Pre-Installation

Before the installation the software examines the user’s current software and hardware configuration and presents a list of possibly problematic issues that may need to be resolved. The RED items on the list are problematic, and will need to be corrected before beginning the installation. An example of a problematic issue would be using a shared host instead of a VPS. To resolve outstanding issues, you may need to contact your hosting provider.

Installation

When beginning the installation, you’ll need to enter a few details. Don’t worry, as each field is thoroughly explained. After you’ve entered your information, you’ll have the option of adding FTP configuration, letting Joomla correct any permission issues automatically. You can also choose to bypass this option and fill in the information manually later. Next, you’ll enter your site name and a few basic details, and then decide whether or not you’d like to install sample data. If you decide not to install sample data, then your website will be completely blank, so it is best to use sample data if you are not very experienced with web design. Installing sample data will let you experiment with a fully populated website. Once you have made this final decision, the installation will be completed momentarily.

Functionality and Appearance

If you chose to install sample data, you’ll notice that the default them provided by Joomla is very visually appealing. The administrative interface is also substantially improved, and is very user-friendly, employing a variety of dropdown menus. Although the software is very easy to use, the amount of features can be a bit overwhelming initially. For this reason, novice users may find it easy to lose content in arbitrary places, or become disassociated with certain areas of the CMS in some instances. Once you’ve gotten used to the plethora of functions, you’ll discover the true functionality of this award winning CMS.

Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the CMS is a becoming familiar with the vast array of sections and content categories. Figuring out where the article will be published may be slightly difficult initially, but as you become familiar with the process, you’ll notice the design of the software actually maximizes efficiency quite well. One feature you’ll find particularly useful is the new universal installer, which lets you install a zip file form a single central box, rather than having to choose an install type. Previous versions of Joomla required you to select whether the install was a theme, component, module or mambot, so this new feature definitely improves upon the software’s simplicity.

Conclusion

Ultimately, this content management system is definitely a capable solution for any VPS user. On thing you are sure to like about the software is the fact that there is readily available Joomla themes and tutorials online, as there is a very large Joomla community. The vast amount of knowledge and material pertaining to Joomla on the web make it an excellent solution for novice and experienced users alike.

• Rating / Pricing – 84,781 usage records/second, with each record inserted into an indexed database
• Billing – 669 bills/second, with an average of 300 events per bill
• Balance Updates – 1.2 billion/hour, including event de-duplication, with each event updating an existing balance in an indexed database.

The study was based on requirements for continuously metered, cloud computing services spanning IaaS, PaaS and SaaS billing offerings. The testing was run in a simulated production-level environment at an HP Solution Center. The scale-up environment utilized 19 HP ProLiant DL380G6 servers, an HP ProLiant DL580G6 server, an HP ProLiant DL785G6 as the database server and an HP StorageWorks XP24000 Disk Array with 640 drives running MetraNet 6.05.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 SP1. The database contained 300 million accounts (arranged under 60 million subscribers with 5 sub-accounts each), 40 billion usage events and production-level database indexes. HP also performed independent verification of the testing results above through re-performance on a sample basis.

The findings demonstrate that MetraTech’s billing system, already known for its exceptional flexibility, scales to high volumes while managing continuous and highly granular services. The conclusions of this end-to-end revenue management benchmark demonstrate that the critical billing requirements of industries with dynamically evolving business models including Cloud, Smart Grid, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment and Telco, can be fully supported by the Microsoft server platform deployed on cost-effective HP hardware. “In the highly competitive Cloud, Telco, Energy and Financial Services industries, businesses are challenged to cost-effectively monetize high-volume services delivered via evolving and dynamic business models,” said Scott Swartz, chief executive officer, MetraTech Corp. “MetraNet, deployed using Microsoft software, provides a robust option for these organizations.”

“Now, more than ever, service providers are operating under competitive pressures and need to find new ways to offer value added services to their subscribers more quickly. As a result, demand is increasing for flexible billing platforms able to support a high volume of customers and a new level of complexity demanded by today’s changing business models,” said Terry McGuigan, managing director, telecommunications industry, Communications Sector at Microsoft Corp. “In this benchmark, MetraTech has proven that its billing solution can support next-generation services and meet the requirements of the most demanding telecom billing environments.”

For more information, just visit http://www.metratech.com

MetraTech Announces Breakthrough Results in Billing Performance Benchmark

In an environment where data center operators need to ensure Internet connectivity every second of the day so clients are always online and connected to the Internet, redundant fiber connections to the data center are paramount. Online Tech chose Zayo to achieve this by building a second fiber connection into their Ann Arbor data center connecting them to a second upstream Internet provider.

