Here at Hostway, we believe one of our essential roles is as a catalyst of growth and prosperity in our communities. That’s why we take on initiatives such as Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week, which encourages people to step out of their normal routine or comfort zone and attempt a new random act of kindness each day.
In recognition of Random Acts of Kindness Week, Hostway employees and staff in Vancouver, Austin, Denver, Dallas, Tampa, San Antonio and Sofia, gathered their teams to perform random acts of kindness:
Check out what we did for RAK week in our Facebook slideshow!
It's no surprise that American public schools are facing tightened budgets; every community is currently crunching their numbers, trying to squeeze as much as they can into a shrinking budget. So cloud computing – with its plethora of learning and administrative applications and cost-effective nature – is a perfect fit for schools, which spend an estimated $7.9 billion on educational software, according to the Software & Information Industry Association.
A new study from the Center on Law and Information Policy at Fordham University Law School indicates that 95 percent of school districts rely on cloud services for a diverse range of functions, including data mining related to student performance, support for classroom activities, student guidance, data hosting, and special services like cafeteria payment plans and transportation scheduling.
But are schools educated enough about the cloud to ensure the privacy of students? According to the Fordham study, many school districts might not fully grasp the implications of outsourcing data handling, or they don't have enough negotiating power to insist on contracts that restrict the use of their information. Much of the issue lies not with technology and IT, but rather with contracts; while technology is growing by leaps and bounds, contract language doesn't adequately reflect these rapid changes. Consider these statistics from the Fordham study:
So what can school districts do to better protect the privacy of their students and achieve compliance with child-protection mandates like COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act), while still being able to take advantage of flexible, cost-effective cloud-based technologies? Working with a trusted managed hosting provider, schools can make great strides by following these three recommendations when approaching the privacy of their students:
The cloud is a cost-effective and efficient way for schools to utilize the latest technologies and applications. With clear privacy policies in place, districts can also guard the privacy of their students and truly have the best of both worlds.
The public cloud market in India was strong in 2013 as businesses of all sizes embraced the cloud’s ubiquitous applications and cost-effective nature. At the end of last year, research form Gartner estimated that public cloud services in India grew at a CAGR of 33.6 percent from 2012 to reach $404 million. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – including cloud computing, storage and print services – proved to be a fast-growing segment, growing at 33.9 percent in 2013 to $59.2 million. Overall, Gartner expects the cloud services market in India to reach $3.9 billion by 2017, with 43 percent of that total ($1.7 billion) being spent on Software as a Service (SaaS). Compared to North America, which Gartner predicts will grow to $250 billion in total cloud spend by 2016, the India market is small, but growing steadily.
Why is the cloud hosting market in India growing so quickly? Two reasons stand out:
But while the Indian market was strong in 2013 – indeed, one of the fastest-growing in Gartner’s worldwide cloud forecast – could India have seen even faster cloud adoption? There are three factors that held India back in 2013 that may be resolved in 2014 and 2015:
Indian businesses remain poised to take advantage of the efficiencies and cost savings the cloud offers, and the country has already seen tremendous growth in this area. If the political and economic woes that have gripped India for the past year can be resolved in 2014 and optimism for the future grows, more and more businesses will look to the cloud to help fuel their growth. That makes India a place for other countries to watch, learn from and consider how the cloud could impact their own future.
Cloud computing is growing at an unprecedented rate, and shows no signs of slowing down in 2014. Gartner predicts that 70 to 80 percent of cloud adoption in 2014 will come in the form of hybrid or public clouds.
But beyond this general prediction, what are some of the major themes we can expect to see in cloud computing in the coming year?
Underlying all of these trends is the customer experience. If companies can make the transition to the cloud more easily, and become more educated about the cloud, they become more likely to adopt additional cloud-based services.
There’s no denying the traction that the public cloud services market has gained in recent years. Gartner projects the global public cloud market as a whole will grow 18.5 percent to $131 billion this year. Of that market, the research company cites Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) as the fastest growing segment, ballooning 42.4 percent in 2012 to $6.1 billion. The IaaS segment is expected to grow 47.3 percent to $9 billion in 2013.
