12 Months FREE Shared Web Hosting
A Secure & Reliable Hosting Solution for Your Website
For a limited time only, Robson Communications is pleased to offer 12 months Free Shared Web Hosting on Linux or Windows. This incredible offer includes:
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Shared Web Hosting is an economical and flexible solution for individuals and businesses looking to establish an online presence or safeguard the presence they already have. From a simple blog to a complex web application, Robson Communications has the Shared Web Hosting plan that will give you the performance, stability and security you need.
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The Robson Communications Team
IT Outsourcing: An enticing alternative to in-house expenditures
As the groundhog of economic recovery steps tentatively out of its burrow to bestow the first tenuous signs of growth upon businesses large and small, IT departments the world over are being asked to do more with less. Many would argue that the pressure on internal IT teams to deliver operational efficiencies, competitive advantage and innovation within the confines of budgetary constraints is more pronounced than ever before. This new world order has turned the spotlight on cloud computing as an effective alternative to in-house solutions that are being evaluated as too costly and risk-laden.
A wide range of pay-per-use Internet-based services have emerged – everything from entire technology infrastructures, software deployment, application development, email messaging, spam filtering and a range of other IT services – that let businesses substantially reduce the capital expenditure and financial risk traditionally associated with IT projects. And more and more enterprises are taking notice. In fact, according to the Gartner Group, “By 2011, early technology adopters will forgo capital expenditures and instead purchase 40 percent of their IT infrastructure as a service.” The research firm goes on to say, “Increased high-speed bandwidth makes it practical to locate infrastructure at other sites and still receive the same response times.”
Four Key Benefits of Outsourcing IT to the Cloud
#1: Ability to leverage cloud provider’s expertise
Whether a company is looking to deploy an email messaging and collaboration system or develop a custom application, cloud services can deliver the solution and expertise needed to maintain it. From monitoring, backing up and security, to patching, troubleshooting and upgrading, the onus of maintaining and securing the infrastructure running these services is placed squarely on the shoulders of the service provider. These pay-as-you-go services help to level the playing field for SMBs that either don’t have the in-house expertise or are looking to refocus their IT team’s energy on aspects of the technology infrastructure that drive operational efficiency and revenue growth.
#2: Capital expenditures are significantly reduced
Cloud computing lets businesses gain access to an enterprise technology infrastructure without incurring the capital expense associated with purchasing physical servers. As Forrester Research states, “The biggest financial benefit of cloud computing, particularly in these capital-constrained times, is avoiding taking on debt and keeping cash in the company longer. If a project uses a cloud-based service provider, then the CFO avoids writing a big check upfront. Instead, checks are written monthly or quarterly, in alignment with the return.”
#3: An enterprise infrastructure without the ongoing operating costs
Companies gain unmatched economies of scale compared to an in-house system given the high degree of standardization among the technology components included in an enterprise infrastructure. Compared to the prohibitive costs associated with enterprise data centers, particularly when high availability, redundancy and/or scalability are required, cloud computing provides a substantial upgrade (especially for SMBs) and delivers net savings to the bottom line. Businesses can rent rather than purchase the infrastructure, software or other IT services they need while minimizing their ongoing operating costs. Because organizations subscribing to the service enjoy the benefit of quickly and easily increasing or decreasing their demand, the cloud computing model is capable of delivering agility and scalability within a highly cost effective framework.
#4: Time to value measured in weeks, not months
The potential for cloud services to deliver a significantly reduced time to value on IT projects is second to none – and in the current economic climate, this advantage is more critical than ever. Those enterprises turning to the cloud can achieve an important competitive advantage compared to companies that are putting IT projects on hold that don’t deliver an almost immediate return on investment. More and more companies are beginning to realize that an on-premise system doesn’t make sense when there are cloud providers capable of delivering the IT services they need quickly, with no up-front capital expenditure and guaranteed network uptime for a low monthly subscription fee.
Yet, like any important business decision, the case for IT outsourcing to the cloud requires upfront strategy and goal definition. If the business case is strong for the particular service you’re looking to outsource, you should think about taking the next step and consider outsourcing within the context of the organization’s overall business strategy.
For more information on cloud computing and how the solutions that are available in the cloud can benefit your business, contact us at Robson Communications. We’d love to discuss your needs and provide a custom solution that’s right for your business!
Warmest regards,
Jennifer Muzzin
Content Director
Robson Communications Inc.
1-877-472-3425
What Going Above & Beyond Looks Like at Robson
A couple of months ago we blogged about what true masters our network engineers are – from selecting the best hardware, to setting up our servers and network infrastructure, they bring passion and expertise to everything they do.
Chris Marchesi, Manager - Systems & Network Operations
Examples of our commitment to deliver the very best hosting solutions that are supported by the highest levels of customer service come in all shapes and sizes. One recent example involves the keen attention to detail shown by our manager of systems and network operations, Chris Marchesi, when he flagged a suspicious looking order as a potential case of credit card fraud.
Chris recognized the telltale signs of credit card fraud on an order and immediately called the number on the account to inform the credit card owner of the fraudulent transaction. By doing so, Mary, the owner of the credit card, was able to quickly deactivate the card and cancel all of the fraudulent transactions before they had been processed. Chris’s quick response meant Mary was able to avoid the time and hassles associated with disputing the charges. She was so pleased that she even wrote a letter of appreciation to acknowledge his efforts.
