Tips to Pick a Cloud Hosting Provider

As every organization aims to establish a website in today’s market, hosting services have been a hot topic in recent years. Although web hosting services such as shared server, virtual server and dedicated server ruled the market of web hosting services for years, Cloud hosting services has secured the driver’s seat of the hosting services at present. Today, the majority of companies prefer cloud hosting services because of some convenient and crucial reasons that supersede web hosting services.  For instance, cloud hosting services minimize the amount spent on hardware and provide better downtime. Also, the processing speed provided to users is faster than that of web hosting services.

Although the list of cloud hosting service benefits is long, it is imperative to choose the right cloud hosting service provider because the selection of wrong provider may invite negative outcomes. Hence, you should know certain factors and consider them effectively to choose the most suitable cloud hosting provider for your website. 

Selection of a cloud hosting provider kicks off with understanding individual needs. It is crucial to be aware of what you want from your website and hosting service. For instance, if you want your cloud server to store a tremendous amount of data and provide appreciable speed, you should opt for a leading cloud hosting provider. It is critical to understand your needs because the selection of an unsuitable service provider may fail to yield positive results which will ultimately result in loss of money, time and effort. You can make a list of the factors that you would like to avail in your cloud hosting service. Once you’re done with it, you can proceed to the next step, i.e. evaluation of services.

Available in the market today are dozens of cloud providers. But, as all that glitters is not gold, all the cloud hosting providers are not genuine. It is important to pick the right provider for your website because you will be availing its service for a long time. Hence, before appointing a company, contacting a couple of firms (who satisfy your list of needs) for a free trial version would be useful. You can evaluate the services of all the providers and pick the right one. However, there are certain factors that you should take into consideration while evaluating a cloud hosting provider.

·         Uptime and Load Balance: The first thing that matters to website owners is uptime. Every website owner wants his website to be available over the internet all the time. The uptime holds utmost importance for websites that are used for online business. An outage of these websites may result in loss of money, customers and reputation. It may also give your competitors a golden opportunity to steal your customers who switch on to them because of your temporary absence. Outage on a holiday can be excessively annoying because it would affect your business negatively. Therefore, it is very important to know the uptime promised by the cloud hosting provider. You should check the approximate interval between outages and notice how they manage to tackle the same. Some companies guarantee to provide 99.999% uptime in order to gain attention of clients. You should check whether the company really manages to perform as guaranteed. 

Some cloud hosting providers maintain a load balance of their servers. This means that when one server is down, another server is used to provide backup of uptime. Corporate enterprises that establish a website for online business should check this type of cloud hosting providers.

·         Flexibility to choose Cloud: There are different kinds of clouds. Some cloud hosting providers offer multiple choices to clients whereas others have just one offering. Clouds built on open sources are known as open clouds whereas those which are built on proprietary models are called proprietary clouds. Generally, open clouds proves to be better than the proprietary clouds because vendor lock-in is not present and innovation that a product receives is more in open clouds. Therefore, you should see to it that the cloud hosting provider gives you the flexibility to choose the right cloud for your website.

·         Support: Website owners or maintainers may not have a clear knowledge about everything related to the cloud. Certain situations may arise when you get struck at a step and do not have any idea what to do next. For example, you are creating your own server and you get struck in one step in between the procedure. In such case, you would like to fall back to the cloud hosting provider. Hence, you should make sure that the cloud hosting provider you’re choosing will give you 24 hours a day support. 

·         Security: It is one of the most imperative factors for some business corporations that prefer cloud hosting service. Companies that store important data in cloud look for providers who can provide ultimate security so that the data cannot be accessed or hacked by any third party. Not all cloud service providers offer this service. Therefore, if high security is one of your needs, look for a company that promises a complete security solution.

·         Provider’s Overview: Before appointing a company, you must check certain things. It includes the reputation of the firm, its experience in the field and reviews of its past clients. A cloud hosting company that exists in the market for more than 4 years and has been showing excellence in its service will have a good reputation, appreciable experience and positive customer reviews. Therefore, have an in-depth survey of the provider before you decide the fate of your online business.

·         Price: Budget always plays a vital role in the selection of a cloud hosting provider. If your aim is to avail appreciable service, never go with the Cloud computing companies that attract you by offering the cheapest price. Remember, quality of service shouldn’t be bargained over the price. You should choose a company that satisfied all, or at least majority of your needs, and charges a reasonable price.