One particular portion of that market quickly gaining popularity is open source public cloud infrastructure – wherein community-driven software based on open standards provides the foundation upon which third-party vendors build servers, networks and storage systems that easily scale, allowing you to deploy virtualized servers and virtual machines. Open source clouds enable users to control infrastructure on a variety of clouds in their own native programming language, reducing the amount of time spent learning how to communicate with different cloud APIs.
Because open source technology is community-driven and any programmer can contribute, users can help each other when problems arise. With open source, businesses also don’t need to worry about being locked in with a vendor. Furthermore, the software is constantly being updated by a community of developers, whereas on the proprietary side, software is updated by a small pool of knowledgeable programmers who just simply can’t produce updates at the same speed. In this light, businesses utilizing open source cloud infrastructure stay on the cutting edge at all times – adopting stable versions of software. In addition, open source cloud infrastructure facilitates the creation of custom clouds and the innovation of new cloud products, resulting in improved clouds based on better user-supplier collaboration.
With those benefits in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, according to Zenoss’ “State of the Open Source Cloud” survey released in October 2012, 17 percent of enterprises reported that they were already using an open source cloud, and 57 percent of respondents indicated they had plans to do so in the future, with 67 percent of that group saying they expect to do so within two years.
That adoption rate could be underestimated due to the financial explosion occurring in the aggregate market. But many decision-makers remain concerned about security risks associated with open source IaaS. According to Zenoss, 30 percent of those surveyed listed security as the primary reason open source IaaS deployment was not implemented. Some might think the underlying cloud software is insecure simply because it is open-source, which means multiple coders had a hand in creating it, and there could be known vulnerabilities. Since open source is centered around a strong community, these coders create the software and share their code with one another, along with the list of known vulnerabilities and bugs. Malicious hackers could then get a hold of such vulnerabilities and exploit them.
Some opponents of open-source public clouds argue that critical security updates from the collaborative community happen slower than they should. Others argue that open source provides an incomplete product, something that is always open to reconfiguration.
Still, open source IaaS can offer some security advantages. Since there’s no vendor lock-in, companies don’t have to worry about vendors suddenly deciding to change security controls, something that can easily happen on a proprietary level. Instead of having no choice but to accept new protocols, an open source solution gives companies the freedom to do as they please. And because source code is available, companies are able to augment open source material as they wish.
The debate between the public and the private cloud is ongoing, as is the debate between open source and proprietary. According to the 2013 “State of the Cloud” survey, 64 percent of respondents plan to utilize the private cloud in some form, with 41 percent of those respondents choosing to select only open source private clouds and 29 percent going for a split solution.
As more companies and programmers join the open source community, it is reasonable to conclude that the demand for versatile open source infrastructure will continue to increase.
Here at Hostway, we believe one of our essential roles is as a catalyst of growth and prosperity in our communities. This year, we’re taking another new step as a leader in our society, participating in Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week.
What is RAK? Random Acts of Kindness week is celebrated internationally every February. It’s spearheaded by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, which encourages volunteers to step out of their normal routine or comfort zone and attempt a new random act of kindness each day.
Leading up to RAK Week, volunteers challenge friends, family and audiences to attempt random acts of kindness and then post and share their experiences on social media to spread the message.
These acts of kindness can be as creative or outlandish as participants please; the RAK Foundation has a collection of kindness ideas for those who need a jump-start. Ideas include offering to work late to help out a colleague, letting a driver merge on the freeway, or buying dessert for a stranger.
In recognition of Random Acts of Kindness Week, Hostway employees and staff will be going into their communities to spread kindness and cheer through their own acts of kindness. Numerous employees have volunteered from every corner of the Hostway community and are currently brainstorming ways to give back with their teams.
On Monday, February 17, Hostway employees from Vancouver, Chicago, Austin, Denver, Dallas, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, San Antonio and Sofia, Bulgaria, will gather with their teams to perform their random acts of kindness, and will share their experiences that week via social media.
Has someone’s random act of kindness touched your life? Share your stories or RAK ideas with us!
In honor of “Clean Out Your Computer Day,” February 10, we’re walking through the process of squeezing every drop of performance out of your PC – and more importantly, help you have a more stable and secure machine.
