCloud in Fall 2011.  Apple’s iCloud is best described as “an online hard drive on steroids”.   iCloud will offer users a vast array of features such as storing music, photos, apps, documents and other data online.  Additionally, it will deliver services wireless to laptops, iPad, or smartphones.  Similar to Microsoft and Google, iCloud will grant access to e-mails, calendars, and contacts as well as allowing multiple users to edit documents simultaneously.

Dropbox.com

Finally, a newcomer to the cloud industry, Dropbox is a cloud storage service provider to watch. Dropbox allows users to store important files on the provider’s secure website, easily accessible via Windows, Linux, Mac, iPad, Android/BlackBerry phones, and iPhone. Other attractive features include the fact the service is free for 2 GB of storage space, $9.99/month for 50 GB of storage, and $19.99/month for 100 GB of storage.  Dropbox also works without the need to be connected to the Internet.  Furthermore, users can opt to transfer part of a huge file or manually set bandwidth limits to prevent crashing servers. Like the previous providers, users can also work simultaneously on documents.

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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.

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Open vs Closed

Microsoft owns and develops all of the windows operating systems. This means that this source is only updated by Microsoft. That is one of the primary differences between Windows and Linux. Linux, however, is completely open sourced and generally speaking free. This means for a hosting company it’s generally more expensive for the licenses to run Windows machines. This is why you typically see a bit of disparity between the prices of Windows and Linux machines.

All PCs Need Windows

A bad assumption by some new web developers is that if the target audience runs Windows then the server mush run windows as well. This is far from the truth. In fact, the client will never know which server you’re running. As a web developer however, there will be stark differences in the way each system runs and operates. Some may find that Linux is a little too complicated and stick with Windows instead. This is a valid argument.

Reliability is a Myth

One argument against Windows is its reliability over Linux. The main reason Windows gets a bad reputation is the sheer number of users on Windows makes the operating system a natural target for hackers.  However, Linux is the most common server platform and has just as many attacks made on it. The bottom line is the security of the server is solely based on the performance of its administrator.

Server Side Code

The primary thing to consider here is what do you want to do with your hosting? It really depends on what kind of site or platform you want to use. Microsoft has a ton of plug in style systems like ASP.Net, Access, Windows Streaming Media and MSSQL that can help with the development of a site. Linux has all of these functions as well, but they are usually expensive and a little less on the features that their Microsoft brothers.

Choosing your server platform really is just a matter of preference. Choose what you’re comfortable with operating as well as what you’re comfortable with building sites in. Everything else is just a mild foot note.

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Main Features of the Windows Exchange Hosting

The primary focus of the Windows Exchange hosting plan is to provide access to a fully functional copy of Windows Exchange Server, as well as the server resources the software needs to function optimally. Windows Exchange hosting providers offer comprehensive support related to the use of software, administrative server management assistance, and enough bandwidth and disk space to facilitate the creation, storage, and transmission of large amounts of data. With a Windows Exchange hosting solution you’ll be able to start utilizing Windows Exchange Server from day one, without having to pay an Internet technology specialist or tutor to teach you how to use it. In fact, many Windows Exchange hosting services include detailed tutorials and instructions for using the software.

The Cost-Saving Benefits of Windows Exchange Hosting

If you were to set up a Windows Exchange hosting solution yourself you would need to make several significant investments, both monetarily and temporally. First, you have to purchase a license of Microsoft Exchange Server, and install it on your Web server. In order to install such software, you would need to have access to a dedicated or virtual private server hosting solution, both of which are just as expensive, if not more expensive than a Microsoft exchange hosting service. On average, Microsoft exchange hosting providers offer services for about $10 per month per mailbox. Thus, you would have to have more than 200 employees to warrant investing the money for a private Web server and a license of Microsoft Windows exchange.

