Is A Managed Cloud Server For You?

Could your business benefit from life in the cloud?
Cloud computing has become a bigger part of our daily lives than most people realise. Every time you log onto a social media website or use the Shazam app to identify a song, you’re accessing a cloud-hosted site. This information isn’t stored on your smartphone or PC – these devices merely contain software that can display content provided over the internet. More and more companies are choosing to host their software, apps or websites in the cloud, and it’s often hard to tell whether or not a particular application or service is cloud-hosted.
Historically, information was stored on one computer or network server and then accessed by another device, rather like the peer-to-peer file sharing platforms that were common in the early Noughties. However, as former users of Kazaa or Morpheus will know only too well, data transfers between one computer and another can be unreliable and slow. Cloud computing is designed to resolve these issues through various techniques, including the use of multiple servers. Information is spread across a number of hosts in case one machine stops working or loses its internet connection, at which point other devices take up the slack.
Cloud servers are often grouped together in giant data centres where they can be maintained around the clock by on-site experts. Local proximity can be advantageous for clients in that country or region by way of faster data response times. Conversely, some applications require international servers, particularly for sites with global audiences where there may be demand from different continents throughout a 24-hour period. Cloud infrastructure can seamlessly manage the provision of bandwidth, software processing power and data storage, all of which may involve fluctuating demand levels throughout each day.
Another benefit of cloud computing is its scalability. A small company’s website may only require a modest amount of bandwidth, until the day its MD is interviewed in a national newspaper. The ensuing spike in visitor numbers could overwhelm a solitary machine, whereas scalable cloud servers can expand to ensure access isn’t affected by soaring traffic volumes. If you’ve ever tried to visit a retailer’s website during an internet sale and found their homepage is inaccessible, you’ll appreciate the frustrations that can stem from insufficient bandwidth. Any downtime can mean lost custom and profitability, but it also suggests unprofessionalism and may even drive prospective clients to competitor sites.
Cloud computing is particularly well-suited to website hosting, and VPS.NET are specialists in fully managed cloud servers. Our scalable resources ensure customers are only billed for the services they use, rather than paying over the odds every month for excess capacity that may never be needed. That’s especially useful for small companies who don’t have much of a budget and can’t afford to have an IT professional on the payroll, although it’s easy to manage and adjust your website through cPanel’s popular control panel. There’s no need to buy, install or maintain any hardware or software – services like email and website hosting can be managed off-site for a modest monthly fee. We have cloud data centres in 19 locations from Sao Paolo to Singapore, and technicians are available at any hour of the day or night to offer technical assistance wherever it’s needed.
To find out how VPS.NET can provide your business with managed cloud servers, take a look around our website or get in touch with us to enquire about the variety of plans currently available.