As an IT guy and gamer, I take pride in how my PC performs under a myriad of conditions. Whether I’m over-clocking a CPU or installing a new set of LED lights in the chassis, I’m always afforded opportunities to evaluate the hardware and software performance. Like many IT professionals, I’m often cornered by family members or colleagues and grilled on why their computers are slow. I’m always amazed how poorly some PCs are maintained. Amazed, but seldom surprised.
Each of the eight helpful tips below can be done in just five minutes or less:
1. Turn off unneeded widgets: Many background programs – such as widgets on your desktops like the clock and weather – are often guilty of bogging down all but the most robust systems. Desktop widgets are notorious memory gluttons, and can slow your system down substantially if your system is older. If you don’t need it or don’t use it, turn it off.
2. Clean your hardware: You’ve seen how dusty your house gets, just imagine what your machine looks like inside. Open up your physical tower (not applicable to laptops) and hold a can of compressed air in an upright position and proceed to blow out the inside of the case with special attention to the fans. Take great care to open a window first or take the machine outside to avoid breathing in the fumes. Clear the heat sink fan, as well as the PC’s intakes where air is sucked in. Make sure to pay attention to the vents and cooling fans that create airflow through the PC. They tend to be the most clogged.
3. Get rid of desktop clutter: Clean up your desktop by deleting unneeded documents and icons. Or better yet, get rid of every non-essential icon on your desktop and put them in a folder. Your PC will accelerate some, no longer having to refresh all those icons.
4. Check for and remove unwanted programs: Use the Programs and Features (newer) or Add/Remove Programs (older) control panel in Windows. Highlight a program to see available options, and click to completely uninstall it. Mac users may typically drag unwanted programs into the Trash.
5. Clean out junk files to recover disk space: Windows 7 users should go into the Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools and run Disk Cleanup. It will list all the junk files you should remove. If you have Windows 8, type "disk cleanup" in the user interface to find the application. Disk Cleanup will identify and prompt you to remove files that are no longer of any use such as temporary Internet files, temporary Windows files, setup log files, Downloaded program files and your recycle bin.
6. Check for adware and malware: Adware, malware and spyware refer to programs that can compromise your computer's performance and create security holes. There are specialized free programs designed to find and erase adware and spyware. Two of my favorite free ones are Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Piriform's CCleaner. CCleaner has the added benefit of clearing out cookies and bloated files from your Internet browsers, and can also scan for registry issues.
7. Ensure your virus protection is up to date: There are many options available to protect your PC, including paid and free Antivirus programs. One of my favorite antivirus programs is AVG Free Edition. Cybercriminals and identity thieves thrive on accessing PCs without dated or no Antivirus protection installed. While no precaution is ever full proof a robust Antivirus is enough protection for the typical user with normal online activity. Remember it is best to run the program on an automated schedule to ensure routine updates and scans to keep your system safe and secure.
8. Defragment your hard drive: It’s a great help if it fits your hardware, but never run a defragment utility on a solid state hard drive. Over time, as you add and delete files on your system, you may not realize you are creating a giant mess on your hard drive. As you first begin to write files, they are stored in a single area of available space. As those files are deleted, they leave holes of available space that will eventually fill with new files. Over time, your machine will have to seek your entire hard drive for pieces of a file which may have been spread across the platter to fill these holes. The result is a system that is much slower in retrieving information, booting up, starting programs, etc. Defragmenting your hard drive allows your files to avoid being scattered and improves your system performance substantially.
And finally, some advice: Back up your data on an external hard drive, a USB drive, or better yet, store your data in the cloud. Much like an old VHS cassette that ages and decays, a typical hard drive has an expiration date. Generally speaking, there is a 5% chance your hard drive will fail each year; after three years, that increases to 12%.
With these tips in mind, you can tackle one Spring Cleaning task early. You’ll really notice the difference.
Website designers have been using Search Engine Optimization to lure visitors for nearly 20 years. These days, it’s mandatory practice for businesses. So, does implementing SEO to the best of your abilities even tilt the playing field in your favor anymore?
Attracting visitors has always involved more than SEO. But as companies grow more sophisticated with their SEO practices, it becomes imperative to engage in other types of online marketing to drive traffic to your site.
There aren’t really shortcuts, either; making your site worth visiting is the concept behind most of the traffic-driving methods.
