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Tag: Web Hosting Solutions

Benefits of Managed Hosting for Businesses

In the past few years we’ve seen the growth and popularity of the cloud as a channel for businesses to host their data. However, for those who want more control over their data, deploying more traditional means of web hosting is still a viable option. A lot of businesses have a misconception that because they want more control over their data that they would need to invest a large amount for dedicated IT technicians to manage their hosting requirements. This is where our managed hosting services comes into the picture. 

What is Managed Hosting?

Much like dedicated hosting, Managed Hosting is where a web provider (ISP) owns servers that single or multiple customers rent and utilize. With Managed Hosting, it is the providers who manage the hardware and operating system on behalf of their clients. This lets companies concentrate more on their own website maintenance and other business activities as they let the provider do the hosting for them. 

Cost effectiveness 

This is the best benefit you can get from Managed Hosting. Having a managed hosting service contract saves you a great deal of money for having dedicated IT technicians in your company. The right provider can carefully assess what your company needs and cater their service only based on what you need at the very moment. 

Because businesses would be paying for a service, they would need to just incur a monthly fee. This means that the costs are predictable and easy to manage. With the provider doing the hosting for them, any issues that would arise on their side, especially when it comes to uptime and availability, would have to be handled by the provider.

Savings in time and effort 

Fixes such as maintenance of the server, software updates, and data storage would not be the concern of the business as they let their provider manage all of these. This lets the business focus their time and attention to running the business operations and do what they do best. For businesses with no existing IT department, this is a huge benefit as they do not need to hire people or spend time mastering the technology and networks. If you’re wondering if it’s finally time to upgrade your hosting package, you’re right! 

Managed Hosting also means that the company would only need to interact with one party which is the hosting provider, instead of taking matters into their own hands. This frees up the time spent evaluating many different parties involved when managing IT technology. 

Security 

The security of your server is one of the biggest priorities of any business. One of the hallmarks of a good hosting provider is one that can guarantee security. This can range from anywhere to security audits, spam filtering, firewall configurations, and OS updates. The hosting providers should be equipped to have all the tools and experience to deal with any issues related to server security. It is part of their job to cover for any security vulnerabilities and prevent any kind of attack. By having a managed hosting service contract, you can be assured that whenever your server is experiencing vulnerabilities, you have a team you can run to who will easily be able to address these issues. 

Guaranteed Uptime

Because the responsibility of managing the system as well as its troubleshooting is now placed on the provider, this means you are guaranteed of your system’s uptime. Server monitoring is an important aspect for any organization and because constant attention is needed for this, having a hosting provider can go a long way in making sure the network is up and running and is available for your business and your clients. 

Backups 

Data loss is something many companies wish to avoid altogether. This is why regular data backups are necessary to keep your server secure and intact. A Managed Hosting provider can give you that peace of mind because of the measures and processes they have to ensure that your data is properly backed up. 

For any business with a web or online presence, choosing the right hosting package is only the first step. Ensuring that you have an in-house or outsourced personnel to oversee your web and email hosting is another. Don’t lose precious business hours simply trying to figure out how to manage your hosting or server. Ask for help and secure a managed hosting service contract to ensure that your data is backed up properly and your hosting is properly secured and running. 

With 25 years of experience in the industry and as a certified IT company at its core, iManila is ready to help you with your hosting, website development, digital marketing and technical support needs. Learn how iManila can help manage your business’ hosting requirements. 

Be wary of emails and messages from unknown senders!

On May 04, 2000, Windows computer users received an email with a malicious attachment. Then in just ten days, fifty million infections were reported. An estimated 10% of the internet-connected computers were infected by the ILOVEYOU virus. 

The infamous ILOVEYOU virus created a massive effect on internet-connected computers that costed more than $10 billion to remove the infection and to recover deleted files from backups. As big as the economic impact, even the Pentagon, the CIA and the U.K. Parliament all closed down their email systems in response to this pandemic computer virus. 

The ILOVEYOU virus controlled the news headlines globally left and right. The spread of the computer virus quickly affected the victims because at that time no one knew about the threat in the first place.  

