What are the advantages of broadband VPN?

There are several advantages associated with broadband VPN. These include:

• Bonding DSL - one of the main advantages of using a broadband VPN through Managed Communications is the ability to bond ADSL at multiple office locations to deliver a point to point connection. This broadband VPN solution offers resilience as well as increased broadband capacity for downloading at both sites.


• Reduced cost of internet breakout - another advantage of a broadband VPN is that it cuts the cost of internet breakout. Typically, a point to point leased line requires at least one additional internet connection. If the network contains many sites, internet breakout can become very expensive. If traffic is backhauled over leased lines to save costs on internet access, you need to route that traffic through the point to point link. This reduces the available bandwidth for other applications. With a broadband VPN, you can manage internet breakout cost effectively on a site by site basis without reducing available bandwidth for applications.


• Get an excellent service level agreement (SLA) - with an ADSL VPN from Managed Communications, you get a private network and negate the need for leased line internet breakout. But importantly you also get a 99.9% SLA so you can be totally confident about the level you will receive.


• Get expert advice and keep track of the latest technological breakthroughs - our engineers are experts in Cisco VPN, Checkpoint VPN and Netscreen VPN hardware. And with their years of knowledge and experience in the field, you know that you will be getting the best possible outcome for your business. Nobody knows more about VPN networks than Managed Communications.

Can I use SDSL in the VPN?

Yes. SDSL is commonly used in the VPN solutions we provide, making Managed Communications a great fit for companies that upload large amounts of data on a regular basis. If your business operates in the creative sector, regularly updates websites or stores a lot of data in the cloud, an SDSL VPN network could save you time and money.

However, the VPN networks at Managed Communications are not merely limited to SDSL. Ethernet, traditional leased lines, ADSL and SHDSL can also be used in the VPNs that we provide to individuals and businesses.

Can I use a broadband VPN as an alternative to a leased line?

Yes. A broadband VPN from Managed Communications is often used to replace leased lines. You get up to 13 static IPs, a 99.9% SLA and a secure private network. This means that you can enjoy a solution that combines the best of both worlds – a high level of performance approaching that of a leased line with surprisingly low operating costs.

Is your VPN service secure?

Yes. You will be able to benefit from a totally private UK wide VPN infrastructure when you access the Managed Communications VPN service. This private network architecture is a vital component of our secure and reliable VPN solutions. The carrier grade 3DES technical architecture combined with layered IP technology allows you to obtain very secure inter-site connectivity solutions using either SSL VPN orIPsecVPN.

Are all charges included in the managed VPN solution?

Yes. Moves, additions and changes are always included in the price of the managed VPN service.

You also get a fully maintained and monitored VPN service. You don’t have to worry about optimising the performance of the VPN network. A dedicated team of highly skilled IP engineers make sure that your VPN is working at optimum performance levels at all times.

Rest assured that your VPN service is pro-actively monitored on your behalf to maintain link and bandwidth throughput availability.

Can you provide managed VPN solutions that incorporate overseas offices?

Yes. If you operate overseas then we can incorporate your foreign sites into the secure SSL VPN or IPsecVPN infrastructure.

Can I use bonded ADSL or load balanced ADSL as part of a managed VPN solution?

Yes. You have the market leaders in bonding ADSL and SDSL on your side when you choose a Managed Communications VPN network.

Bonding DSL services is a technically challenging process to say the least so you should always pick a supplier with care. By joining forces with Managed Communications, you will be in the company of a host of hugely respected institutions including the NHS, several UK police forces and blue-chip firms. Find out for yourself what they already know – that a VPN network is a major advantage for any organisation.

Is it true that I can connect lots of sites into the VPN network?

Yes. You can connect as many sites into the private VPN as you require. There is no restriction on either the number of sites that can be connected or the type of connectivity that can be deployed at each individual site. You can also choose between broadband or MPLS VPN technology.

Can I connect my remote staff into my office systems over a VPN?

Yes. You can securely connect sales staff, directors and other remote workers into your head office systems.

A popular and cost effective option is to bond several DSL circuits at head office to enable the upload performance required to support multiple remote staff at locations around the UK. Customers have an impressive choice of Cisco VPN, Checkpoint VPN and Netscreen VPN hardware.

Can I run VoIP over a managed VPN?

