January 2015 - SiteVision

New SiteVision Data Center Upgrades Give Customers a Powerful Speed, Security and Environment Boost.

ROANOKE, VA January 20, 2015: A powerful new SiteVision data center is now in place – good news for customers. The infrastructure upgrades and enhancements improve overall stability, power, internet speeds, environment and security – a win-win situation for all SiteVision customers. The infrastructure enhancements create a new primary facility with a separate optional backup and disaster recovery operation and services.

The new data center features fiber-optic reliability and scalable speeds to provide existing and new customers with state-of-the-art bandwidth whether their need is minimal or bandwidth-intensive. It also features a cutting edge, national fiber-optic backbone for exceptional connectivity and minimal downtime. Advanced backup battery and generator power translate into exceptionalpower conditioning and longevity during power outages. Content Delivery Network (CDN) users can also expect outstanding performance with the enhanced network connections

Overall, existing customers will experience a new level of high performance, consistent throughput, speed and availability. Additional power, battery and generator infrastructures have been designed to provide fail-safe power with maximum multi-level redundancy features. An 8-line, in-out national internet backbone provides additional security and access. New internal and external network components feature high performance network throughput to address any potential for bandwidth or network bottlenecks.

New Backup & Failover Solutions

With the new data center in place, SiteVision can offer a wide variety of specialized backup and fail-over solutions based on specific customer needs and requirements. If customer website, server and applications call for 100 percent uptime and are user-critical – SiteVision can provide a custom solution as simple or complex as is required. Among offerings are full systems-site backups and fail-over to SQL mirroring, code replication, DNS monitoring with Round-Robin DNS, and disaster recovery options such as offsite tape or disk backup.

New Virtualization Solutions

SiteVision has also been busy upgrading and implementing new and improved virtual server solutions built on the power and stability of the Citrix XenServer Virtual Server Solution. These upgrades provide many features to minimize downtime while offering new enhancements and scalability.

Among features are:

Live Migration – Allows us to migrate the virtual server to one of many host servers without shutting down the server. If there is a problem with the current host server, Citrix will automatically move a virtual server to a host without the need to reboot.
Load Balancing – This allows us to utilize multiple host servers to spread out the load of the individual Virtual servers and dynamically allocate resources as needed.
Network Security – Allows us to assign multiple addresses and VLANS to specific virtual servers for added security
Scalability – We can upgrade and add resources to any virtual server as needed at any given time based on usage such as CPU, memory and hard drive Space.

All virtualization services are integrated with a new Dell PowerVault Storage San that includes redundant modules including: logic boards, network Interfaces, RAID hard drives and power supplies.

Combined – customers can anticipate stellar uptime for all web applications and services hosted by SiteVision. Consultations are always free of charge.

As a SOC 1 SAE 16 Type II compliant firm, new and existing customers with sensitive requirements can look to the firm for compliance standards that meet required security, trust, service and processing protocols.

About SiteVision: SiteVision, Inc. (www.sitevision.com) is an Internet application development, consulting, design and hosting firm providing solutions for a broad spectrum of markets and industries, as well as for state, federal and international entities. Expertise includes custom, back-end dynamic applications, consulting to achieve unique goals, geographic information systems (GIS), content management systems, hosting services including, map and GIS application hosting, as well as custom and dedicated hosting solutions.

SiteVision, Inc. participates in, or is available through, the following state and federal contracting vehicles:

Virginia VITA CAI Supplier, Managed Staff Augmentation Services Contract (VA-051123-CAI)
Virginia VITA Supplier, Hosting Services Contract
Virginia eVa Procurement as a sub-contractor to various state and federal private contractor entities
State and Federal Sole-source Contracting

The firm has its home office in Roanoke, VA, with sales offices in Charlottesville, VA and Miami, FL.

SiteVision News & Tips: January 2015

New SiteVision Data Center Gives Customers A Powerful Speed, Security and Environment Boost.

