Why is PCI Compliance so Important?

When it comes to electronic payments, Web-based threats, attacks and crimes are escalating. To combat this, the Payment Card Industry has created the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) for all companies that process or store credit card data. These standards enhance payment account security and protect cardholder data.

Companies that are not PCI compliant, even those that process very few transactions, have a lot to lose, and those costs continue to rise. In addition to fines, they can be prohibited from accepting credit cards in the future and suffer major loss.

When working towards compliance, there are a couple of options to consider before taking your decision:

Code review
This often entails various procedures. Applications should be reviewed by an organization specializing in security. If you opt for this method, your internal IT team must prepare the code for review, and be available for queries and support. Once vulnerabilities are identified they should be corrected, and when that is completed the application is tested and re-evaluated. Then fix and test cycles are scheduled on an ongoing basis.

Code review doesn’t always find all vulnerabilities, such as those unknown to the reviewer at that time. And the application must be re-tested frequently, including with each code change. This is often extremely costly, can result in production outages, manual validation and elimination of false findings, data ownership issues and more. When third party software is used, you don’t own the code and can’t fix it without breaking the licensing agreement.

dotDefender application firewall
This is a more consistent, less costly and more reliable unlike code review, it:

  • Provides an ongoing compliance solution that protects your website and Web service, even as updates and changes in code are made
  • Protects against vulnerabilities, instead of simply identifying them
  • Requires no development effort
  • Is suitable for third party applications and components
  • Causes little to no interference with business processes
  • Proves and documents corrected vulnerabilities
  • Has minimal impact on website response times
  • Performs a deep packet inspection of incoming traffic, creating a security layer in front of all Web applications

Ease of Use

dotDefender features comprehensive protection, along with remarkable ease of use. A Web administrator with no security training can have dotDefender up and running in minutes with just a few clicks. This out-of-the box protection is easily managed through a browser-based interface with virtually no impact on server or website performance.
dotDefender runs independently of other server applications, which allows for zero downstream maintenance for typical server changes.

Netcetera are very pleased to be able to offer dotDefender which not only provides comprehensive compliance, but also exceptional value to application owners and users. Being completely software based, dotDefender works with any web application, boasts a low TCO, and has minimal ongoing costs.

As your online business grows, you can rest assured that dotDefender has you covered with no expensive hardware upgrades or costly application integrations. dotDefender has no noticeable effect on web server resources, giving you enterprise-class protection with no degradation in performance, and prices range from are £55/pm per server for Dedicated Servers and £20/pm per server for Vmachines.  To test drive dotDefender today, contact Netcetera’s friendly Sales Team and take advantage of our FREE 30 DAY TRIAL.

 

The great Harrods Gift Card Giveaway

Netcetera is giving away a FREE £50 Harrods Gift Card with the purchase of any Dedicated Server!

There are only 20 Gift Cards available, so don’t miss the opportunity to receive this fantastic offer with your purchase.

Netcetera Dedicated Servers Harrods Gift Card

Our new range of Quad-Core Dedicated Servers comprise the latest DELL R210 Servers with Intel Quad-Core Xeon Processors with up to 16GB of RAM2 x Hard Drives in a RAID 1 configuration coupled with a choice of server management from our award winning 24/7 Support Team.

Various servers are available to suit all businesses, and prices start from as little as £60/pm for the 2200DC Server,  all with no setup fees.

Find out more at http://www.netcetera.co.uk/servers/dedicated/ or feel free to contact our friendly and helpful sales team.

Terms: Offer valid for new Netcetera customers ordering Dedicated Servers only. Offer starts 24/05/2011 and is limited to  first 20 orders. Gift Card can be spent at Harrods Store or online at http://www.harrods.com

Understanding The Benefits Of Dedicated Web Hosting

Modern businesses rely heavily upon an integrated approach to commerce; this includes a huge commitment to online presence.  In fact if you look around, you will be unlikely to find a modern company that doesn’t have a dedicated website.  A website which is we’ll constructed and user friendly can really benefit the sales and public perception of a company.