Once you have evaluated every factor effectively, you can make sure which cloud hosting provider will be most suitable for your business. You can appoint the firm that satisfies all your needs to get ahead of your competitors’ websites in near future.

Cloud Computing and its Services for Successful Business

With the development and worldwide acceptance, the Internet has emerged as an inevitable platform in the corporate world. Whether it is a Sole Proprietorship business having a monthly income of $2000 or a Joint Stock Company is making profits of $2 million per annum, every successful business takes the assistance of Internet to reach its zenith. Cloud computing is being adopted by major corporations to store data safely and in a cost effective manner. It is merely a service that facilitates in the storage and transmission of stored data on demand of the users all across the globe from the cloud server instead of a company’s private server.

Cloud computing has been widely accepted all over the world because it provides better assistance to companies than that of the companies’ own server. Also, it is a more cost-effective way of storing and transmitting data about a business. Basically, three services are provided under cloud computing that are beneficial for corporate organizations. These services are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). All these services have various distinguished characteristics and so the price charged for every service varies accordingly.

Starting with the IaaS, it is the service wherein business enterprises can shift the burden of hardware needs to cloud. Cloud allots off-site server where data of a firm can be stored and accessed over the internet. Using IaaS serves the dual purpose of a firm as its data can be accessed from anywhere where the presence of the Internet is found and maintenance cost is cheaper because appointing an IT professional becomes optional. Cloud charges a significant price for its service on the basis of utility, i.e. a business enterprise only pays for the service it enjoys. Hence, it is perfectly suitable for firms that are in its initial stage and do not opt to invest much in hardware. 

PaaS is the service where applications can be developed, hosted and tested in an integrated environment. It is especially made for developers who need assistance of other developers in order to develop an application. The developed application is tested and stored safely in the cloud. Hence, it is suitable for developers whose budget doesn’t allow them to purchase and install supportive user interface for separate applications. The cloud provides a significant user interface as well as software layers that facilitate development of applications. Price is charged on the basis of model in PaaS.

When it comes to SaaS, it is a service that allows all the hosted applications on the cloud server to be accessed by people sitting in six out of seven continents. Basically, millions of users experience some services of SaaS as various commercial websites avail this service. It is significant for enterprises that do not need to upgrade software frequently. Generally, a single location manages the software of a particular company. Cloud computing Companies  charges on a monthly basis for this service but the price may vary as per the bandwidth chosen in the software. 

Cloud computing has turned out to be an imperative helping hand in the success story of various firms. Its services have not only drawn attention of developed countries’ corporations but also of those in developing countries. Hence, easy and cost-optimized services of cloud computing are very effective for corporate organizations in our modern society.  

  

India's leading Cloud providers, CtrlS Data Center India  offers  Cloud Servers, Private Cloud and Cloud hosting  services.

Cloud Service Layers and Its New Features

In our modern world, everyone likes modifications and advancements in existing technology. More a technology gets sophisticated; more amount of attention is paid to it. Since Internet has become an unavoidable part of society, millions of people use this platform to transmit or share several types of imperative data that they have in their desktops. Recently, Internet has made an effective move to impress and provide more utility to users by allowing cloud services. It is the service wherein data demanded by users are made available to them from the servers of cloud computing providers rather than that of company's owned server. Cloud hosting service offers not only hardware but also software services that are demanded for the service. Hence, the company no more needs to own and manage enormous space for data or appoint an IT staff to monitor the server because the data can easily be stored in cloud made available automatically.

Cloud services comprises of various factors such as hardware, interface, software, storage and network. It eliminates the need for various installed applications and softwares in desktop as the users can avail the features of the same in web-based applications and services provided by the server. As the cloud services are provided all over the Earth, huge amount of data is collected, transmitted and stored.

Hence the service has various layers that assist it in carrying out all operations properly and systematically. Although various experts have different views in regard to the layers of cloud services, three layers are taken into consideration in general. These layers, namely, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are categorized are cloud service layers by majority experts mutually.

Infrastructure as a Service: It is a cloud service where companies or clients are offered specific computer that offers virtual or physical machine. The IaaS provider charges certain sum of money for this service. The amount is billed as per utility basis i.e. resources consumed and allocated on the installed operating system and software of application on cloud's platform. Sometimes, IaaS is confused with Hardware Layer whereas sometimes it's treated as the latter. It should be noted that IaaS is wider than Hardware Layer as the primary service is rendered in IaaS only. This service can be calculated in terms of variable cost and pricing. Also, a single hardware can be allocated to multiple users.

