The Hosting Cloud
The Hosting Cloud meets a unique set of goals designed to make the process of web development faster and easier. As opposed to dedicated server hosting (where a developer has access to only one server), the Hosting Cloud allows users to take advantage of several powerful servers connected together to share resources and power. The servers, devices, applications, and operating systems are used by the entire cloud, allowing for complete scalability and flexibility.
The architecture behind cloud computing is a massive network of “cloud servers” interconnected as if in a grid running in parallel, sometimes using the technique of virtualization to maximize computing power per server. Applications loaded on the Hosting Cloud immediately and automatically inherit clustered processing, load-balancing, and redundant storage. The moment an application is uploaded, it’s set toscale across an entire fleet of computers.
Scalability
It is difficult to be able to predict what a website’s needs may be several months or years down the road. A challenge for developers is foreseeing and allocating the resources necessary for potential growth and changes. Additionally, hours of administration can be spent maintaining a dedicated server. Maintenance is needed not only on the website itself, but also on server software, security, and necessary technologies. This can add hours of labor and include expensive software upgrades.
In the Cloud Hosting environment, the need for guesswork has come to an end. If change is needed, it will happen automatically, without the need of server administration. Because all of the servers in the cluster are shared, if a website needs to expand, there is space to grow. If traffic to a website spikes suddenly (traditional if running a promotion or campaign), the clustering provides the needed processing power to handle traffic surges. Most importantly, the Hosting Cloud is a dynamic environment. Upgrades, patches, and new technologies are handled centrally by a single administration team.
Flexibility
Websites requires various applications and services to operate properly. On a dedicated server, the administrator must determine what operating system they are going to use. This determination can potentially limit the applications used to develop websites. Certain applications will not function correctly in one operating system. In most standard dedicated hosting situations, this is a sacrifice that website developers have to make when choosing their hosting solution.
The Cloud Hosting environment is different. Because servers and applications are shared openly, any operating systems can be used by developers on the same website. Right behind our firewalls (which keep files secure), one of the most advanced load-balancing technologies has been developed. Going a step beyond traditional approaches, the host checks the type of each file, sending files to the native clusters where they will perform the best. So every Windows-based page is served from a cluster built and optimized especially for Windows, and every Linux-based page is served from a cluster built and optimized especially for Linux.
It is a seamless blend of Windows and Linux technologies that dedicated server solutions are not capable of achieving. It makes it possible to upload both ASP/ASP.NET (used in Windows) and PHP files (used in Linux) flawlessly, side by side, on the same website. Now developers can chose the applications that meet their needs, regardless of compatibility.