There are a great many points to cover off and issues to consider when building a website, one of which how it is going to be hosted, essentially where will it ‘live’.  If you are a small start up business or a small on going concern then it will probably not be within your capabilities, financially, to have dedicated web hosting, like many other businesses you will have to share a server.  This can have some drawbacks; there can be issues surrounding the other websites, which also use the same server.  Search engines are fickle beasts and rely upon a degree of transparency and legitimacy in order to trust your site.  One of the reasons that a site can be ‘sandboxed’ is due to negative associations on a server level, rather than there being anything wrong with the content or behaviour of the website.

Sandboxing is the process whereby you can loose your ranked position in a web search; SEO plays an important part in this and pulling oneself out of the ‘sandbox’ requires a degree of caution and care.  Much like a game of chess, the website mustn’t be seen to be trying too hard to escape, rather remaining still and waiting for an opportunity to establish a link to a trusted site.  The more of these strong links the better, and over time the website will regain its old position.

Moving away from the potential pitfalls of shared servers, those companies that can afford it and require it will strongly benefit from dedicated web hosting.  Dedicated web hosting is a type of Internet hosting where the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as organisations have full control over the server(s), including choice of operating system, hardware, etc.

Depending upon the size of the company and its offering to the consumer and its clients, the level of dedicated web hosting needs to satisfy all of these requirements.  In general a dedicated web hosting package will contain benefits similar to the following:

  • CPU: Dual core processor, 2.2 Ghz
  • RAM: 1GB which is upgradeable to 8GB
  • Storage: 160GB SATA
  • Unmetered bandwidth – allowing for multiple media platforms to be running simultaneously

As well as these features you can also expect the following guarantees:

  • 99.9% Network uptime
  • 1 UK IP address
  • No Long term contracts
  • No Set up fees

There are of course a huge a variety of dedicated web hosting options; it all depends on the requirements of the company in question.  This is where a period of consultancy is necessary, the majority of dedicated web hosting suppliers will have a support team and sales team that will be more than happy to talk you through the options and help you make the right choice for your company.

Exploring Dedicated Web Hosting

Dedicated web hosting is the preferred method of hosting for the modern business.  There are of course a variety of other options, such as shared hosting, which one can choose from, it all depends on the level of investment the company decides is necessary to support their online presence.  In the ideal world all businesses, regardless of their size will have the option to choose dedicated web hosting. The main advantages that dedicated web hosting has over shared hosting is that the company in question has complete control over the server, they can choose to upgrade, downgrade and manipulate the server to suit their business and online needs.

The importance of an online presence is clear to see in the modern business age, however with the sheer volume of websites currently live across the World Wide Web, the quality of the output needs to be of the highest order.  Imagine using the Internet to look for a service or product, the amount of time you spend on a site or page within that site is called ‘dwell time’.  Website designers toil endlessly to secure the longest dwell time they possibly can.  The main way to achieve this is to allow the user complete control of the site, the media that is used to sell the products and services should be set up so that the consumer can access it instantly.  Dwell time is the gold dust of web developers, and has been recorded in the past at an average of only two seconds.

This clearly indicates how important it is to the company to have an excellent website. Dedicated web hosting can really assist with this; the main reason is that the server is theirs to play with. They are not sharing the server with anyone else and as such there are no limitations.  The bandwidth is unmetered; this allows those who choose to take advantage of dedicated web hosting the opportunity to stream a variety of multimedia platforms without the worry of delays.  Instant information, a direct route from consumer to product, subtlety can be interwoven into a site, but the main purpose is shorten the amount of time it takes for the consumer to reach the product once they get onto the site.