Yes. You can choose to run voice over MPLS VPN or over a broadband VPN. 1:1 contention levels, 99.9% SLA, up/downstream QOS and advanced traffic routing mean that Managed Communications VPN services are an ideal choice for running VOIP

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Virtual Private Servers instead of Dedicated Servers is it a good choice?

Like many of you when I first heard of the idea of container I pictured it is some small lame server that is sold to 12 year olds trying to start hosting companies on the cheap. It had never quite caught my attention until I decided I needed a remote name server and all I needed was enough of a server to run bind, but didn’t want to buy a dedicated box just to do that. So I got a container based on Virtuozzo for $80/year and it worked great.

In the process however I started understanding the container concept and it became apparent that this is more than just a tool to create little servers. The way I see it container can replace dedicated servers in many situations in a data center and do a better job than dedicated. You can actually give the customer more horsepower and better hosting than selling them a small dedicated box. (Of course big customers will still need their own server.)

I don’t own a data center business myself but I have a friend who does and I colo several servers there. He has several racks of some old Celeron boxes with 512 mgs of ram and one or two 80 gig drives depending on if the customer has any concept of backups, which most of them don’t. I’m looking at the racks of Celerons and P4s thinking that each rack could be consolidated into a single modern server and that the customers would actually have a better server than the one they are on now. And the cost saving is tremendous.

Advantages of container

Most small dedicated servers are a waste of resources. People buy bigger servers than they need and the excess capacity is wasted. These servers take both space and power which is expensive in a data center and you have hardware costs associated with each server that you have to recoup. People often don’t do any backups so after several years the hard drive fails and they lose everything. And it’s your fault for not backing them up in the first place.

Imagine a rack of 16 Celeron boxes with 80 gig drives being replaced by a Dual Core Athlox X2 with 8 gigs of ram and 4 500gb SATA 2 drives running in a raid 10 configuration. (Writing this in Feb of 2007 for future historians who will read this and laugh at the old days when computers had just gigabytes.) The above server would cost about $2000 to build and only take 2U of space and use far less power than the 16 machines that are being replaced.

Note that I’m suggesting in this example only a 16 to 1 consolidation. Everyone has the same amount of ram. In reality the consolidation is many times higher because most of those using the Celerons are not using all the memory. Many are using only 1/5 of what they have and a lot of that is used by the individual kernels running. In OpenVZ there is one kernel for everyone.

Note also that many of these servers have idle time where the processor is doing nothing and they have lots of extra hard drive space that isn’t being used. By consolidating these systems the free resources are combined allowing you to run many more logical servers that each have more resources than the individual servers.

On a dedicated computer the user is stuck with an old slow 32 bit processor, a limited amount of ram, and an old slow hard drive with no backups. In a container that same user is running on a shared dual core 64 bit CPU sharing 8 gigs of ram with fast modern large hard drives with raid backup. That is a significant improvement over having their own dedicated box. So this is a better deal for the customer.

Administration Advantages

If a customer needs you to fix something on their dedicated server you have to either know the root password or take the server down and boot from a rescue CD to get in and fix it. You also can’t access the customer’s files without logging in to their server as root. In a container you as host can enter their server at any time without a password. (Keeping the host environment very secure of course.) That allows you to do maintenance without having to look up the person’s root password.

Ease of Setup

Setup couldn’t be easier as compared to building a dedicated server. All you have to do is type a few commands and the new virtual private server is ready to go. You can have the customer running while you are still on the phone taking the order. A dedicated box requires setup, installation, and often has to be scheduled. This involves cost and time. container is ready instantly and easily. Any distro you want with all the latest updates installed. When a customer places an order they want it now. With container you can deliver it now.

Backup Advantages

Additionally you can access the customers files directly from the host environment. This allows you to run rsync scripts to back up all the virtual private servers to external storage or backup servers without the customer being aware that you are doing sophisticated backups. Then when the customer calls you up in a panic and says, “I totally screwed up my server and deleted a bunch of files by accident. Can you get it back?” You can magically restore their lost data and you are forever their hero.

IP Allocation Advantages

Tired of allocating 4 IP addresses just to give the customer 1 usable? Or giving them 8 so they have 5 usable and most of them only use one? How inefficient is that? With OpenVZ you can allocate IP addresses individually so that if a customer only needs one IP then they get only 1 IP. But if they need 9 IP addresses you can give them exactly 9 of them. They can call you up and say I need one more IP and you can give it to them in seconds. On a dedicated server if you gave them a /29 vlan and they are using all 5 IPs and they need another one – that is a huge hassle.

