Despite the looming end of support for Windows Server 2003, there are still countless organizations relying on this platform for their critical processes. In just a few days, however, Microsoft will stop issuing security patches for the popular server operating system, creating vulnerabilities for data center operators and businesses still utilizing it. In order to adequately protect assets and maintain an optimal infrastructure, these groups must prepare to seek out other options.
What does end of support mean for Windows Server 2003 users?
Microsoft announced last year that after today no further security patches will be issued for its Windows Server 2003 operating system. The company recommends migrating away from this platform to ensure that proper support is received.
"If you are still running Windows Server 2003 in your data center, you need to take steps now to plan and execute a migration strategy to protect your infrastructure," Microsoft stated.
"Microsoft noted that after July 14, 2015, no further security patches will be issued for this version of its Windows Server 2003 operating system."
Utilizing the operating system after end of life could lead to considerable security issues, as Microsoft will not release the necessary patches to safeguard it from new threats. And while estimates for the number of users still leveraging the platform vary — anywhere from 2.6 million to 11 million, according to TechRadar — it's clear that these organizations have their work cut out for them, the biggest issue being a lack of proper protection.
Ade Foxall, CEO of Camwood, an application portfolio management firm, pointed out that many enterprise IT workers should already understand the security threat at hand.
"After the recent migration away from Windows XP, IT departments should be more away than ever of the dangers of using an out-of-date platform," Foxall told TechRadar. "And yet, the lack of awareness surrounding Server 2003 is about to pose an unprecedented security threat to businesses all over the world."
In order to combat this threat, data center operators and companies still utilizing Windows Server 2003 must weigh their available options and safely migrate their infrastructure to another platform.
Other concerns in connection with end of support
A recent IDC white paper highlighted several other concerns businesses using Server 2003 will face. In addition to a lack of security patches and fixes, these challenges include a lack of customer support from Microsoft as well as industry compliance issues. These organizations may also have application support issues, and may be unable to take advantage of more modern cloud options from Microsoft and other providers if their infrastructure is stuck in the past.
The hesitation to migrate away from a system like this may come down to a lack of expertise or application dependencies. Thankfully, there are ways to address these and other concerns as organizations work to install a new server operating system.
How can users move forward?
IDC recommended the following steps to streamline the migration process:
Although the migration process may be a challenge, it is ultimately necessary to ensure protection for servers, the applications and content they support and the overall infrastructure. IDC noted that this initiative could be viewed positively.
"We think customers should take advantage of this migration and see it as an opportunity to not only move forward to a newer version of Windows but also modernize and prepare for the next generation of computer where hybrid and public clouds are important components of next-generation IT," the white paper stated.
Today's e-commerce market is more competitive than ever, and customers have abundant options for purchasing the goods and services they seek. Thus, it's imperative that e-commerce organizations set themselves apart.
This, however, is often easier said than done. The market is expected to hit $395 billion in revenues by 2016 in the U.S. alone, and exceed 215 million shoppers by 2018. This creates high stakes for even the most well-known online retailers, vying for customers' attention and loyalty.
Thankfully, there are a few best practices these businesses can adhere to in order to better position their brands for success.
"The market expected to hit $395 billion in revenues by 2016 in the U.S. alone, and exceed 215 million shoppers by 2018."
1) A robust online presence
You know an e-commerce organization requires a website. What other components should be considered?
Many retailers are branching out beyond product descriptions and a payment portal. Blogs, videos and social media engagement have become increasingly popular. Web content can also be diversified beyond the traditional sales-geared material, helping to educate customers and spread awareness of industry-specific news and how-tos.
2) Support for a variety of payment portals
There's nothing more frustrating than heading to the store with your debit card, only to realize that the vendor only takes cash. The same can be said for e-commerce payment methods. As a result, it is important that retailers offer support for a range of options so that customers can utilize their preferred method.
While nearly every online site accepts traditional credit and debit cards, payment options like PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Wallet are widespread as well. Without support for these payment portals, a business could be missing out on sales.
3) Speed
As noted previously, customers have several options at their disposal when it comes to e-commerce: If one retailer can't deliver they will find another vendor. One way to differentiate a brand in this competitive marketplace is with a fast website with pages that load quickly.
According to KISSmetrics, nearly half – 47 percent – of consumers expect that a retailer's page will load in 2 seconds or less. After that time, the chance for abandonment steadily increases. The vast majority of customers – 79 percent – are unlikely to visit a website again if they have been dissatisfied with it in the past.
In order to offer the best customer experience, speed is key. And with a best-in-class hosting provider by the company's side, they can be assured that the proper support is in place to enable a fast, responsive platform.