Platform as a Service: As the name speaks, proper platform is provided to users under this layer of cloud service. Users get the platform to develop, analyze, host and modify applications on their own. PaaS makes it possible by providing appropriate database, OS, web server and environment to execute programming language. It eliminates certain costs of users such as expense on purchase of hardware and softwares to create suitable layer. Cloud services charge under Pay per Use basis. Hence, users need to estimate demand before actually creating an application.

Software as a Service: It is the service that can be usually accessed with the assistance of web browsers. All the applications that are not hosted on fixed but remote server can be categorized as SaaS. When a user avails SaaS, he doesn't require checking the application by installing it on his personal desktop. Basically, user is charged on monthly basis but the amount can vary as per the figures of usage.
All the primary cloud service layers have its distinct features. These features determine whether a user should opt for cloud service. Starting with IaaS, it provides scalability as clients get the required amount of resource whenever demanded. Pricing is done as per the used resources; providing utmost satisfaction to the user. There is no locality-restriction because the service can be availed from any place where internet connection is available and cloud security protocol allows the service. Secondly, PaaS offer various features like flexibility, adaptability, security and prevention of physical resource. Users get the flexibility to modify the platform to suit individual requirements. The service is adaptable to several amendments depending upon the circumstances. Appreciable security options are offered to users such as recovery, data security and backup. It minimizes the need for physical resources because data can be stored in cloud by paying reasonable sum of money. Lastly, SaaS has its attractive features. Cloud providers supplies the power required for processing the resource; minimizing hardware cost. It is reasonable as users pay only for what they use.

 Various experts define certain layers such as Hardware Layer, Virtualization Layer and Client Layer as additional cloud service layers. Although these layers are not accurately active in providing cloud service, the model of this service cannot be classified as a complete model without the presence of these layers.

Hardware Layer: Also known as Server Layer, this layer provides the storage base to cloud. Just like a hard disk is used to store data on desktop, hardware layer is used to save data on cloud. Hence, the actual resource found in the cloud is essentially present in this layer. However, this layer is considered as one of the least important layers because the hardware that provides base to services is not specified by the cloud users.

Virtualization Layer: Operating system is an unavoidable part of every virtual machine. As virtual machine has to be present, Virtualization layer contains various operating systems that can be installed. As virtual machines can be installed and deleted at will, this layer offer features like flexibility and scalability to cloud computing users.

Client Layer: When there is a service, there has to be some recognizable bodies who utilize the service. Hence, this layer can be categorized as an interface for which cloud service exists and works. One can classify mobile phones, computers and browsers as the client layer.

The cloud layers and its features are attractive enough to draw attention of millions of users residing in six out of seven continents. In recent years, cloud service layers has been widely accepted by people so much that the demand for hardware resources have degraded in some countries. With the advancement in all fields, cloud layers is getting more sophisticated day-by-day, drawing attentions of thousands of prospective users. 

 India's leading global data center solution provider, CtrlS Data Center India offers Dedicated server hosting, VPS hosting, disaster recovery, Managed Services, online backup, online storage, dedicated email solutions and Cloud server hosting services.

Optimise Business computing with Cloud Hosting

The performance criterion is one element which counts in every sphere of business organisation. The best performer always becomes a leader in business arena and really takes a lot of effort and thoughtful decisions that takes a person to the next level. The business needs are getting complex with passage of time. This complexity has become an earning opportunity for many across the world. In the internet domain there has evolved a concept of cloud hosting to suffice the need of complex need performance and speed. Cloud hosting is a facility that allows a person or an organisation to store and modify data or increased performance of communication and even increased speed of website, over the Internet.

There has been ever growing need to maintain continuity to business operation whether big, small or medium and even a small disruption hurt the business in a big way. This makes it utmost necessary to resort some predefined solution and back up that will enhance the performance with minimal cost. Cloud hosting service is one solution that can be relied upon by small and medium enterprise which provides host of facility from hardware facility to store large amount of data with high speed internet access for the website with authorised access by the owners of the service rather than compromising on the security.

There are millions of small and medium enterprises across the worlds who are trying to make it big in the market and gain a fair share of the market but every business organisation could not make real success story. There are various websites that offer cloud hosting service with various facilities. The most important plus point of cloud hosting facility against the dedicated hosting facility is the cost incurred to set up hosting facility. Generally websites providing hosting services charges client only for the usage. The more the usage the more the cost incurred and the less the usage the less will be the outflow. So small and medium organisation have to carefully chalk out the needs of their entity and determine the quantum and quality of hosting service to be used.