The Reliability of Windows Exchange Hosting

By choosing to utilize the services of a Windows Exchange hosting provider you are also ensuring the most reliable and stable platform for your business communications. These services usually utilize networks of VPS or dedicated servers, both of which provide extensive server resources and supreme stability. By choosing to purchase a Windows exchange hosting plan rather than host the application on a private Web server, you’ll also gain access to redundant Web server’s and multiple ultrahigh speed Internet connections through the state-of-the-art data center owned by the web hosting company. Thus, if an error occurs with the software or a Web server goes down unexpectedly, your data will immediately be transferred to a working server within the hosting environment.

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The Keynote Address

The keynote address from CEO Steve Ballmer and Server and Tools Business President Bob Muglia showcased how Microsoft is continuing to advance their platforms of the PC, mobile devices and cloud computing. With the recent releases of Windows 7, Windows Azure, Windows Phone 7 and Internet Explorer 9, they were able to focus on these platforms specifically. The plans for Microsoft are to combine the Web, phone and the cloud.

Building Momentum

Since Windows Azure became commercially available this year, Microsoft has seen an explosion of 20,000 applications. In combination with the RenderMan application, Microsoft presented how they can utilize Windows Azure to improve computer cycle efficiency through scaling. In turn, this will further develop project performance and decrease costs.

Other Conference Highlights

Microsoft also highlighted that over 70 partners that represent more than two-thirds of all active web traffic are utilizing Internet Explorer 9 and HTML 5. Internet Explorer 9 first launched in September 2010 and there have already been an amazing 10 million downloads.

Microsoft also informed the crowd that numerous companies will be utilizing Window Phone 7. Additionally, the Windows Phone marketplace is slated to launch more than 1,000 games and applications that fully utilize the power of the phone. The marketplace opens September 7th for user’s to upload and download applications.

Windows Azure

Windows Azure is one of the latest developments from Microsoft that helps developers build new types of business applications, commercial offerings and web applications. The software package provides many vital services that allow them to focus on applications, not the infrastructure, operating system and tools. The functions offered by Windows Azure are known as “Platform as a Service” (PaaS).

These fantastic releases from Microsoft are sure to revolutionize the software industry once again. Windows phones in the past have been mediocre at best. However, it appears as if executive management is looking to put much more backing into Windows Phone 7 to make it a front-runner in the mobile handheld device industry. Either way, Microsoft will continue to prosper with these innovative and performance enhancing products.

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A Little Common Sense Goes a Long

While many security software solutions exist, some of the best ways to defend yourself can be summed up to applying common sense.  Here are five simple tips to help keep your website safe and secure:

1.) Smart E-commerce – If you plan to sale goods or services through a shopping cart, make sure that the software used is properly figured and secured.  If you do not possess this knowledge, bring someone on board who does.

2.) Password Protection – Use secure passwords for all of your website applications that require a login.  This goes for everything from your control panel to CMS software.  A good rule of thumb is to use a combination of numbers, letters and symbols, in addition to never using something that others can associate with you for a password.

3.) Monitor Your Server Logs – By checking your server logs on a regular basis, you may be able to identify strange or unusual activity.  Because knowing what to look for can be difficult, many software solutions exist that will do the job for you.  These programs analyze your log files and automatically send alerts if strange behavior is detected.

4.) Update Your Web Applications - An outdated web application is one of the most vulnerable points of a website.  Hackers are constantly working on new ways to compromise security so if your applications are not up to date, you could be exploited.  Also keep in mind that most updates consist of critical upgrades that address known security issues.

5.) Backup Your Website – Because no website is ever 100% secure, it would be wise to frequently backup your site and all the files its contains.  Don’t overlook this.  Not only do hackers target websites, but entire web servers.  If the server your site resides on is compromised, you could possibly lose everything you worked so hard to build.  Regular backups give you the assurance that your website data can be restored should a disaster occur.  Be sure to keep a copy of your backup in a location other than your hard drive just in case ill fate happens to strike your computer.