4) The very best in content management
Managing all the content included in a company's online store and blog can be quite the daunting task, especially when the right tools aren't in place. In recent years, the go-to option in the e-commerce industry has been Magento, and for good reason. Magento offers all the capabilities today's e-commerce firms need to ensure their website stays up-to-date and resources are quickly made available to customers.
Magento includes a range of options for user interface and user experience, as well as support for mobile sites. Magento also offers the ability to reach out to clients that have abandoned their shopping carts, and includes support for PayPal and several other payment portals. Magento is also supported by a large, active community creating mods for a wide variety of purposes.
When paired with the services of a leading hosting provider, Magento can make all the difference for e-commerce firms. Magento hosting from Hostway can help ensure that your store is always reliable and accessible, even when special promotions or events drive traffic through the roof.
To find out more about how Hostway takes Magento to the next level, contact one of our Magento specialists today.
Email remains the king of business communication even as the way employees connect with their resources changes. Now, almost half of all emails are opened on mobile devices, according to Litmus Software research. This represents a staggering increase in just four years.
In addition to largely ditching the desktop in favor of mobile device capabilities, users are also demanding more from their email services. It's not enough to simply send and receive messages. Users require access to their accounts from any device, at any time, and security is paramount.
For all these reasons and more, email hosting has become a critical part of enterprise communication infrastructure. But what's encouraging businesses to switch to hosted solutions?
Crafting a brand image
There are more than a few free email services out there that seem to have all the basics covered. These might suffice for the run of the mill user, but businesses need something more robust.
Using a hosted email service helps convey professionalism, and builds brand trust. Hosted email enables users to leverage specialized IDs and branding so that the company's name is prominently featured. This goes beyond a simple signature, and can assure customers that they are working with a well-established brand.
Is hosted email more secure?
Data protection is a top priority in nearly every industry, and users are utilizing email to send increasingly sensitive materials. This translates to boosted security needs to ensure that company-owned resources and information remain protected.
With a hosted email service, administrators can worry less about what details or attachments they are sending and focus more on their essential business processes. Hostway's hosted email, for example, includes firewall protection, secure HTTPS connections, SSL encryption and spam and antivirus filtering to help ensure that even the most determined unauthorized user is kept out.
Never run out of inbox space
We've all been there: The available space in the inbox is filling up quickly, but you have important information and files stored there. You have to decide between deleting messages, storing data elsewhere or finding another solution entirely.
Hosted email services help put this problem to rest with scalable resources that can be increased on demand. If you're nearing capacity, you can simply reach out to your hosted email provider to increase the available space. It also means you can keep all those important work files, as well as all the adorable cat memes your co-worker likes to send.
Can hosted email be accessed from outside the office?
Hosted email also includes the added benefit of anywhere, anytime access. With a partner like Hostway, administrators can rest easy knowing that their email resources will always be available. This not only alleviates downtime concerns, but also empowers staff members that work outside the office. The hosted email service is easily accessible with the proper credentials, ensuring workers can operate from their home office or the road while keeping data secure.
Go beyond messaging
We all know what a powerful tool email can be. But today's users need to do more than just send messages. Thanks to robust platforms like Microsoft Exchange, employees can boost their efficiency and productivity through a range of beneficial tools. These include the ability to schedule meetings and share a whole host of materials like important files, contact information and calendars. No more silos here: just one, streamlined platform that addresses all your communication needs.
To find out more about how hosted email can benefit your business, contact Hostway today.
The managed hosting industry has consistently grown in recent years, and for good reason. Managed hosting not only helps an organization become more agile and efficient, but can also save considerable capital when carried out effectively.
According to a February report from Markets and Markets, the cloud infrastructure services market is poised to increase from the $55.73 billion generated in 2014 to a staggering $93.50 billion by 2019. This compound annual growth rate of 10.9 percent signals a considerable rise in adoption, reflecting that enterprises are increasingly turning to managed service providers to reap the benefits of hosted cloud, platform-as-a-service and other offerings.
So what are those yet to move to managed hosting missing out on? One of the most attractive benefits of managed hosting services is the opportunity to save money that can then be put toward other mission-critical areas of the business. Here's where that savings comes from:
1) The high cost of equipment
When businesses opt to host their own infrastructure and applications they have to purchase a considerable amount of equipment, including the servers, network switches, racks and other components necessary to support the organization's online activities. These machines do not come cheap.
When looking at cloud-based infrastructure, the cost of equipment, software and installation can run a business $14,000 or more, just for the initial setup, according to TrialWorks. When an organization leverages managed services, however, they don't have to purchase and establish their network, saving them thousands of dollars in hardware and software costs.