Moreover small enterprise would not be able to build server facility to accumulate, manage and disseminate data but cloud hosting allows one to use multiple servers across the globe for such purpose thereby providing lot of flexibility to users. The cloud hosting service is now available at reasonable price and small and medium enterprise can notch up the service with ease as there has been a spurt in number of players making the competition very high. Moreover clients also achieve scalability i.e. they could achieve grand storage facility with high processing power. 

The advent of cloud hosting is to quick performance with reliability which will ensure continuity of business operation and recovery of data in case of any fault. Moreover the maintenance cost to be incurred is borne by website providing the service thus making it more suitable for small and medium entity. In spite of the challenges that cloud hosting faces it is one of the most sought after options by business enterprise across the world to optimise need, cost and efficiency.

CtrlS, an IT enabled MSP (managed services provider) which owns the Asia’s largest Tier 4 data centers, has been certified as compliant to the ISO 22301.2012 certification. CtrlS  data center India  provides an interface or control panel for managing the Web server, installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail,  dedicated server, cloud  hosting solutions, managed VPS, shared hosting, colocation services and disaster recovery on demand.

The ABC of Private Cloud

"Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction"

CtrlS is India’s first and only Tier 4 certified data centers in India. Credited with the achievement of a PUE of 1.42, CtrlS runs the most energy efficient Tier 4 datacenters in India and is recognized as one of the fastest growing companies by NASSCOM, the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industries in India. CtrlS Cloud Hosting and private cloud infrastructure provides an organization with total control of the cloud services. An in-house information technology department will be able to handle every aspect of the administration.

Video : Dell Webinar on Storage Demand Part - 2

In conversation with Sridhar Pinnapureddy, Chairman MD, CtrlS Data center India.  CtrlS is the country's first and only certified Tier 4 data center and is offering private cloud on demand, dedicated server, vps host solutions and cutting-edge DR solutions to over a 100 large enterprises across verticals.  
 

  

Private Cloud is an Ideal Cloud Solution For Organizations

Many businesses are looking into the cloud environment, but they don't express interest in divide and use policy. To handle this partitioning resource issues private cloud is helpful. It is an architectural and well planned private network. It assets your business enterprise by a part of the cloud that is reliable to execute your programs safely. Itd benefits enterprise with the flexibility and aids like scalability and at inexpensive prices. On transforming to a private one simply rely on the public clouds to get more enhanced security features of the cloud to protect valuable business data. Shifting to a virtual private cloud policy is an initiation to use more independent services and features like automated workload management, self-service interfaces and chargeback, and helps clients access at a max rate.

Providing Security to valuable data is primary goal for any business firm. With the help of private cloud all your data resides at your firm's personal firewall. In business firm the security to data is

Offered until the virus protection gets monitoring and executing all the security measures properly. To get more security in contrast to your premises due to the Upgraded versions of security policies implemented on the cloud. It enables you to set up a customized server so you can easily customize the resources like space, CPU, and storage as per firm requirements. It platforms tend to progress along with the business firm gains you with more customized premises.

Maintenance and future expenses incurred due to building setup affects the investment greatly in case of small and medium enterprises. On constructing a cloud platform, the provider to look after the maintenance costs ensures proper maintenance. On the you need to simply rent a segment in the cloud to execute and store your business data. In business firms at times the critical data is lost due to several factors.

Hosting provider manages multiple servers, to travel your business data from one place to the other, at time of server crisis. Having a private cloud to your firm guarantees more redundant features due to its tailored premises. In case of large business enterprise, they need multiple servers for proper running of the process, the issue elevates with by management and up gradation costs. Even placing them and power incurred by servers is a problem. With your private cloud setup as the dedicated server, eventually reduces all your expenses. The main aid of the cloud computing is its flexibility. It benefits you with virtual environment. This helps the business to make use of personalized and customized software in a cloud so they get security, and cost saving benefits.

Private cloud hosting helps your firm in distinct ways and ensures smooth running of the enterprise in a secure and safe environment. Small and medium organizations can easily transform to private cloud premises to save unnecessary expense and focus in their business operations without sharing their resources.

Naveen,TV5 interviewed P Sridhar Reddy, Founder & CEO, CtrlS

P. Sridhar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, CtrlS Data center India interviewed by TV5. 

Top in Cloud providers and cloud computing companies in India,  CtrlS offers affordable and cheapest VPS, dedicated server hosting, Cloud hosting solutions and managed VPS services.