Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » virtual servers http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 A Closer Look into APS Hostinghttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/18/a-closer-look-into-aps-hosting/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/18/a-closer-look-into-aps-hosting/#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:27:42 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=671 APS is a unique hosting solution that offers some very unique features to the domain owner. APS (Active Server Pages) technology allows the design and creation of an interactive website to be completed via server-side scripting. Examples of interactive websites and/or features would be: forums, blogs, search bars, calendars, newsletters, email, surveys, polls, and hit counters.  Unlike HTML scripting, APS scripting will allow your website to be displayed equally on any web browser. The overall compatibility of APS hosting stems from the fact that the APS server decodes and translates the .aps info into .html info before it is received by the browser. This is the primary reason why it is called APS hosting, as it is more than just a type of scripting. In order to use .aps scripts, your hosting company must have APS servers available.

Finding an APS Web Hosting Service Provider

Even though most web hosts claim to support the majority of scripts out there, this doesn’t mean that they all support ASP scripting. ASP scripting is relatively new so it is important that you find a web hosting company that specializes in this area of expertise. Many times you can find out all you need to know form a companies FAQ page, however if you still have questions it may be best to call their customer support number for further inquiries.

ASP Server Details

ASP servers are Windows based virtual servers, much like  Microsoft’s Personal Web Server. While Windows Vista carries support for ASP servers,  XP Home Edition and Windows ME unfortunately do not support ASP scripts. However if your operating system does not support ASP hosting then it is still possible to take advantages of this kind of hosting, thanks to a program known as “Chili” made by Sun Microsystems. Chili allows users to enjoy the benefits of  ASP hosting even if they are using operating systems like Linux, AIX or Solaris, or even if you are using an incompatible server such as Secure Server, Red Hat, and Apache.

The Ease of Transition to ASP Hosting

ASP scripting is also strikingly similar to HTML scripting, so anyone who is familiar with writing code in HTML will have no problem making the transition to ASP scripting. In fact, ASP hosting is just as easy to learn as HTML, so even if you have no experience in scripting, ASP is still an option for you as long as you have a little bit of motivation and the right guide.  In fact there are many tools available online that will help even the most inexperienced programmers in building interactive web pages for their website. If your web hosting company does not currently offer support for ASP hosting, then you can rest assured that they will within the next few years, possibly even months. Due to it’s seemingly unlimited compatibility with web browsers, ASP hosting is quickly becoming the industry standard in web hosting. Switching to an ASP hosting service as soon as possible will ensure that your website is viewable to more users, and more enjoyable to your visitors.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/18/a-closer-look-into-aps-hosting/feed/ 1 How Secure is Virtualization Technology?http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/10/14/how-secure-is-virtualization-technology/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/10/14/how-secure-is-virtualization-technology/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:22:30 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=573 A September 2009 survey released by Centrify revealed that the major barrier facing 46% of the respondents when it comes to adopting virtualization is security. In fact, only an estimated 20% of respondents said they were strongly confident in the security infrastructure of their virtualized environments. Professionals heavy into the technology sector are well aware of the security conundrum that surrounds virtualization. It has become such an issue that EMC recently assembled a panel of experts from its Ionix, RSA and Vmware divisions to put together some guidelines for adequately securing virtualized environments. What they came up with was “Security Compliance in a Virtual World,” a report that focuses on many key points that must be considered for ensuring virtualization security.

OS Hardening

The configuration for virtual machines and switches must be hardened just like your physical boxes and network switches. The underlying operating system must also be hardened through routine patches and updates, removal of unused components and maintaining secure settings. The EMC report suggests modeling virtual systems after the guidelines from the CIS (Center for Internet Security) and DISA (Defense Information Systems Agency) as they are viewed as well established security practices.

Configuration and Change Management

Since virtualization technology makes it simple to deploy new virtual machines and modify their set ups, it becomes very easy to fall into a chaotic state of configuration when it comes time to managing the environment. Even when systems are adequately hardened during installation, it is still important for organizations to stay on top of the environment to ensure a secure configuration. This means that when system settings are modified or new software applications are added, administrators are making sure the virtual system continues to meet what the EMA report calls the “gold standard” of configuration.

Access Control

Practical security polices such as least privilege and separation of duty should not be thrown to the wayside just because virtualization has come into the picture. Instead, such principles should become more essential than ever. The presence of virtualization results in increased density of all the systems and applications on your server. This is more convenient for your organization as well as the intruder who may be able to manipulate these systems if proper access control is not enforced and maintained. The report suggests that solution providers aid their staff and clients in understanding the importance of role-based access control both in and out of the virtual environment.

Network Security and Segmentation

Companies operating virtual servers lacking any sort of segmentation are far more vulnerable to exploit and exposure than organizations making use of virtual switches to incorporate those virtual machines into virtual local area networks like their physical counterparts. The security report explains that one of the most essential factors in compliance is ensuring that data is isolated and not mingled with or available to users on other virtual machines. Organizations that possess expertise in the network security field should put it to use in the virtualization environment. This can be done by obtaining virtual switches and other virtual security mechanisms such as firewalls and intrusion protection systems to protect network perimeters.

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