2) Regular maintenance and upgrades
The costs don't end there: Those hosting on their own infrastructure must also consider the price of regular maintenance and the necessary upgrades carried out by their own IT team. TrialWorks noted that proactive maintenance and monitoring can cost about $350 each month, totaling $4,200 for the entire year.
With managed services, the service provider's staff is responsible for ensuring that hardware and software is always up-to-date and operating at its best.
3) Time and effort on the part of the IT team
An on-premise server environment requires a lot of time and effort from the company's IT team. These hours can cost the company a significant amount in wages.
You might think, "I'm paying these employees anyway, why not have them work on our on-premise infrastructure?" But using your staff this way pulls them away from other activities, meaning you might not be leveraging your IT team in the most effective manner. Managed hosting enables these employees to take on other mission-critical tasks and projects while the equipment is maintained by the provider.
4) Overall efficiency and flexibility
At the end of the day, managed services allow you to sever the tethers forcing the IT team and other key staff members to leverage their valuable time and expertise managing the on-premise configuration. Surely, these employees have more to offer the organization, and can better support its success, than making upgrades and maintaining the server environment.
Partnering with a managed service has a number of other advantages as well. To find out more, contact Hostway today.
The vulnerability incident at LastPass yesterday, not an unprecedented event for the password aggregation service, provides all of their users – and Internet users in general – the opportunity to reconsider the importance of using stronger authentication methods to protect their accounts.
Though Jeremi Gosney and Dan Goodin with Ars Technica emphasize that the fallout from this incident should be very minor, despite more alarmist reactions elsewhere, the wisdom of single-factor security is worth revisiting. As David Gewirtz points out on ZDNet, the use of a password management tool like LastPass without a second authentication method can have the effect of offering up access to many of your accounts in one fell swoop.
While LastPass assures its users that none of its individual users' encrypted data was taken, they admit that authentication hashes were compromised. While they will prompt users to change their master passwords, the long-term solution remains multi-factor authentication.
Application hosting has been around for a number of years now, and many of its benefits are widely known. Current and prospective customers know that application hosting can save money and boost productivity. But, there are still a few facts and advantages that you might not know about.
Today, we will take a look at the lesser-known side of application hosting, including the benefits that are not often mentioned, current market conditions and capabilities that help further a brand's success.
There is very little risk with application hosting
Many companies considering application hosting are under the impression that once a contract is signed, that's it, they are locked in for the duration. While this may be the way a small percentage of vendors do business, many providers offer trial periods or pay-as-you-go plans, providing companies with more flexibility. This way, enterprises and their IT teams can test the waters to make sure that the style of application hosting they have chosen will be the best fit for their organization. No buyer's remorse here.
Application hosting allows for faster software deployment
Another advantage of application hosting is that this arrangement can enable speedy and streamlined deployment of new platforms through the cloud. When compared to rolling out new software in an on-premises environment, hosted applications win the race by a mile. A cloud-based, hosted app can be implemented and made accessible in a matter of minutes. An on-premises deployment could take hours or even days depending on the complexity of the company's IT environment. Especially in the case of a new critical app, speed of deployment is key.
Other solutions can be easily integrated
Hosted solutions are often viewed in a vacuum. However, this is not how they will exist within the enterprise. Siloed systems can cause considerable hurdles for users needing to access and leverage disparate technologies. Hosted applications, on the other hand, can easily be integrated with other solutions – even legacy systems leveraging an Internet browser can be linked. This offers a unified, integrated solution set for employees, making it easier to complete critical tasks and do their jobs.
Small businesses are increasingly looking to implement application hosting
Many smaller organizations may still believe that advanced technologies and emerging strategies were simply out of their reach. Now that solutions like application hosting have developed and become more popular, even SMBs are reaping the benefits. WorldCloudNews noted that the SMB industry is increasingly seeking out application hosting services, illustrating how this approach can be advantageous in nearly any setting.
Hostway is a leading provider of application hosting services
It is always important to have a knowledgeable, professional partner by your side, especially in the case of application hosting. Hostway is a leader in the application hosting space, differentiating itself through unmatched experience, reliability, customization and support. Hostway offers a range of options to ensure that every business's need is met, including those related to software-as-a-service, custom applications and legacy systems. Hostway prides itself on providing the right environment to suit any company's unique situation.
To find out more, contact Hostway today.
The end of something that one has become familiar with and counts on can be a difficult thing. Fans of popular TV shows are perhaps most acquainted with this feeling, as illustrated by their reactions to the announcement of show finales.