The Zayo redundancy includes a completely separate fiber path into the data center and provides protection against unintended damage to the physical network outside the data center. This gave them a fully redundant connection to the Internet and provided their data with an alternate path, protecting them from any outage that could occur. Zayo is also committed to providing dedicated fiber-based connectivity between Online Tech’s data center and its customers where highly reliable and scalable bandwidth is needed.

“Zayo has both a local and national reputation for providing quality fiber connectivity,” said Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. “Zayo was able to provide a completely separate physical fiber path into the data center to increase the stability of our network and eliminate any single points of failure. Zayo delivered against their commitments and were able to bring the new connections up right on schedule.”

As a provider, Online Tech knew they needed additional network protection because no single provider can provide the diverse protection necessary into their facility. Zayo already had a substantial fiber presence in the Ann Arbor market and was not only able to meet today’s needs, but has the ability to grow and expand as Online Tech gain customers and realize higher capacity requirements in the future.

Zayo Enterprise Networks’s Selected as a Provider for Online Tech.

“As the only U.S.-based global service provider to achieve both Master UC and Master Security specializations, we can deliver some of the most secure, integrated solutions available today,” said Anthony Recine, vice president of network and communications solutions marketing for Verizon Business. “The powerful combination of Verizon’s network-based VoIP services and Cisco’s UC platform – together with our professional consulting expertise – is enabling better business processes and productivity for our customers while assembling the building blocks to provide cloud-based unified communications as a service.

In addition to the Master Unified Communications Specialization, Verizon today also announced it has achieved Cisco’s Master Security Specialization and Advanced Data Center Networking Infrastructure Specialization in Europe. The two companies will demonstrate new and existing unified communications and collaboration capabilities at the VoiceCon trade show, March 22 – 24 in Orlando, Fla.

To achieve the Master Unified Communications Specialization, resale channel partners must first attain the Advanced Unified Communications Specialization. Partners must then meet stringent requirements that demonstrate their master-level sales, technical and services capabilities.  Furthermore, master specialized partners must satisfy a number of Cisco and industry-standard technical certification requirements; provide customer references that document Cisco-prescribed design and deployment capabilities; and show evidence that they have the infrastructure to support a full menu of Lifecycle Services offerings and capabilities.

More information regarding the Master Unified Communications Specialization can be found at: www.cisco.com/web/partners/program/specializations/ucom/master/index.html.

The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides partners with the training required to build sales, technical and Cisco Lifecycle Services skills, and then validates their skills through a third-party audit.  Cisco resale partner certifications — Select, Premier, Silver and Gold – represent an increasing breadth of skills across key technologies and a partner’s ability to deliver integrated networking solutions.  Cisco resale partner specializations — SMB, Express, Advanced and Master — reflect an increasing depth of sales, technical and service expertise in particular technologies. Cisco master specializations provide Verizon Business access to comprehensive sales, technical, and lifecycle services training and support available from Cisco.

Cisco’s Master Unified Communications Specialization Awarded to Verizon

• Rating / Pricing – 84,781 usage records/second, with each record inserted into an indexed database
• Billing – 669 bills/second, with an average of 300 events per bill
• Balance Updates – 1.2 billion/hour, including event de-duplication, with each event updating an existing balance in an indexed database.

The study was based on requirements for continuously metered, cloud computing services spanning IaaS, PaaS and SaaS billing offerings. The testing was run in a simulated production-level environment at an HP Solution Center. The scale-up environment utilized 19 HP ProLiant DL380G6 servers, an HP ProLiant DL580G6 server, an HP ProLiant DL785G6 as the database server and an HP StorageWorks XP24000 Disk Array with 640 drives running MetraNet 6.05.1, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 SP1. The database contained 300 million accounts (arranged under 60 million subscribers with 5 sub-accounts each), 40 billion usage events and production-level database indexes. HP also performed independent verification of the testing results above through re-performance on a sample basis.

The findings demonstrate that MetraTech’s billing system, already known for its exceptional flexibility, scales to high volumes while managing continuous and highly granular services. The conclusions of this end-to-end revenue management benchmark demonstrate that the critical billing requirements of industries with dynamically evolving business models including Cloud, Smart Grid, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment and Telco, can be fully supported by the Microsoft server platform deployed on cost-effective HP hardware. “In the highly competitive Cloud, Telco, Energy and Financial Services industries, businesses are challenged to cost-effectively monetize high-volume services delivered via evolving and dynamic business models,” said Scott Swartz, chief executive officer, MetraTech Corp. “MetraNet, deployed using Microsoft software, provides a robust option for these organizations.”