Disk Space Allocation

On dedicated servers you have to install a big hard drive that is mostly wasted. If the customer wants backups then it’s two hard drives. In OpenVZ you just allocate space in the raid array based on what the customer actually needs and they only use the space that they use rather than what’s allocated. The “allocation” is really just a software limit and that is a line in a text file that you can instantly change the moment the customer needs more space. On a dedicatd box if the customer needs a bigger drive then it’s a trip to the data center with a new drive and a few hours time to copy everything over and replacing the drive, not to mention the down time.

Memory Upgrades

Memory upgrades are as easy as hard drive upgrades. Just one command than the user has more ram. But what if the server is full and you don’t have any more ram? No problem. Just copy the user’s container (virtual environment) over to another physical server with rsync and start them up there. In only a few minutes you’ve migrated them to a new box and they are up and running.

Migration

Suppose a customer just needs a bigger server. Migration is easy in the container environment because the container is consistent between servers. You just copy over the files and start it up. You don’t have to build a new server, install an OS, copy it all over, and then mess with it for an hour getting everything to work.

Emergency Procedures

Let’s say that a server fries. With container and good backups you have more options. You can copy the backup of the container onto another server and restore it as of the last (nightly) backup. (I’m a backup freak – but it pays.) That gets the customers up instantly if they need that while a tech can go down there and fix the server with less pressure. This give you more options when bad things happen.

Load Balancing

OpenVZ allows you to migrate servers live from one physical server to another. I haven’t yet done that but I have done a shutdown, copy, and restart of the container on another server and it’s so easy to do that. So suppose you have a server that’s a little crowded and some user starts hogging some resources. No problem. You just move a few users to another box and problem solved. This could probably be done automatically with some well configured cluster and I would love it if someone wrote a wiki page telling us how to do it.

Protecting your Customers

Since you are managing the host system you can create IP filters and port blocking policies that help keep users from exploiting you or keep hackers from exploiting your users. Instead of a separate box that is all theirs you have them in a more managed shell allowing you to keep the inexperienced out of trouble. This provides them with a service that watched it more closely allowing them to do their own thing, but keeping you closer by to keep them out of trouble.

Cost

The cost savings are rather obvious. An entire rack compressed into one or two computers. Picture the space and power savings. The greenhouse gas not being generated by the power you’re not using. The number of computers that you are not buying. The hours you are saving in setup time and administrative time. When it comes to saving money this is definitely a winner. You can take that extra money and pass some on to customers and keep some extra for yourself.

The Down Side

Any time you add another layer then you have another layer of things that can go wrong. It takes some learning to understand the process and there is the possibility that one person can screw up the system for everyone. As virtualization develops it will get better. OpenVZ is very stable in that it is far less intrusive than other virtualization methods. It is limited to Linux only so BSD and Windows users will have to do something else.

Conclusion

I believe that container represents the future of computing. The space, power, and cost savings are too great to ignore. I see data centers that are massive clusters running tens of thousands of logical servers that transparently migrate around the physical resources and are up 100% of the time. Customers no longer will have to deal with issues of backups the way they have to now, and it will simplify the hosting process. I think that every data center should be looking into virtualization technology now with the idea that you are going to be doing this and it’s time to at least start thinking about it and exploring it with an eye towards the future.

I have to say that my view of container has radically changed and that I now see this as a solution not just for people wanting little servers but for most everyone who is looking for dedicated service. container is a different way of looking at the computing world and it takes some significant mental adjustment and education to grasp the big picture.

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VPN - Virtual Private Network - is one solution to establishing long-distance and/or secured network connections. VPNs are normally implemented (deployed) by businesses or organizations rather than by individuals, but virtual networks can be reached from inside a home network. Compared to other technologies, VPNs offers several advantages, particularly benefits for wireless local area networking.

For an organization looking to provide a secured network infrastructure for its client base, a VPN offers two main advantages over alternative technologies: cost savings, and network scalability. To the clients accessing these networks, VPNs also bring some benefits of ease of use.

