Traditionally companies would host all their servers onsite. Over recent years there has been a change in attitude fuelled by availability of cheaper Internet/cloud services and faster broadband connections.
Companies are now looking to move some or all their data off site. In some cases companies are looking to outsource all their IT Services. However, there are a number of companies especially in the SME market that like to know where their data is with the knowledge that it is safe and secure.
Server hosting is an ideal solution to bridge this gap. This is where a company will own the server equipment, which is hosted off site in a secure co-location centre. His is effectively a Private Cloud solution.
Some application are ideally suited for hosting e.g. email, whereas other applications are more suited to be run on local servers e.g. Architectural (CAD) drawings. There are generally a number of options available or hybrid solutions to consider.
Reducing the number of servers will reduce the hardware cost and your energy consumption. Server virtualisation can overcome this issue by housing multiple virtual servers on one physical server where they can efficiently run multiple different operating systems in parallel.
Server hosting is where a company will either own the server equipment or rent a virtual server. We offer both of these services in our rack at a co-location site. These services are both classed a Private Cloud because we host, manage and support all the equipment in our rack.
What service do you require?
We can assist you to ascertain what solutions would best suit your company and there are a number of key factors for consideration:
- What software systems and applications are you running or planning to use?
- Is your workforce located on one site, multiple office locations, here in the UK or also abroad?
- What percentage of your staff is mobile staff or home office workers?
- Are you using web-based applications, Intranets or CRM Systems?
- Has your company got or considering a VoIP telephone system?
- Are you just looking for a backup or Disaster Recovery solution?
Once we know your requirements we can put together options for you to consider and meet your budget.
It is also worth noting that a backup or Disaster Recovery server provides the role of maintain the integrity of your data and in the event that your main office server(s) are lost through theft or natural disaster your company will be able to continue to operate with the services running on this server. If desired the server can also be moved to a new office location.
Installing traditional physical servers would normally require a separate server for each server role.. Server virtualisation can overcome this issue by housing multiple virtual servers on one physical server where they can efficiently run multiple different operating systems in parallel.
Server virtualisation requires software like Microsoft Hyper-V (or VMWare), which is included in the latest Microsoft Windows Server software. However, you will need a (new) server capable of running a 64bit operating system i.e. Windows 2008. The good news is the majority of new servers are a lot more energy efficient.
Virtualising servers will result in improved resource utilisation as well as reductions physical space, power and cooling requirements. In addition to energy saving reducing the number of servers will lower capital expenses due to more efficient use of hardware resources. Virtualisation provides high availability of resources, increased security, and improved disaster recovery processes.
The majority of new servers we install or host use the virtualised platform because is highly scalable. Adding additional virtual servers as your company grows does not incur the same project, labour or capital costs as adding additional physical servers. Virtualisation can also improve the effectiveness of a disaster recovery plan.
Employing fewer physical servers means that virtualisation reduces not only capital and management costs but also on-going maintenance costs and energy consumption. As energy bills increase companies are endeavouring to save on energy consumption and reduce their carbon footprint.
We have our own server rack at a secure co-location site in Milton Keynes, which was chosen due to its location and considered to be a lower risk location than Tele House in Docklands area of London.
The co-location site is 45 minutes from our office and we have 24 hour access.
We host a number of client office and disaster recovery servers, VoIP telephone system equipment and some of our own servers including our on-line backup server.
The broadband connections to the co-location site are high speed fibre providing very fast connections. A couple of our clients have chosen to have their main office server hosted in our rack.
All the equipment in our rack is protected against power surges or power cuts. The co-location site has two x 4000amps (3 phase) on site sub stations and an automatic standby generator located within the internal plant room with full automatic auto change over panel and sufficient fuel for at least 32 hours service (24/7-4hr fuel supplier is on contract).
A second co-location site in Northampton has a similar set up and there is an optional service available on request to provide a Disaster Recovery/Online backup to server equipment hosted at this site.