“Now, more than ever, service providers are operating under competitive pressures and need to find new ways to offer value added services to their subscribers more quickly. As a result, demand is increasing for flexible billing platforms able to support a high volume of customers and a new level of complexity demanded by today’s changing business models,” said Terry McGuigan, managing director, telecommunications industry, Communications Sector at Microsoft Corp. “In this benchmark, MetraTech has proven that its billing solution can support next-generation services and meet the requirements of the most demanding telecom billing environments.”

For more information, just visit http://www.metratech.com

MetraTech Announces Breakthrough Results in Billing Performance Benchmark

In an environment where data center operators need to ensure Internet connectivity every second of the day so clients are always online and connected to the Internet, redundant fiber connections to the data center are paramount. Online Tech chose Zayo to achieve this by building a second fiber connection into their Ann Arbor data center connecting them to a second upstream Internet provider.

The Zayo redundancy includes a completely separate fiber path into the data center and provides protection against unintended damage to the physical network outside the data center. This gave them a fully redundant connection to the Internet and provided their data with an alternate path, protecting them from any outage that could occur. Zayo is also committed to providing dedicated fiber-based connectivity between Online Tech’s data center and its customers where highly reliable and scalable bandwidth is needed.

“Zayo has both a local and national reputation for providing quality fiber connectivity,” said Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. “Zayo was able to provide a completely separate physical fiber path into the data center to increase the stability of our network and eliminate any single points of failure. Zayo delivered against their commitments and were able to bring the new connections up right on schedule.”

As a provider, Online Tech knew they needed additional network protection because no single provider can provide the diverse protection necessary into their facility. Zayo already had a substantial fiber presence in the Ann Arbor market and was not only able to meet today’s needs, but has the ability to grow and expand as Online Tech gain customers and realize higher capacity requirements in the future.

Zayo Enterprise Networks’s Selected as a Provider for Online Tech.

“As the only U.S.-based global service provider to achieve both Master UC and Master Security specializations, we can deliver some of the most secure, integrated solutions available today,” said Anthony Recine, vice president of network and communications solutions marketing for Verizon Business. “The powerful combination of Verizon’s network-based VoIP services and Cisco’s UC platform – together with our professional consulting expertise – is enabling better business processes and productivity for our customers while assembling the building blocks to provide cloud-based unified communications as a service.

In addition to the Master Unified Communications Specialization, Verizon today also announced it has achieved Cisco’s Master Security Specialization and Advanced Data Center Networking Infrastructure Specialization in Europe. The two companies will demonstrate new and existing unified communications and collaboration capabilities at the VoiceCon trade show, March 22 – 24 in Orlando, Fla.

To achieve the Master Unified Communications Specialization, resale channel partners must first attain the Advanced Unified Communications Specialization. Partners must then meet stringent requirements that demonstrate their master-level sales, technical and services capabilities.  Furthermore, master specialized partners must satisfy a number of Cisco and industry-standard technical certification requirements; provide customer references that document Cisco-prescribed design and deployment capabilities; and show evidence that they have the infrastructure to support a full menu of Lifecycle Services offerings and capabilities.

More information regarding the Master Unified Communications Specialization can be found at: www.cisco.com/web/partners/program/specializations/ucom/master/index.html.

The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides partners with the training required to build sales, technical and Cisco Lifecycle Services skills, and then validates their skills through a third-party audit.  Cisco resale partner certifications — Select, Premier, Silver and Gold – represent an increasing breadth of skills across key technologies and a partner’s ability to deliver integrated networking solutions.  Cisco resale partner specializations — SMB, Express, Advanced and Master — reflect an increasing depth of sales, technical and service expertise in particular technologies. Cisco master specializations provide Verizon Business access to comprehensive sales, technical, and lifecycle services training and support available from Cisco.

Cisco’s Master Unified Communications Specialization Awarded to Verizon

Managed Dedicated Servers Content Provided by Superb Dedicated Servers

Managed hosting is tricky business. Some companies will charge you hidden fees for no name products you’ve never heard of along with your service contract. Be sure to stay aware of the possibility that you could become a victim. Sometimes, as with all fine print contracts, unscrupulous businesses will attempt to involve you in more than just a hosting package.

As an example, some companies use deliberate false advertising to lure new customers into their business model. While false advertising is illegal, there are many companies that can and do get away with it every single day. How do you shield yourself from the pitfalls of false advertising? Only do business with companies that can match up with a validation service. If the company is not established, reputable, and trustworthy for years, don’t risk your hard earned dollars without doing your research.