The suppliers of dedicated web hosting servers are easily found by an online search, the menus allow the user quick access to the product description and in some cases there is a live chat function so that even the most simple of questions can be answered in real time, by a trained professional.  Choosing a dedicated web hosting supplier needs to be well thought through, compare the costs and the packages and above all work out what will be the most beneficial for your company, perhaps you can opt for the a shared server in the meantime whilst you develop your online presence, however once you look to expand and your website grows, slowly evolving into a multi-layered operation, then the need for dedicated web hosting will become more apparent.

The Many Benefits Of Dedicated Web Hosting

If you have found that your company is growing at unprecedented speeds then you may also have found that the existing web space and resources allocated by your hosting provider are not adequate enough to meet the increased flow of traffic to your website. If this is the case for you then it is certainly worth looking into web hosting dedicated providers.

What is Web Hosting, Dedicated?

Web hosting dedicated refers to the event in which a service provider will provide an entire server for exclusive use by only one client. This can be extremely beneficial, as you will have total control over the server, are able to select which operating system you use, and in addition you will also have full administration rights. You will also experience a much more reliable service due to the fact that the servers owned by the web hosting dedicated provider are maintained and overseen in climate controlled data centres. This can help keep your servers running, as can the well trained staff and back up programmes that these companies provide.

Web hosting dedicated servers will also have their own IP address and it also becomes possible to have more than one, if for example, your company chooses to run more than one online store.

One of the best things about web hosting dedicated providers is that they will generally offer technical support, making it available around the clock in order to ensure the server runs smoothly on a constant basis. In addition, a web hosting package will usually incorporate important features such as firewalls, security and updates. Support and security features should be negotiated and discussed between you and your provider before any contract is drawn up and finalised, so you can be sure of finding the best deal.

The Benefits of Web Hosting Dedicated

Web hosting has a number of great benefits which mean more and more companies around the world are choosing to invest in them. They can prove incredibly beneficial for those companies with a particularly large client base and a high amount of traffic regularly visiting its website. A web hosting dedicated service has facilities which allow high data bandwidth and volumes without becoming congested. It is a well known fact that a prospective client will leave your website and go elsewhere should they find it is taking too long to load. It is important to remember that web surfers will not wait around for long!

These services are highly beneficial as they are reliable and stable and are able to deal with high amounts of web traffic. Their reliability is down to the fact that your server will be managed and overseen with by a team of support staff on a constant basis, allowing you round the clock smooth running.

There are a great number of providers within the UK and abroad and by using the Internet as a research tool, it should be easy enough to find one that it perfectly suited for you and your business. Many people are worried about price when it comes to implementing a dedicated web hosting service but you will find that prices are constantly coming down and they are becoming much more affordable than in recent years.           

The Ins And Outs Of Web Hosting, Dedicated Services

Many companies that find that their business is growing significantly will choose to invest in a web hosting dedicated service. This is because, as a business grows, its existing webspace allocated by its hosting provider is likely to prove inadequate for meeting the increased flow of traffic to its website. If this sounds familiar then you should certainly read on.

What is a Web Hosting Dedicated service?

In Web hosting, dedicated service is something which many people think is a complicated concept, but it really couldn’t be simpler. It refers to the event in which a service provider will provide an entire server for exclusive use by only one client. This exclusive use of a server can be extremely beneficial for a company, especially as they are given total control over the server. Additionally, a company will be able to decide which operating system is used and will be given full administration rights of the server.

The Benefits of Web Hosting, Dedicated Services

Web hosting dedicated services have a number of benefits which make them attractive to business owners. One big advantage is that users of these services are likely to experience a much more reliable service from their server due to the fact that the server is maintained in a climate controlled data centre by support staff.

Providers of dedicated web hosting services will usually provide clients with round the clock technical support in order to ensure that the server runs smoothly on a 24/7 basis. Providers will also incorporate additional important features such as firewalls, security and updates into the package purchased by a company. These features should be discussed between the client and provider and negotiated suitably before any contract is created and signed by either party.

