Hostway’s IaaS public cloud platform is upgrading to Microsoft’s System Center 2012 SP1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, providing a more scalable, agile and flexible infrastructure while significantly expanding partner capabilities with the most modern cloud-services delivery platform on the market. Sign up for the Early Adopter Program and receive 30 days free.
System Center 2012 SP1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 show the value of a modern, flexible, scalable solution that is agile, resilient and built for the hybrid IT solutions of tomorrow. Windows Server 2012 R2 offers a proven, enterprise-class virtualization and datacenter platform that can scale to run the largest workloads while enabling rich recovery options to protect against service outages.
As 2011 Microsoft’s Hyper-V Partner of the Year, Hostway has remained at the forefront of Microsoft-driven cloud solutions. Working closely with Microsoft, we’ve created and refined a cloud solution that meets the needs of fast-growth SMBs as well as large enterprises. We’ve reduced complexity and costs for users, staying committed to creating equal access to scalable, redundant cloud technologies for companies of all sizes.
Next-generation R2 platform users will find increased scalability, performance and reduced deployment times, along with superior data analysis capabilities through SQL 2012. Faster builds, implementation and management of both Linux and Windows applications are right around the corner, as are support for OpenXchange and private-label cloud services.
Key features:
Keep pace with the evolution of cloud technology. Check out the next wave of computing.
For the past two years, instead of the usual corporate holiday gift-giving, Hostway has chosen to give back to the communities that support us. Last year, we decided to ask our employees for ideas of nonprofit partners – some local to our offices, some national or international – where we could make a difference.
Eventually, we had a list of five organizations. Through social networks, chatting with our customers and employee engagement, we asked the Hostway family to decide on a winner.
Our winner, Junior Achievement of Chicago, received the top donation of $10,000.
Because every organization that participated was deserving of our help, we decided to donate $1,000 each to the foundations that fell short in our voting process. Along with our overseas friends at the Against Malaria Foundation, we made donations with the following groups:
Nancy Stewart (left), Director of Development for the Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, accepts the donation from Hostway Partner Marketing Director Nikole Haiar.
Hostway CEO Bob Boles (second from right) and Sales and Marketing VP Aaron Hollobaugh (far right) present a donation to the National Girls Collaborative Project, represented by (from left) Nimisha Ghosh Roy, Karen Bouldin and Beverly Walker.
Scott Crews (center), Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas Director of Development for Central Texas, accepts Hostway’s donation from Channel Account Manager Griffin Leen-Sohl and Marketing Communications Director Amanda Bayane.
Hostway Purchasing Specialist Kelly Burgman Staver (left) and Financial Planning and Analysis Manager Chris Messinides (right) present the top prize to Junior Achievement Chicago’s SVP of Development Tom Staab.
Thanks to everyone who helped us select our winner, and thanks again to all our customers.
The Challenge is back! Following up on last year’s success, Hostway will once again be conducting a bracket and trivia challenge during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this March.
But what does a hosting provider have to do with a college basketball tournament? You’d be surprised to find out how greatly they’re interconnected.
What do you know about Florida Gulf Coast University? Perhaps not a lot. But if you’re a basketball fan, you likely know more now than you did 13 months ago, before the Eagles from “Dunk City” made NCAA tournament history. They sent thousands upon thousands of curious viewers to their computers and onward to FGCU.edu.
If their IT infrastructure wasn’t ready to handle the influx of traffic, FGCU.edu would likely have crashed. Had the university not properly prepared its hosting infrastructure prior to the tournament, the university would have missed out on its 15 minutes of fame and been embarrassed by its technical shortcomings.
This is where cloud solutions come into play. Hosting your website in the cloud can ease the strain on your infrastructure during traffic spikes, such as a history-making NCAA tournament run, without racking up bills for resources you don’t need.
That’s why this March, Hostway will be highlighting the benefits of cloud solutions by hosting a bracket and trivia challenge. Join us on our Facebook page to get started.
Throughout the month, we will be posting trivia questions on Facebook related to tournaments passed. Think you’ve got what it takes to beat out the bracketology competition? Be the first to comment with the correct answer, and you will be rewarded with a $10 Starbucks card.
Once the field of 68 is announced, you’ll be able to fill out your bracket in our Yahoo! Sports group. The top bracket will take home a guaranteed $1,000 cash prize.
Could this be the year for your Cinderella story? Here’s your shot.
Want to see how a cloud solution can keep your business site running in critical times? Give us a call: 312.279.2488
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!
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!
For the past two years, instead of the usual corporate holiday gift-giving, Hostway has chosen to give back to the communities that support us. Last year, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, our course was clear – our many customers, partners, and friends needed us.
For 2013, we decided to ask our employees for ideas of nonprofit partners – some local to our offices, some national or international – where we could make a difference. Eventually, we had a list of five organizations. Through social networks, chatting with our customers and employee engagement, we asked the Hostway family to decide on a winner.
That winner, as it turned out, was one of our oldest customers – Junior Achievement of Chicago.
This week, we had the opportunity to ask Margie Cahow, Senior Manager of Development and Marketing at Junior Achievement of Chicago, a few questions about the important work they do.
Q: Tell us more about the work that you do in Chicago and how the Hostway donation will help you do that work.
A: We give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Our corporate and community volunteers deliver relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.
