Understanding the cloud, shared hosting and t2 Studios hosting services.
Cloud Hosting (often also referred to as clustered hosting) is a step up from the shared hosting infrastructure that is commonly used today. By handling security, load balancing and server resources virtually you are no longer restricted to the limits of one physical piece of hardware. In basic terms, online operations are not limited to a single server, they have access to the processing power of a number of servers that are distributed in real time.
Security on the cloud:
- Actual location of data is unknown (lost in the cloud), the webmaster can therefore no longer control access as directly as in the traditional sense.
- Sensitive data may share the same physical machine as other web sites / users, although the data will be virtually separated.
- Virtual partition of files and the associated environment allied with on-the-fly resource allocation ensures that your web applications are completely separate from other users.
Payment of services on the cloud:
- Cheaper and you only pay for what you use. No need to buy extra hardware that will only be used for 5% of the year to cover for traffics spikes.
- Payment on a utility basis after resource is used. There is usually a flat monthly fee plus variable fee depending on the resources used.
So why choose t2 Studios for your hosting services over a cheaper virtual host or a new tech cloud host?
Security and payment of services comparison:
Online security techniques which can be referred to as traditional have only been understood for a matter of years and this aspect is always required to be updated as security holes and attack techniques change. Maintaining privacy and security within a network that is understood and continuously maintained by appointed administrators is extremely costly and only second to hardware capital requirements. In response to the argument for sharing resources in the cloud... of course the cloud makes perfect sense in an environment where by every web user or administrative body can be 100% trusted. This is not possible.
Payment of services which is suggested to be similar to the model used by utilities. I.e. you only pay for what you use! Please consider that up to 70% of email traffic is spam and after years of tracking visitors on our own hosting environment we realise that up to 40% of traffic spikes can be attributed to search engine spiders, auto password interrogators and malicious web users that treat breaking and entering as a hobby to advance their software engineering careers.
So hosting your commercial website could be an adventure into new technologies with the benefits of a new business model or the relative stability of a business model that has been realised and understood.
The cloud will become infrastructure as most new tech communication systems have, but not before a series of fundamental flaws and issues have been worked through the system.
The best of both worlds has always been the successful business model for t2 Studios. We have the latest hosting equipment and software backed up by the latest training with a development cost for Microsoft running into the billions. Shared or virtual hosts routinely group a mixed level of users, which could contain a few web professionals but mainly house low level cost savers with no formal training. These users are not normally aware of what happens beyond the administrative form they have in their command centre! This can have adverse effects on everybody if the level of control exceeds the level of knowledge each user has.
t2 Studios utilise IIS 7.0 with the .NET Framework allowing all websites that are hosted within t2 Studios to have their own protective silo with further protection supplied through tried and tested firewall solutions.
The power and stability of Microsoft hosting environments has been re-enforced over the last few years as the .NET developers library has converged to work as an integral part of the server and hosting solution rather than fighting for services on request. In short this reduces development costs due to Microsoft testing the developers code library on the server before any applications are even in the concept stage, taking a lot of the guess work out of delivering online applications from simple websites to more advanced database architecture solutions for news, crm systems or advanced user functions that are expected from web 2.0.
Cloud hosting more information:
http://www.cloudhosting.co.uk/content/what-cloud-hosting
Cloud hosting comparison more information:
http://www.cloudhosting.co.uk/content/differences-between-hosting-and-cloud-hosting
Why not take advantage of an initial consultation with t2 Studios to discuss your online strategy.