How ILOVEYOU became the first global computer virus pandemic 

The ILOVEYOU virus, known as the Love Bug at that time, is described as an infectious virus that was being spread differently. Just like all viruses, it requires a ‘host file’ that needs to be activated in order for the infection to take hold. Copies of that host then need to be activated for the computer to be ruled out as “infected”. Computer viruses are also known as worms. For while a worm is self-replicating – it can spread itself by scattering multiple copies of itself across a network without any activation or human intervention. 

When the infection started on May 04, 2000, it was also the same arrival of a spammed email message in the Philippines with the subject line of ILOVEYOU with an instruction to read the attached document from a supposedly love letter from the sender. Moreover, ILOVEYOU was one of the first major computer virus outbreaks and was one of the first to determine how spam can be a time-wasting annoyance. With just an executed Visual Basic script, the opening of that love letter attachment was not a document at all and used as a smart trick to hide the effect from the victim at that time. 

The Visual Basic script file extension of .vbs was hidden by default from Windows computers. A file called “LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.txt.vbs” appeared to all its targets and tenacities to be a text document as the last file extension was not shown. By the act of opening the document, the execution of the script and the ILOVEYOU worm was set free on that computer and others it was connected to. The ILOVEYOU virus would also look under the user’s Microsoft Outlook Windows address book and send copies to all contacts. 

Historical warnings about global virus dangers were imposed way back 

According to Colin Childs, senior security architect at Octopi Managed Services, they have compiled a historical hacking archive aimed at the security researchers and members of the broader InfoSEC community. Childs was able to find a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) advisory document dated as early as September 22, 1989 – eleven years before the spread of the ILOVEYOU virus! 

As viruses spread quickly and cause widespread damage, they created a bigger risk especially for personal computers which have fewer protection features and are often used by non-technical-oriented people. To date, this has changed the way we view the Internet and how we need to be wary when it comes to opening emails from unknown senders.  

ILOVEYOU virus in today’s pandemic situation that caused a fundamental shift in cyber-threat landscape 

The ILOVEYOU virus caused a big fundamental shift in the cyber-threat landscape for all the reasons known. It is an act of cyber-attack through emotions by tricking users into a false sense of trust. The subject alone brought about curiosity from the user if it’s from someone he/she knew – and to make it worst, falling for the trick automatically affects the rest of your contact list without anyone’s knowledge at all.  

As for today’s pandemic situation, many businesses are shifting to the digital space in order to connect to their customers and continue their business operations. One such popular marketing tool companies use is email marketing, which, with one click of a button, allows mass sending of emails to a client database. But with the history of ILOVEYOU comes the downside of email marketing. Instead, others have resulted to email marketing as a means to spread misinformation or to steal personal information and contact details.  

Using a Secure Hosting Solution for your business website 

Apart from personal email threats, business website owners should also know how to protect their website from malicious viruses.  

When it comes to your website security, we recommend integrating Sitelock, a malware detection software that can give website owners a heads up whenever your website is experiencing any threats.  

Just as well, and as all websites are constantly at the risk of crashes and data loss, a backup service called CodeGuard, assures that your entire website will always have an updated backup on standby, ready to be recovered in case of any losses in data. 

For businesses looking for secure business email solutions and for teams who are looking to collaborate seamlessly across different platforms and programs on the Cloud, Google’s G Suite or Microsoft’s Office 365 might just be the solution for you. Not only can iManila help set up your business emails but we can also provide 24/7 support for any technical needs and concerns. 

And finally, for good measure, always make sure that your website is secure by integrating a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate. Having a valid and integrated SSL on your website gives users the security they need when leaving their contact details on your website.  

Having been in the IT industry for more than 23 years, iManila can help you improve your website security and your business emails with a variety of solutions. Trust that with us, you can sleep soundly knowing that you have a partner to help you keep your website and emails secure. Know more about our Hosting solutions here: https://imanila.ph/hosting/. If you want to learn more, drop us an email at [email protected].