We believe that great hosting starts with great people and we just couldn’t resist sharing this story about someone on our team who exemplifies our core values so well. If you’re looking for a Canadian hosting company that is driven by a passion for delivering the best hosting solutions and the best customer service in the industry, give us a call today!
Small Business Web Hosting – Looking Beyond the Lowest Bidder
There are many similarities between running a business with a physical presence in the real world and running one in cyberspace. Both require strategic planning and operational efficiencies, as well as human and technical resources to maximize the probability of success. While you may rent your physical premises from a property management company, your web presence requires you to rent server space from a hosting company. So, what is the secret to ensuring you get the best value for your operating dollars?
For many small business owners, the answer to this question might zero in on price. Yet, in the world of small business web hosting the lowest bidder might end up doing more harm than good if the low price is accompanied by customer and technical support that is slow and ineffective.
Shopping around and comparing prices to ensure you’re getting a good deal is a definite must, but it’s the support you receive that separates the best hosting companies from the ones you should probably avoid. And this isn’t referring to the support you get as a new customer who has just signed up; it’s the support you get when things go wrong that matters most.
But the question remains: How do you know how a hosting provider will respond before you actually sign up with them?
A great place to start is to ask for references from other businesses using the company’s small business web hosting services and then call them. When speaking to these references, try engaging them in frank discussions about how satisfied they are with the service – and make sure you ask about any problems they’ve encountered and how quick the hosting company was to respond to and resolve the problems.
Here are some other support-related questions to consider. Does the hosting company offer free phone support? Surprisingly enough, not all providers do. How quickly do they respond to your inquiry? Test it out; and regardless of whether it’s an email inquiry or a voicemail message left on their support line, anything longer than 24 hours means you should probably think twice before signing up.
At Robson Communications, we believe that great hosting starts with great people. We pride ourselves on setting the industry standard for service and support with our Canadian hosting services and encourage you to contact us to find out how we can help maximize the success of your online business with our small business web hosting services.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Jennifer Muzzin
Content Director
Robson Communications Inc.
1-877-472-3425
P.S. If you found this information useful, you may want to check out our recent blog about How to Choose a Hosting Service Provider, which delves deeper into the many factors to consider before selecting the right provider for your business.
How Jumping on the Green IT Bandwagon is Good for Your Bottom Line
Although it’s a relatively new trend, incorporating carbon costs into IT business cases is beginning to gain traction as more and more business owners and IT professionals become environment-conscious and jump on the Green IT bandwagon. Policies are even beginning to emerge that will penalize companies based on carbon dioxide emissions.
According to research firm Gartner, Inc., “By 2014, most IT business cases will include carbon remediation costs.” And early adopters of Green IT are often pleasantly surprised to discover that environmental sustainability and financial sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, there are numerous IT solutions available now that offer significant savings on a number of levels, including energy conservation, workflow optimization and streamlined deployment – and many of these solutions are coming out of the IT hosting industry. For instance, as a small business owner looking for an entry level ecommerce infrastructure, you can get started quickly, cost effectively and in a more eco-friendly way compared to an in-house system with options like multi-tenant and shared hosting platforms that can support many customers on one server.
IT hosting is also a highly effective way for your business to offload some of your IT burden to a provider with the infrastructure and expertise needed to move your technology projects forward in a more ecologically friendly way compared to purchasing new in-house hardware. This is particularly relevant to the Green IT shift in light of further Gartner, Inc. research that states, “In 2012, 60% of a new PC’s total life greenhouse gas emissions will have occurred before the user first turns the machine on.”
British Columbia offers some of the Greenest Power in the World
It’s important to keep in mind, however, that a hosting data center requires a lot of power to operate, so depending on where it’s located and the source of electricity used to power it, a data center could have a substantial carbon footprint. For example, data centers located in West Virginia and Illinois rely almost entirely on coal to produce their electricity and this creates the equivalent of 1000+ grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt hour. This is compared to a data center located in British Columbia where renewable hydro-electric power (and as needed natural gas for peak-time power generation) is the primary source of electricity, creating less than 20 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt hour. (Sources: US Department of Energy, Stats Canada, Environment Canada). That’s a carbon footprint about 50 times less than the same data center located in West Virginia or Illinois!
Many organizations test the hosting waters with an email messaging and collaboration system; and the eco benefits are just the tip of the iceberg when you consider the average annual cost savings of roughly $15,750 for a hosted email solution with five mailboxes– not to mention the fact that you can go from one mailbox to 100 instantly, buying what you need, when you need it.
Choosing to align your business with a hosting provider powered by renewable energy let’s you leverage the many important business advantages offered by hosting – including the opportunity to avoid up-front capital expenses, minimize operating costs and gain overall strategic advantage – and feel good about helping global efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.
With two enterprise data centers in Vancouver, British Columbia and one in Toronto, Ontario, Robson Communications has the Canadian hosting services your business needs within an infrastructure designed to harnesses eco-friendly, renewable energy. Contact us to learn more about how our solutions are good for the environment and your bottom line.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Muzzin
Content Director
Robson Communications Inc.
1-877-472-3425