Junior Achievement programs empower students to make a connection between what they learn in school and how it can be applied in the real world – enhancing the relevance of their classroom learning and increasing their understanding of the value of staying in school. In particular, JA programs meet the needs of a diverse group of students by providing engaging and experiential learning sessions in work-readiness education. We provide course materials, which are given at no cost to thousands of Chicago area classrooms for teachers, volunteers, and students to use. JA of Chicago is the largest JA office of more than 120 area offices in the United States and reached an all-time high of 445,460 students during the 2012-2013 school year.
Funding from Hostway means that more students will receive economic education programs to help them understand how they can reach their dreams. With $10,000 funding from Hostway, Junior Achievement will implement 20 classes (at $500 per class) to reach approximately 440 students of all races, ethnic backgrounds and physical capabilities.
Q: How does financial literacy and entrepreneurship help children succeed?
A: With high youth unemployment and a troubled economy, the need for JA programs delivering important lessons about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness has never been greater.
The need for young people to be financially literate and understand the possible return they will see by a chosen career path and educational attainment has never been more important. The U.S. is facing historically high unemployment of more than 16 percent for adults between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Student loan payments are continuing to climb, while the workforce is becoming more competitive and demanding. Funding and support from Hostway will help ensure that the future workforce is adequately prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the demands of employers and their future. JA students gain the personal financial knowledge necessary to meet personal fiscal challenges and obligations, take advantage of economic opportunities, and plan courses of action to achieve goals.
Q: If our partners, customers, or employees would like to learn more about JA-Chicago or JA national, what should they do?
A: To get involved with Junior Achievement of Chicago or to learn more visit our website at: www.jachicago.org/ Whether you are an individual that works for a large organization, a community organization, a university, or a local school, we have levels of involvement to suit the interests of people in our community. JA offers flexible levels of involvement and commitment. With the help of thousands of people from a diverse range of backgrounds and fields, Junior Achievement of Chicago continues to grow year after year.
We'd like to wish all of our readers a safe, festive holiday season. We hope your year is wrapping up happily.
We'll be back after the new year!
Valued Hostway customers, I write to you with exciting news about the future of Hostway.
Private investment firm Littlejohn & Co. has become the majority investor in Hostway Corporation, and joins us in our continuing objective to provide world-class, hosted IT solutions to a broad customer and partner base. Hostway’s management team will immediately begin to put their investment to work for you.
As decision-makers at businesses of all sizes, you will understand the importance of adaptation to the growth potential of any company. Hostway views this transition as an immense opportunity to create an unparalleled user experience, while continuing to improve and reinforce all of our current services. Our new partners at Littlejohn & Co. will enable us to aim higher than previously possible. We owe this opportunity to further grow Hostway to you – our customers and partners. Our relationships with you contributed greatly to Littlejohn & Co.’s decision to invest so heavily in Hostway’s future.
As our customer, you’ll experience no change to the flexible, scalable and affordable solutions you already receive from Hostway. Your data and hardware will not be moved. Your support and account contacts are the same. Our goals in this regard remain unchanged: We strive to offer tailored customer solutions through a broad portfolio of managed, cloud, web and email hosting services, and support them as efficiently as anyone in the business. Your needs inform our every decision and influence each step forward.
What changes should you expect? First and foremost, growth: Hostway’s operations, product offerings, sales and marketing efforts will expand and upgrade.
Littlejohn & Co. is a private investment firm focused on investing in companies that can benefit from operational and strategic support as they confront change in their industry, operations or ownership. Since 1995, Littlejohn & Co. has invested over $2 billion in 30 companies in a variety of industries and has helped these businesses achieve their growth objectives. They have significant experience investing in and professionalizing founder-owned businesses. Hostway represents a significant investment for Littlejohn, and they will work closely with us to significantly grow the company.
If you have any further questions about this transition, please visit our FAQ. We will continue to share exciting updates as they become available in the coming weeks and months.
Warm regards and happy holidays.
With the Holidays fast approaching, we'd like to extend our best wishes to all our visitors for a season of goodwill and joy.
Last year, Hostway made the choice to forgo its corporate gift-giving tradition, and donate instead to the Hurricane Sandy relief fund.
The response to our philanthropy was overwhelmingly positive. So this year, we're donating again, and we'd like you to help us choose the charity to receive our $10,000 holiday donation.
Watch our Hostway Holiday Videos to learn more about the charities under consideration, and to see how our donation has affected our workplace. And don't forget to cast your vote before December 30, 2013.
Like many of our customers, Hostway business development consultant Chris Harl has a passion for small business and entrepreneurship. He's also had a strong passion for health and teaching about health for the last 15 years.
Eight years ago, he partnered with USANA Health Sciences. In this role, he has built a large part-time business that spans into six countries around the globe, working closely with charities like the Children’s Hunger Fund. Every year, he joins with his colleagues and their families to do a toy wrap for families all over the world.
Although Harl loves to teach, he understands that he cannot be in more than one place at a time. With that in mind, he has mentored and coached hundreds of other people on how to impart their philosophy, skills and knowledge to impact others.
Harl is also the co-founder of Illuminate Leadership, with account manager Jamison Coy and their close friend Brian Bohlke. Their mission is to educate people on the fast-changing world of personal finance and the struggles and solutions associated with that.
“One of my greatest satisfactions is watching others improve their lifestyle, and by their own improvements, influence everyone in their lives to do the same,” Harl said.
Due to the impact he has made with Illuminate Leadership, he has traveled on numerous occasions domestically and internationally to speak in front of thousands of people about his cause.