Cost Savings with a VPN

A VPN can save an organization money in several situations:

* eliminating the need for expensive long-distance leased lines
* reducing long-distance telephone charges
* offloading support costs

VPNs vs leased lines - Organizations historically needed to rent network capacity such as T1 lines to achieve full, secured connectivity between their office locations. With a VPN, you use public network infrastructure including the Internet to make these connections and tap into that virtual network through much cheaper local leased lines or even just broadband connections to a nearby Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Long distance phone charges - A VPN also can replace remote access servers and long-distance dialup network connections commonly used in the past by business travelers needing to access to their company intranet. For example, with an Internet VPN, clients need only connect to the nearest service provider’s access point that is usually local.

Support costs - With VPNs, the cost of maintaining servers tends to be less than other approaches because organizations can outsource the needed support from professional third-party service providers. These provides enjoy a much lower cost structure through economy of scale by servicing many business clients.

VPN Network Scalability
The cost to an organization of building a dedicated private network may be reasonable at first but increases exponentially as the organization grows. A company with two branch offices, for example, can deploy just one dedicated line to connect the two locations, but 4 branch offices require 6 lines to directly connect them to each other, 6 branch offices need 15 lines, and so on.

Internet based VPNs avoid this scalability problem by simply tapping into the the public lines and network capability readily available. Particularly for remote and international locations, an Internet VPN offers superior reach and quality of service.

Using a VPN
To use a VPN, each client must possess the appropriate networking software or hardware support on their local network and computers. When set up properly, VPN solutions are easy to use and sometimes can be made to work automatically as part of network sign on.

VPN technology also works well with WiFi local area networking. Some organizations use VPNs to secure wireless connections to their local access points when working inside the office. These solutions provide strong protection without affecting performance excessively.

Limitations of a VPN
Despite their popularity, VPNs are not perfect and limitations exist as is true for any technology. Organizations should consider issues like the below when deploying and using virtual private networks in their operations:

1. VPNs require detailed understanding of network security issues and careful installation / configuration to ensure sufficient protection on a public network like the Internet.

2. The reliability and performance of an Internet-based VPN is not under an organization’s direct control. Instead, the solution relies on an ISP and their quality of service.

3. Historically, VPN products and solutions from different vendors have not always been compatible due to issues with VPN technology standards. Attempting to mix and match equipment may cause technical problems, and using equipment from one provider may not give as great a cost savings.

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Security is a multifaceted issue that must be addressed to avoid abuse of your network from hackers and employees.

While you are connected to the Internet your network is open to the public unless it is protected by a firewall. Networks that are connected to the Internet are vulnerable to malicious attacks from hackers and virus infection. A well configured firewall will block uninvited visitors whilst allowing remote access to authorised users and services.

Many firewalls now offer a host of other advanced features such as gateway antivirus, spam filtering, content filtering and the ability to block specific applications such as instant messaging to add further protection and restrict how the Internet is used within the office.

Internally, sensitive information such as personnel records, management reports and accounts data can be protected by configuring permissions that only allow access for those who are authorised. Passwords to access the network should be changed on a regular basis and should be sufficiently complex that they cannot be compromised.

We can advise on all aspects of network security, firewalls, virus protection and implement a security policy to protect your data and systems.

 

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How To Find the right Web Hosting That Doesn’t Leave You Broke

If you have an online business or maybe even several like I do, web hosting can be a significant expense not to mention the fact that reliable web hosting is absolutely crucial to the success of your business. All it takes is a server going down during a big marketing promotion and your reputation suffers. In this article we will explore some of the things to look for in a quality web hosting company for a fair price.

First off let?s get some basics out of the way for those who may not fully understand what web hosting is. Web hosting is simply the place that your website?s files and documents are located which allows your site to be pulled up on the internet. This is why it is crucial that the web host be reliable, if there server isn?t working neither are you.

When you are looking for web hosting online there are so many to choose from that it can be an overwhelming task to try to hone it down to a handful to consider. You need to keep a few things in mind before you get started however, and the first is don?t just go with the cheapest because of that reason. They are the cheapest web host because they aren?t giving certain features so you need to identify basic features that you need before you start shopping.

Some of the basic features that you will want from your web hosting company will be a choice of programming languages, databases, email addresses, bandwidth allowance, disk space and how many domains you are allowed to host. You will also want to know what kind of server and administration or control panel is offered, basically your choices will be Linux or Windows based servers. I prefer Linux servers with Cpanel installed because I am familiar with it and it makes my job a whole lot easier. Linux systems are usually less expensive than comparable Windows web hosting services plus they will offer the MYSQL and PHP programs that you will need for your online business. Most Linux based programming and databases are free, which is another reason why servers offering Linux are less expensive.