While we will be issuing a separate update with the full details, our recent infrastructure investment means that a powerful new data center with a fiber optic backbone is now in place for outstanding connectivity, increased security and minimal downtime. Stay tuned! We’ll be back in a few days with the full details!

2015 Forecasts See
Big Emphasis On IT

If you haven’t noticed, (and we’re sure you have) Information Technology is moving at warp speed. As Gartner releases early 2015 forecasts, IT continues apace to move up the corporate ladder for its ability to play a critical role in business successes or failures. The traditional IT utilitarian role is being challenged and amplified by important new opportunities within a digital framework. And it’s far more than hardware as IT and traditional marketing share common concerns and potential in the years ahead.

So what’s ahead for 2015 and beyond? For small business or large, it’s increasingly obvious that the digital age is well upon us, and those who ignore its pervasive influence do so at their peril. Gartner gives us their take:

Top Technology Trends For 2015

Gartner defines these trends as those that will have significant corporate and organizational impact within the next three years. So get ready to check your pulse!

Computing Everywhere: While the predominant thrust to date has been on the physical creation of mobile devices, a parallel track will be creating environments where mobile users (and their devices) can flourish and be adequately managed in a diverse and complex environment.

The Internet of Things (IoT): The digitization of data and services creates what Gartner calls four basic models – Manage, Monetize, Operate and Extend. They stress that such a model applies not only to the creation of new physical devices and their operating software, but to existing hard or soft assets that can be extended or repurposed to leverage additional revenue streams. Examples might be creating subscription based models of an existing asset and/or creating pay-per-use opportunities for people, places, and things.

3D Printing: This industry is expected to grow by 98 percent next year, and with it a litany of industrial, biomedical, and consumer applications.

Advanced, Pervasive and Invisible Analytics: analyzing, filtering and maximizing volume data to create precise delivery models.

Context-Rich Systems: imbedded intelligence for agile response to specific user requests or needs

Smart Machines: machines that act autonomously and responsively to their environments and demands.

Cloud/Client Computing: flexible, scalable, elastic applications deliverable to and from the cloud.

Software-Defined Applications and Infrastructure: agile programming to deliver software with sophisticated flexibility to move from static to dynamic environments and requirements.

Web Scale IT: an evolving dedication by larger enterprise to concentrate on building extensive cloud based services and infrastructure.

Risk Based Security and Self Protection: A layered, sophisticated approach with security aware applications knowing that there is no such thing as being 100% safe.

Top CEO Technology Investments
For The Next Five Years

According to Gartner’s 2014 Gartner CEO and Senior Executive Survey embracing a digital future is key to performance for the next five years. A late 2013 useful (& free) version of the study is available here. While both surveys gathered the opinions of top executives from firms with revenue of $250M or more, savvy firms of all sizes can take heed!

In a nutshell, there’s no doubt that CEOs are recognizing the importance of applying technology much more aggressively in the future, as well as placing a higher value on the CIO function.

Whereas in prior years the IT function was primarily utilitarian, the new emphasis incorporates and emphasizes innovation and the strategic deployment of digital technologies to enhance revenue streams. As Gartner suggests, this may create some churn within the marketing-traditional IT function as each is challenged to become something more.

Image by Tiffani Bova, Vice President and Distinguished Analyst at Gartner

Quick Takes

12 of the best new features in Android Lollipop

Gmail Adds Support For Attaching Actual Drive Files

Apple Pushes Out 1st Ever Automatic Security Update

The New Wave Of Privacy Profiteers.

CES: World’s Largest Gadget & Tech Event Kicks Off Jan 6

Microsoft Update Blunders Out of Control?

Why SiteVision?

We’re your advocate. SiteVision has been providing web development and hosting services to government agencies and non-profit organizations for over 20 years. We understand how overwhelming it can be to seek out a reliable solution for you website, custom application, and hosting needs.

At SiteVision we are passionate about creating solutions for customers that make their life better. We excel at understanding your business process and developing an application that is easy to learn and operate. We will always be fair, knowledgeable, honest, and professional.

Work With Us