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Ms. Posey stated that with so much emphasis on cloud computing and its implications for those in the IT world, the Parallels Summit 2010 will serve as the ideal forum for tracking global trends and collaboration among some of the most important players in the industry.

SoftLayer CEO Lance Crosby is also scheduled to join in what is becoming an impressive lineup of speakers.  He intends to specifically address questions posed by those in the industry in addition to providing insight into developing a high-growth hosting firm.  Attendees of the Parallels Summit can submit their questions to Crosby via email at summit_questions@parallels.com

Mr. Crosby said the Parallels Summit is one of the most significant events to attend, stating that it provides access to the most qualified delegates in the hosting industry and often acts as the starting point for many important relationships.  Crosby noted that he is looking forward to an interactive session and encourages attendees to submit their questions early.

Other speakers that have been confirmed for the Parallels Summit include Antonio Piraino, Senior Analyst of Managed Hosting and Cloud Infrastructure Services at Tier 1 Research, and Warren Adelman, CEO and President at GoDaddy.com.  The Summit will also prominently feature Serguei Beloussov, Parallels Chairman and CEO, as well as Jack Zubarev, President of Parallels Service Provider Worldwide.

Microsoft and Verisign are among the platinum sponsors for the exclusive event, while Intel and Unison are gold sponsors.  Silver sponsors for the fifth annual Parallels Summit include AMD, e-pages, InterNex and Tucows.

The Parallels Summit 2010 will be hosted in the Fontainebleau community of Miami Beach from February 22-24.  Registration is free for all Parallels clients, partners, invited guests and other industry delegates.  An international conference, the event will provide a comprehensive blueprint of how the IT industry can leverage Parallels technology to deploy new cloud solutions, devise strategies to enhance and extend the market value of their services, and create new up-selling and cross-selling strategies that drive in increased revenues.

About Parallels

Founded in 1999, Parallels is a global leader in automation and virtualization software technology.  Its solutions optimize computing for businesses, cloud service providers and consumers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms.  Parallels is one of the fastest growing companies in the IT field with more than 700 staff members throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

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What is MS SQL?

Microsoft SQL Server or simply MS SQL, is a commercially licensed relational database management system and the main rival to the MySQL open-source software.  As a licensed software application, it is a proprietary product with the source code and copyrights owned by Microsoft.  Some talk negatively about commercially licensed products because you must purchase them in order to use them on the open market.  However, the major advantage of such products is that they come with excellent support, are thoroughly tested functionality and receive continuous upgrades.  In the case of MS SQL, you get all this and much more.

As one of the most widely used SQL systems, MS SQL is supported by a large number of applications and programming codes designed to integrate with its databases.  One of its most common uses is website implementation to generate dynamic content.  In fact, if you have ever visited an e-commerce site and browsed through pages or product listings, more than likely, you have interacted with a database such as MS SQL.

What Does MS SQL Do?

Like any SQL database, an SQL Server database is a data storage facility that allows you to manage significant amounts of information.  Because it is so challenging and time consuming for the average person to manually sort through such large amounts of data, databases are used to request data and retrieve the requested information in a faster and more efficient manner.  Although it possible to directly interact with a database, the mere structure of the data often makes this a difficult process.  Similar to many Microsoft products, MS SQL is are far more user-friendly than other database systems.  This particular software was designed with the premonition that users and applications will frequently need to access its databases, which is why it streamlines the process and makes retrieval easier.

Databases are capable of storing all types of information.  Upon first hearing the term, you may assume that a database is something that stores customers names, telephone numbers and addresses or product inventory for a warehouse facility.  While MS SQL can indeed handle basic text information, it also has the power to store other types of data such as graphics, audio files and even more complex formats.  With all the advancements in web technology, this ability really comes in handy for someone who desires a feature-rich, interactive website.

Whether you need a database to store a list of employee data, create a dynamic website or power an e-commerce storefront, MS SQL makes a perfect solution.  Signing up for a Windows hosting package that offers this feature is well worth the investment.

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