Perhaps the biggest benefit presented by web hosting dedicated services is that they enable high data bandwidth without becoming congested. This is ideal for growing businesses that are forming particularly large client bases and have an increasingly large amount of traffic regularly visiting their websites. If a website takes too long to load, a potential customer will go elsewhere. This is no secret, and businesses must act now to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Overall, web hosting dedicated services are so beneficial to companies due to their reliability and their ability to manage high amounts of website traffic. They are able to be so reliable due to the fact that the server is managed by a team of support staff on an almost constant basis, this allowing for smooth running around the clock.

Dedicated web hosting services are becoming increasingly popular amongst businesses in the UK and abroad and this is certainly a result of the incredible benefits they provide to companies. There are many web hosting dedicated providers and by using the Internet to search for a suitable service, you should be able to do so quickly and effectively. Many companies are concerned about how much it will cost them to invest in this impressive technology, but fortunately prices are constantly coming down, enabling the majority of businesses to be able to afford them.            

Netcetera has been selected as one of the Top 25 Most Popular companies at Dedicated Server Directory for May 2010

Netcetera has once again been selected as one of the Top 25 Most Popular companies at Dedicated Server Directory UK for May 2010!

This is a great testament to the quality and cost-effectiveness of our range of  Windows VPS servers and our range of Managed Dedicated Servers.

Need to improve the performance of your web hosting?

To speak to one of our Hosting Specialists about what our services can do for you, or for any other queries, please fill out our Enquiry Form, call 0800 061 2801Request A Call BackChat Online or Request a Brochure

Netcetera in Top 10 Most Popular companies at Dedicated Server Directory for April 2010

Netcetera has once again been selected as one of the Top 10 Most Popular companies at Dedicated Server Directory UK for April 2010!

This is a great testament to the quality and cost-effectiveness of our range of  Windows VPS servers and our range of Managed Dedicated Servers.

Need to improve the performance of your hosting?

Contact one of our Hosting Specialists to see how you could benefit from Netcetera’s superior network reliability and service.

Dedicated Server Directory UK – January Award Winner

Netcetera gains most Popular Web Host Award
Netcetera gains most Popular Web Host Award

Netcetera has once again been selected as one of the Top 25 Most Popular companies at Dedicated Server Directory UK for January 2010!

This marks a great start to the year, with the recent launch of  our Windows VPS servers to compliment our full range of Managed Dedicated Servers.

Need to improve the reliability of your hosting?

Contact one of our Hosting Specialists to see how you could benefit from Netcetera’s superior network reliability and service.

When should I consider upgrading to a Dedicated Server?

A slow web site will be having a negative effect on your business. With the increase of download speeds on home computers users will not want to wait to load your site – they will simply look elsewhere. The average user will leave your site after waiting 8-10 seconds for a page to load – and most of them will never return.

Therefore, in order to enhance your business opportunities it is crucial that you have a fast, high performance website. The most effective way of ensuring you have a high speed website is by switching from a shared to a dedicated server. The primary reason for this is that if your site is hosted by a shared server you are in effect operating as a member of a group. If for any reason another client on your server has an increase in web traffic or increases the size of their web site there is a pretty good chance that your speed and performance will be affected.

By choosing the option of having your own fast dedicated server you are given exclusive access to all of the resources on the server allowing you to customize your plan. You are not required to share the space, memory or bandwidth for your site which enables optimization ultimately increasing your processor speed.

In terms of scalability, fast dedicated servers offer greater options. If your website is experiencing an increase in visitor numbers and as a result is becoming slower than desired you can simply add more RAM if required, or even add a load balancer to your server to split the load across two dedicated servers, or more.

Another benefit of a dedicated server is the availability of your own unique IP address. Added to these benefits is the fact that a dedicated server offers heightened security as no one else will be able to access the server other than you, this makes the risk of viruses extremely minimal.

If you have a high amount of traffic hitting your web site, are involved in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) projects, or simply want the best possible support service for your web site, a switch to a dedicated server is the fastest move you should be making.

Need to improve the speed of your web site?

Contact one of our Hosting Specialists to see how you could benefit from Netcetera’s superior network reliability and service.