When the prominent series "Friends" ended, many who had been watching the program for its 10-year run were upset that they would no longer be able to enter into the world of six companions and their favorite coffee shop.
More recently, fans of "American Idol" are now dealing with the same problem, having to wave goodbye to a program that, although waning in popularity in recent years, created the genre of modern talent show-based television in this country 15 seasons ago.
The difficulty associated with watching something go away can be even more accurate when one has come to rely on it for his or her livelihood.
End of life: What it means for users
Just as "Friends" fans waited anxiously to see if Rachel would get off the plane and rejoin her longtime love Ross, so too do decision-makers face uncertainty when support is ending for mission-critical technologies. In the past year, users have grappled with several notable end-of-life announcements, including those related to Windows XP, and most recently, Windows Server 2003.
"When a technology nears end of life, decision-makers have some tough decisions to make."
Without support, users lose numerous safeguards, including security patches and updates that protect their system from intruders. Additionally, end of support means the end of customer assistance – the provider is unable to help with any product issues.
When a technology nears end of life, decision-makers have a few questions they must ask themselves, and some tough decisions to make:
While end of life can be a challenge – even more so than losing your favorite program – it is something that businesses must address as quickly as possible, taking proactive measures to ensure their success leading up to end of life.
Best practices for dealing with end of life technologies
BMS Review contributor Bill Keyworth outlined several helpful strategies for businesses dealing with an end-of-life migration:
Dealing with end-of-life technology can be a challenge, but can also offer opportunity for a business. And thankfully, as opposed to the ill-fated "Friends" spin-off "Joey", the new solution can provide a powerful resource for the enterprise.
In today's technology-centered environment, a company's online presence is paramount. Studies have shown that the vast majority of consumers will do online research before making a purchase. If your brand doesn't have an optimized online presence that makes it easy for customers to find the business, you could be losing out on a wealth of opportunity and revenue.
This is true in both the consumer and enterprise sectors: Acquity Group's 2014 State of B2B Procurement study found that 94 percent of company purchasing administrators do some type of online research before completing a transaction. This includes 77 percent who use Google to search for specific items and brands, 83.4 percent who utilize a business's website for research and 34 percent who use third-party websites.
A separate study from Spire Research found that a robust online presence can have a direct effect on revenue generated by a business. Business Today reported that more than half of the companies surveyed — 54 percent — experienced increases of 20 percent or more in their profits after establishing an online presence.
But the question remains: How do you create an online presence that is most beneficial for your brand?
Let's examine some of the most successful strategies for establishing an online presence:
Don't skimp on the content
First and foremost, it is critical that a company delivers consistent, up-to-date content. A blog can go a long way toward keeping consumers informed on industry trends and organizational news. But, if this content isn't updated consistently, it's not as valuable for readers. An out-of-date blog can also communicate a negative message to viewers, suggesting that the brand is lazy or inconsistent.
"Don't let your blog fall to the wayside and go stagnant," advised Hubba contributor Sara Carvalho. "If you have an upcoming feature or product that you're excited about, talk about it!"
This can also fill content holes, and prevent the brand from including "Coming Soon" or similar pages. Instead of waiting for a product or feature to be available, provide customers with as much information as possible in the meantime.
Keep branding consistent across channels
These days, online presence includes a variety of social media and other channels. If your business has a presence or advertises in a range of locations, the branding should be consistent, using the same logo, tagline or other brand identifiers.
"It is common for a business to use several channels to reach out to customers," noted R. Kay Green, president and CEO of RKG Marketing Solutions. "It is very important to display a consistent branding strategy across all online channels. This creates brand recognition and helps to reinforce the brand."
Ensure ease of use
Once customers have discovered your website, the brand should make it easy for them to find what they need. This means making the platform responsive and simple to navigate. Carvalho advised not only making general contact information easy to find, but including links to social media profiles too.
This extends to mobile as well. A consumer that has to work to navigate the website on their smartphone or tablet may seek out a competitor instead.
"Scrolling left and right to read a sentence on your phone or tablet is a nuisance," Carvalho wrote. "A good responsive site puts simple navigation at your fingertips. Your audience may not thank you outright for it, but they will give you a mental high five!"
Guarantee resources are available
Having a robust online presence also requires that these resources are always available to customers. What good is a company website that is constantly down?
For this reason, your brand should be sure to partner with a hosting expert that can guarantee support. To find out more about online presence, contact Hostway today.