It is nearly impossible to find inexpensive web hosting with a Windows based server due to the fact that it cost the hosting company so much to get it in the first place and like anything else in life, that expense is passed on to the end user. To get a Windows based system at the same price as a Linux one you will probably have to give up many features so bear that in mind as well.

When assessing the reliability of a web hosting company do a little research on them, don?t just take their claims of 99% up time on their sales page as gospel. There are many web hosting companies out there that allow spammers to operate on their servers and they end up causing problems for everyone on that server, especially if you are on a shared server that is also sharing a block of IP addresses. You could end up having your site delisted and banned and have your emails blocked because of something someone else is doing.

One way that I like to check out hosting companies support is to either email them or if they have it enabled, have a live chat with them and ask them all my questions. If you email a web hosting company and it takes them awhile to get back to you when you are a prospective client what kind of service do you think they will give you once they have your money?

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Unblock Youtube With Free VPN Service

Wherever you need the solution to unblock YouTube videos from home, in office or at school, a vpn connection is the best choice for you! A free VPN service can also be used to unblock Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or any other websites! VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, is a private network which with the help of public network space i.e. the internet allows remote users and networks to establish connection. VPN Internet consists of two features, encryption and tunneling. Thus VPN internet ensures that data can be delivered safely and privately across the public space. Web proxy doesn’t support any log in mode, so if you use web proxy, you can not log into your Youtube account. VPN is a best tool to bypass the firewall.

Unblock-youtube.com is offering free VPN service for you to unblock Youtube. They can provide maximum 1.6Mbit/s burst download speed for each free VPN session – which gives you real-time smooth HD 480P video playback without buffering.
Wherever you need the solution to unblock YouTube videos from home, in office or at school, a vpn connection is the best choice for you! A free VPN service can also be used to unblock Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or any other websites! VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, is a private network which with the help of public network space i.e. the internet allows remote users and networks to establish connection. VPN Internet consists of two features, encryption and tunneling. Thus VPN internet ensures that data can be delivered safely and privately across the public space. Web proxy doesn’t support any log in mode, so if you use web proxy, you can not log into your Youtube account. VPN is a best tool to bypass the firewall.

Unblock-youtube.com is offering free VPN service for you to unblock Youtube. They can provide maximum 1.6Mbit/s burst download speed for each free VPN session – which gives you real-time smooth HD 480P video playback without buffering.

The VPN protocol used by Unblock-youtube.com free VPN service is PPTP VPN. All Computers, Mobile Devices and Appliances works with PPTP VPN. They include:

Computers with Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, Apple OSX Leopard, Linux Ubuntu;
iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Phones or Tablet, WinMobile, Nokia Phones;
Any Wireless Routers that has PPTP VPN client support;
Any Internet Appliance with PPTP VPN client built-in.

It’s very simple to use this PPTP based free VPN account in your computers and mobile devices, no any additional VPN software installation needed, just launch PPTP VPN client configuration interface built in your desktop, tablets, smartphones or network appliances, and apply these settings:

PPTP Server: tube.bestfree.me
PPTP Username: free
PPTP Password: free

Many Internet service providers in the world restricts online services and websites like YouTube, Skype, VoIP, AIM, P2P etc. Unblock-Youtube.com free VPN will never lead you to a problem again in making calls. As, by this your VoIP call will become unrecognizable so it won’t be monitored, blocked in any way, any more. You can even access the different game and adult sites of your choice with unblock application. If the VoIp Internet call is restricted on your Edge or 3G mobile connection then with the VPN window server you can prevent the restriction and thus the quality of the VoIP call will even get better. A VPN service provider helps you to bypass Internet surfing restrictions. You can simply connect to a VPN server using secure encrypted tunnel and access 100% freedom internet. With regular encrypted connection to a trusted VPN server all your date will be hidden inside with full security. No need of any proxy server. With a VPN service provider you will be able to make VoIP internet calls on Edge or 3G mobile internet connection. Your mobile operator will not be able to block or limit your VoIP internet calls. Quality of VoIP calls on mobile phones will be better.

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