Here are six ways your website can be more useful, and more likely to generate new and return visitors:
Better, More Interactive Content: The written word is the heart of any site. No simpler advice exists than constantly improving that – your text has to be concise in addressing topics on visitors’ minds. Bolster it with other media.
Create a series of brief instructional videos – how-to content excels when you can visually demonstrate what you’re describing. SEO systems love video content. Is your industry more audio-friendly, or would video eat up too much bandwidth? Post interviews and explainers as sound files.
Every little bit helps, but what helps most is excellent information in your specialty. The best websites produce valuable well-written insights, bringing people useful data that’s difficult to find elsewhere.
Build A Responsive Website: Increasingly, business is being conducted on mobile devices; it’s becoming the norm for companies to build responsive versions of their websites catered to the mobile viewer.
A responsive design allows a website to fit whatever screen size loads it: desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Visitors appreciate a site that’s simple to navigate via phone, providing the most essential information in an easy-access manner. Determine what mobile users are most likely to seek – directions, your phone number, your hours, inventory – and put that front and center.
Start a Loyalty, Referral or Brand Ambassador Program: It’s fairly straightforward to make existing customers feel appreciated, and keep them from migrating to a competitor.
Incentives rewarding repeat business come in different shapes and sizes. Customers who write positive reviews on third-party sites can become “Brand Ambassadors” with some special privilege. One-time rewards can be offered for customers who refer business. Repeat purchases themselves can be discounted or used to accumulate reward-program points.
Conduct a Webinar: The expertise people seek from you doesn’t need to come in the same old format. Engage readers with something interactive.
Offer a free instructional session to display your know-how. Many webinars are now built around the idea of attending during part of your lunch break. Give customers a face and voice to associate with your company, and a forum for interaction via Q&A sessions, polls and special offers.
Make Your Case (with Case Studies): Potential customers want to see how your product works in a real-life setting. The closest thing you can offer, in many cases, is a case study.
Pick a satisfied customer using a product you want to promote, and co-author a story about your business relationship and successes. Co-market whitepapers or webinars with partners who build complementary products.
Few things are as potent a marketing weapon as getting your success out there in the words of a successful, satisfied customer.
Declare Local Ties: Even if your business is entirely online, don’t ignore local directories and mobile mapping applications. For brick-and-mortar stores, it’s even more crucial.
Many consumers will see value in buying local, boosting their own economy. If local customers go looking for you, ensure you’re found – submit your location to online mapping services. Don’t frustrate customers driving around unable to find you.
Once your website’s as useful as it can be, it’s about luring people in. Here are four ways to get more eyes on your content and offers.
Social Media, Used Strategically: Building an online audience is a huge piece of the puzzle. Use social media outlets to discuss promotions, new products, industry news – everything you can offer. Provide customers an extra avenue for feedback, technical or customer service questions.
Link up with an influential social media site or personality for additional promotion. Friends in social places can put you in new customers’ good graces.
Compile a Newsletter Audience: First-time visitors may never return, so use newsletters to find them instead. Strong newsletter material reminds them of your website’s value.
Via your newsletter platform, introduce some of the loyalty program ideas mentioned above. Show your frequent customers some love. Make it easy for them to return by providing links back to your site.
Try PPC Campaigns: Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be a cost-effective medium, but the management of these campaigns is both an art and a science. It’s important to make sure your key phrases, ad copy and landing pages are all cohesive and relevant to your business as this will impact your bids and placement.
The goal for PPC is to get top placement on search pages so that your company is seen first. Paid visitors will click on your ad if your message and promotions are relevant and timely.
Hosting Add-Ons: Your service provider is there to make it easier to for your website to succeed – it’s how they make you a return customer. So research the options they have available. Many will offer these tools through a unified control panel, for simplified management.
In Hostway’s case, we’ve built several utilities that help websites grow: Newsletter Broadcast gets email marketing up and running, while Website Builder can handle mobile and social presences. Social Media Integration tools provide a convenient avenue for communicating with your customer base.
The best strategies are likely to mix in several of the ideas above as businesses see what works best in their individual cases. As long as they stay vigilant – always doing something to bring in more visitors and always testing their solutions – viewership should keep rising.