December 4, 2005 - (HOSTSEARCH.COM) - UK web hosting provider, Fasthosts (http://www.fasthosts.co.uk), has suggested that antiquated computing practices are costing small businesses around 18 billion pounds annually. One major cause of these costs, Fasthosts suggests, is in-house servers that are “risky and cost ineffective, yet remain the number one choice for SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises)”. The study’s conclusion suggests in-house solutions have difficulty matching the benefits of hosted solutions.
Fasthosts’ study into server computing solutions for SME businesses compared the minimum requirements for a secure in-house server and hosted solutions. Many UK businesses believe in-house servers provide maximum access and security. Examination of the SME server computing environment, however, suggested the opposite to be the case - hosting an in-house server requires careful consideration and preparation.
The study suggests minimum server requirements for an SME are 1) a power failure system so a server can be shut down safely during an emergency, 2) an SDSL internet connection (for optimum speed, 3) a remote control card for server access, and 4) a firewall for security. There are also additional considerations for an SME; servers require air-conditioning, physical security and remote back up. The costs of ongoing maintenance of these requirements are often prohibitive, without them however, businesses are at risk.
"In our experience many businesses are still stuck in 1980s computing mentality," comments Andrew Michael, CEO of Fasthosts. "They need to move and embrace new computing practices. It is impossible to put value on data so it needs to be kept under maximum security - data is the lifeblood of any business. Only a hosted environment offers the required security solutions in a cost effective bundle, however the SME market remains largely ignorant of this."
Fasthosts is the UK's largest independent hosting company and caters for over one million domains.