The e-commerce industry always changing. Emerging technology, shifting customer demands and habits all make it difficult for brands to keep up. So how do you ensure you're addressing current needs and maintaining a favorable position in the marketplace?
What benchmarks can you use to compare your business with today's industry leaders? Let's examine the top gauges in e-commerce and gain insights on best practices and advantageous strategies:
Are customers able to help themselves?
Is your brand targeting the right kind of consumer? While some shoppers may appreciate the ability to reach out to the brand and receive assistance every step of their journey, others might be more independent. Your brand should be sure it offers self-service for this latter type of customer.
According to 17th Annual Mystery Shopping Study from E-Tailing Group, 83 percent of today's top 100 retailers have a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page on their site. In addition, 77 percent of those polled list the hours of operation for their brick-and-mortar locations. Small Business Trends contributor Rieva Lesonsky noted that this basic information should be included on every retailer's website.
Is the shopping cart easy to use?
A brand's shopping cart is heart of its e-commerce platform. Retailers should ensure that theirs allows for easy use and order editing, and that it includes all the information a customer will need before they finalize their purchase. For instance, shoppers should be able to see shipping costs, taxes and any other important details before they complete the transaction.
E-Tailing Group's study found that the vast majority of retailers — 98 percent — also enable the shopping cart to auto-populate with pertinent details from a customer's profile. Fifty percent have taken this one step further with one-click checkout, offering an even more streamlined buying experience.
It's also important to ensure that the shopping cart will perform optimally on any platform. Currently, 82 percent of top brands utilize a universal shopping cart that can be used on any device; this represents a 9 percent increase from the previous year.
Can top customers be identified?
It's also imperative that the brand be able to recognize and address the needs of its top customers. Top customers are defined by RJMetrics as meeting the following criteria:
Knowing who your top customers are can help you ensure that you're not only identifying these individuals internally, but that the brand is rewarding them for their patronage as well.
"Every month, pull a list of your top 1 percent of customers and do something special for them," suggested Janessa Lantz, Bigcommerce Blog contributor. "Write a note, send a gift, invite them to a special event. Try showing some love to your big spenders and just see what happens."
Does the brand have adequate online presence?
In addition to addressing the needs of loyal customers, your brand should also have the capacity to attract new clients. In the e-commerce industry in particular, much of these efforts will hinge upon a robust online presence that ensures your brand is where your customers are. A streamlined responsive website is imperative, as is social media interaction.
To find out more about the importance of online presence, contact the experts at Hostway today.
We've all heard the phrase "the best thing since sliced bread," used to denote a game-changer, an innovation that really made an impact.
This first time this phrase was recorded was in the early '50s, when comedian Red Skelton told a local news publication not to fret the rise of television, as it was "the greatest thing since sliced bread," according to Today I Found Out contributor Matt Blitz.
"The invention of sliced bread was yet another case where things humans used to do by hand were now being done by machines, making it significantly more convenient than ever before," Blitz wrote.
Nowadays, it's a bit more difficult to create something as ingenious.
However, the Magento team is definitely coming close with their upcoming release of Magento 2.
Magento has been the industry leader among e-commerce platforms for a number of years. According to the latest statistics from Datanyze, Magento currently claims a 25.12 percent market share of the Alexa top 1 million websites, with more than 20,000 websites supported by the platform. Within the last month, nearly 2,000 websites have been launched with Magento. Over its lifetime, Magento has been downloaded a staggering 4 million times.
Magento: Already an industry-leading technology
Before packaged, sliced bread was available, people still ate sandwiches: They just had to slice the bread themselves. Magento 2 will be similar: It's simply a follow-up to something that's already great.
"Providing their clients with world-class service and cutting-edge tools, Magento gives online retailers the ability to take their e-commerce business to a new level," hailed Datazyne.
Magento 2: What's the big deal?
So if the original Magento platform is so great, what's with all the buzz about Magento 2? Scheduled to be released for general availability in Q4 of 2015, it promises to build on the greatness of its predecessor, taking this leading technology to new heights.
"Magento currently claims a 25.12 percent market share of the Alexa top 1 million websites, with more than 20,000 websites supported by the platform."
The Digital PM noted that the Magento team has a number of improvements and advancements in mind for Magento 2, including updates to the technology stack, more simplified external integrations and enhanced performance and scalability. In addition, Magento 2 promises a streamlined customization process, easier installation and upgrading processes and improved testing and documentation resources.
What else can users expect from Magento 2? Let's take a closer look:
The industry is currently buzzing about the release of Magento 2, and for good reason. The platform promises to be even greater than its predecessor, and for the e-commerce sector in particular, it will be the greatest thing since sliced bread.