Other times, managed hosting companies will offer lengthy contracts at unbeatable prices. While this would be an effective method to save a lot of cash, if you have no previous hosting experience with a company, why risk having to cancel the contract early? That will only end up costing you more money and stress than it’s worth. You’re better off signing up for short term contract you can trust, rather than a long term contract that could end up hurting your pocket book.

Some hosting providers will register your new domain in their company’s name, locking you into service with them as long as you own the domain. Not only is this part of the intricate fine print of a service contract, you probably won’t realize it until it’s too late. Not having control of your domain name can mean the disappearance of countless Web site visitors who have come to rely on knowing your Web address, should you be forced to change hosting providers.

And, the unlimited bandwidth clause you all hear about, don’t trust it. Believing in such a claim is complete and utter rubbish. No matter what a hosting provider claims, if you exceed a certain bandwidth amount, you WILL be charged for the overage. Think about it! Can any business offer their services completely free of charge and still stay in business? Well, yes and no. The only way you would ever get unlimited bandwidth without a catch is to display the company’s banner advertisements on your page. Having to do this would make your page look unprofessional and second rate. Don’t fall into believing this myth.

A money back guarantee should be part of the fine print of any contract you sign. The ability to recover your money should you be unsatisfied with a service is of the utmost financial importance. Don’t settle for less, part of your financial well being depends on it. If a certain company doesn’t offer this, maybe it’s time to ask yourself why that is the case: could it be that they don’t have confidence in their ability to provide value? If that is the case, how can you trust a business ran by people who do not even have confidence in their ability to generate win-win situations?

Have someone skilled in the field of terms and conditions go over the hosting agreement with you. If there are any hidden offers for worthless products and services you don’t want, you’ll surely be able to spot them. Knowing what’s in the fine print of your hosting contract can keep you safe from exorbitant and unnecessary fees and charges. As always, buyer beware!

Checking out the background history of the hosting provider in question should ultimately help you decide whether or not you sign with them. Past history is usually indicative of future performance when it comes to hosting companies and the more positive aspects a company has working in its favor, the better off you’ll be. For example, a four year track record of outstanding service and dedication to quality assurance is an example of a highly desirable company.

There you have it! These are the potential dangers and the things you should be looking for when signing up for a managed dedicated hosting service. Believe us, people have been scammed, tricked and led to believe all sorts of things by more than a few popular scam artists. Protect yourself from becoming a victim by thoroughly researching any company you’re considering. This will keep you safe and guarantee that your next hosting experience is fantastic.

What They Don’t Tell You about the Fine Print

The first brick that lays the foundation of the pillar of your online presence is a domain name. When we talk about domains, it becomes important to mention top-level domain names (TLDs).

TLDs contribute considerably in the structuring of Internet. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN, manages the creation of TLDs, which are operated by different registries. Each registry, like us, pays a fee to ICANN for getting the rights to operate TLDs.

Dot Com (.com)

The ‘.com’ TLD is the king of the jungle of TLDs since 1994. Nearly everyone, from individuals & SMBs to big corporate houses, who steps on the Web wishes to grab a ‘.com’ TLD at the first instance since it stands for ‘Commercial’. It reflects that the site is for commercial purpose. However, now this domain extension has become more or less a ‘defacto extension’ used by almost everyone.

Dot Net (.net)

The ‘.net’ TLD stands for ‘Network’. This is one of the original TLDs mostly used by Internet-specific providers /businesses, such as social networking websites, SEO, web hosting etc. It’s the one of the most coveted domain extensions after ‘.com’.

Dot Info (.info)

The ‘.info’ TLD stands for ‘Information’. This TLD is mostly used by information & resource-based websites, which are not involved in commercial activities. This domain extension can be used for lead generation, knowledge sharing and community building. You can use this TLD for providing information to reinforce your brand.

Dot Org (.org)

The ‘.org’ TLD stands for ‘Organization’. This domain extension is mostly used by non-commercial & non-profit organizations. This TLD can also be used for building your community & leveraging your branding endeavors to win over your potential customers.

Dot Biz (.biz)

The ‘.biz’ TLD stands for ‘Business’. This domain extension, originally created in 2001, is mostly preferred for creating business websites. This open TLD is exclusively for “bona fide business or commercial use”, and has an immense sales pitch.

Dot Name (.name)

The ‘.name’ TLD stands for ‘Name’. This domain extension, originally introduced in 2001, is mostly used by individuals, who use this domain extension to represent their real names, fictional names, display names, nicknames, pseudonyms etc. These days, this domain extension is being popularly used as a web address for Digital Identity applications.

