In this post Rex-Hide Industries' Brian Cook, IT Manager, explains why he chose to move to Cloud400. He shares the 4 reasons why he made the change and the 4 benefits he discovered after he was live on Cloud400. Background Incorporated in 1917, Rex-Hide is a manufacturer of rubber products with sales over $100 million. Located in Tyler, Texas, corporate IT supports 7 autonomous divisions with over 100 users. Their products are marketed to other manufacturers who make hoses and bumpers to be … [Read more...]
We Make Secure, Expert IBM i Cloud Hosting EASY
Discover how to get affordable, safe, secure, expert IBM i cloud hosting...and how EASY it is to implement. IBM i application hosting is way more straight-forward than hosting other platform applications. Plain and simple. If you are familiar with IBM i architecture, the reasons will be especially clear once you understand what is needed to support applications that run on such platforms as Windows, UNIX, and Linux. Cloud hosting options for platforms other than IBM i require more … [Read more...]
Cloud Hosting 101
6 Essential Concepts To Cut IT Spending Every week I read articles and blogs about cloud computing. Clearly, the topic of cloud computing is broad and deep. My sense is that as authors define and explain key terms and concepts about cloud computing, it becomes more difficult to understand what you need to know if you are interested in hosting your IBM i applications instead of using an on-premise server. Further, alarming headlines make the process seem scarier than it really … [Read more...]
Users Remain The Big Security Risk
Recently a prospective cloud client requested us to provide unlimited liability for a data breach, even if we were not responsible. I suggested that they would find no cloud hosting providers that would offer such a provision. I further explained that most data breaches are the consequences of users, not the cloud hosting service. This article below spells it out. You may find the reading a little tough. In essence, 1% of your users are power users that access most of your files and … [Read more...]
10 Surprising Benefits From IBM i (OS400) Cloud Hosting
No IBM i core activation fees, no user fees – We pay IBM these fees when we buy our IBM POWER servers. And we don’t rebill you. No IBM HWMA, SWMA or Service Extension Fees - Leave annual escalating IBM support fees behind. Our IBM POWER servers include IBM HWMA and SWMA so you don’t have to pay. It’s already included in our monthly fee. Pay only for what you need – Today’s IBM POWER servers are way bigger than most IBM i users need. Most IBM i users can be more than satisfied with 1000-2000 … [Read more...]
IBM i Applications and Cloud Portability – The Benefits Of Single-Level Architecture
I recently read a LinkedIn article, “The Real Costs of Cloud Application Portability”. Simply put, the article highlights trade-offs with workload portability and the use of low-cost native services unique to one cloud provider compared to the delay and extra cost to make your applications portable to a broader range of cloud providers. For applications that use Windows, UNIX and Linux, workload portability and cloud hosting can be a major evaluation factor, especially when planning for … [Read more...]
A Co-Location Data Center Is A Smart Buy…Or Is It?
Let’s first look at the features and benefits of Co-Location and then share the hidden costs that make it 194% more expensive than a new, superior alternative that is one of the fastest growing hosting solutions out there for mid-sized companies. Co-location Data Centers are popular with mid-sized companies for many reasons. The benefits include: Risk mitigation, Greater security, Better roadmap for disaster recovery, … [Read more...]
Raising Demand For Skilled IBM i (OS400) Talent Fuels Cloud Hosting Growth
Frequently what we hear from prospective clients interested in IBM i Cloud Hosting is their need for IBM i (OS400) expertise. Many have aging IBM i talent planning on retirement and want to make plans for subsequent support for the years to come. Many have a background in other technologies (such as Windows or UNIX) with the responsibility to manage IBM i technology without the needed skills. Others are consolidating and looking to outsource their IBM i support. While cost savings … [Read more...]
6 Misconceptions About IBM i (OS400) Cloud Hosting
With scary headlines about cloud computing, misconceptions are bound to occur. Here are 6 Common Myths: Myth 1 – Cloud computing is more expensive. Fact: It all depends. If you have an old AS400 that is paid for (may not even have maintenance or software support), are years behind in IBM i/OS400 upgrades, backup tapes go home in your car and you are just looking at your current costs (not including the time you may spend managing the server), cloud hosting will never be cheaper than … [Read more...]
What The Heck Does It Mean To “Colocate Your Server” At A Data Center…And Why Should I Care (A Lot)?
If you are an experienced IT executive, you probably already know that a colocation (colo) is a data center facility in which a business can rent space for servers and other computer hardware. Generally, the colo provides the building, cooling, power, bandwidth and security while the customer provides the servers and storage. Nevertheless, every day I talk to IT executives of small-to-medium sized businesses that are unfamiliar with colocation and why a data center makes sense; even those … [Read more...]