Dot Mobi (.mobi)

The .mobi’ TLD stands for ‘Mobile’. This domain extension, created in 2005 but available for public registration since 26 September 2006, must be used for all mobile-compatible sites as per the standards. This TLD is financially supported by biggies such as Google, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, Ericsson, Vodafone etc.

Dot Tv (.tv)

The ‘.tv’ is a country code top level domain (ccTLD), introduced in 1996 for the islands of Tuvalu. Its intended use is for all entities related to Tuvalu, whereas it’s promoted commercially for television/video sites. However, it can be registered for any purpose by anyone.

Dot Me (.me)

The ‘.me’ TLD is yet again a country code top level domain (ccTLD) introduced in 2007 for Montenegro. This domain extension is being promoted adequately for its global use, and become more like a personal name space. It can be registered for any purpose on the Web. However, it’s being marketed on the Web by the registrars as ‘.ME domains all about you’.

Dot Cc (.cc)

The ‘.cc’ TLD is also a country code top level domain for Cocos Islands, Australia. It was introduced in 1997, and administered by VeriSign as the ‘the next .com’. This domain extension is put to different assortment of sites, some of them especially referring to Cocos Islands.

It is expected that a dramatic change in the creation of new TLDs would be observed in 2010. We hope that many more new TLDs would flow in the New Year on the Internet as well and we shall be able to offer you more of such TLDs.

Currently, LimeDomains is offering 10 major TLDs to its users at mostaffordable prices in the market. Register yours now!

Managed Dedicated Servers Content Provided by Superb Dedicated Servers

Managed hosting is tricky business. Some companies will charge you hidden fees for no name products you’ve never heard of along with your service contract. Be sure to stay aware of the possibility that you could become a victim. Sometimes, as with all fine print contracts, unscrupulous businesses will attempt to involve you in more than just a hosting package.

As an example, some companies use deliberate false advertising to lure new customers into their business model. While false advertising is illegal, there are many companies that can and do get away with it every single day. How do you shield yourself from the pitfalls of false advertising? Only do business with companies that can match up with a validation service. If the company is not established, reputable, and trustworthy for years, don’t risk your hard earned dollars without doing your research.

Other times, managed hosting companies will offer lengthy contracts at unbeatable prices. While this would be an effective method to save a lot of cash, if you have no previous hosting experience with a company, why risk having to cancel the contract early? That will only end up costing you more money and stress than it’s worth. You’re better off signing up for short term contract you can trust, rather than a long term contract that could end up hurting your pocket book.

Some hosting providers will register your new domain in their company’s name, locking you into service with them as long as you own the domain. Not only is this part of the intricate fine print of a service contract, you probably won’t realize it until it’s too late. Not having control of your domain name can mean the disappearance of countless Web site visitors who have come to rely on knowing your Web address, should you be forced to change hosting providers.

And, the unlimited bandwidth clause you all hear about, don’t trust it. Believing in such a claim is complete and utter rubbish. No matter what a hosting provider claims, if you exceed a certain bandwidth amount, you WILL be charged for the overage. Think about it! Can any business offer their services completely free of charge and still stay in business? Well, yes and no. The only way you would ever get unlimited bandwidth without a catch is to display the company’s banner advertisements on your page. Having to do this would make your page look unprofessional and second rate. Don’t fall into believing this myth.

A money back guarantee should be part of the fine print of any contract you sign. The ability to recover your money should you be unsatisfied with a service is of the utmost financial importance. Don’t settle for less, part of your financial well being depends on it. If a certain company doesn’t offer this, maybe it’s time to ask yourself why that is the case: could it be that they don’t have confidence in their ability to provide value? If that is the case, how can you trust a business ran by people who do not even have confidence in their ability to generate win-win situations?

Have someone skilled in the field of terms and conditions go over the hosting agreement with you. If there are any hidden offers for worthless products and services you don’t want, you’ll surely be able to spot them. Knowing what’s in the fine print of your hosting contract can keep you safe from exorbitant and unnecessary fees and charges. As always, buyer beware!

Checking out the background history of the hosting provider in question should ultimately help you decide whether or not you sign with them. Past history is usually indicative of future performance when it comes to hosting companies and the more positive aspects a company has working in its favor, the better off you’ll be. For example, a four year track record of outstanding service and dedication to quality assurance is an example of a highly desirable company.

There you have it! These are the potential dangers and the things you should be looking for when signing up for a managed dedicated hosting service. Believe us, people have been scammed, tricked and led to believe all sorts of things by more than a few popular scam artists. Protect yourself from becoming a victim by thoroughly researching any company you’re considering. This will keep you safe and guarantee that your next hosting experience is fantastic.

What They Don’t Tell You about the Fine Print