Co-location is one of a range of services offered by most hosting providers. The most basic hosting account just hosts a web site on one of their standard configured servers, often with several other web services customers. This has the advantage of being inexpensive for you and simpler for the hosting provider to handle – they have a standardized server that they use, which makes it easy to back things up for all their clients.

If all the clients using standardized hosting packages are low bandwidth, or low CPU usage clients, this is all well and good…and it is cheaper for the hosting provider to handle, and they charge less for it accordingly.

The next step up is a dedicated server. In this configuration, you are paying for a single server that hosts your web site (or web sites) rather than sharing a standardized hosting package. It costs a bit more (and often times a fair bit more) because the cost of the hardware and how it runs isn’t being spread over multiple clients. Dedicated servers are also pre-configured to whatever your hosting provider considers the "normal package" of software, whether it has got SQL database support or a CMS.

Where most people move on from dedicated servers to co-location arrangements is when they need software or support that goes beyond what the standards are for their hosting provider. The typical example of this is wanting to use a specific set of customer service related applications (such as a customer relations management package, or a specific type of software for handling shopping cart and secure shopping applications). The simplest solution for the hosting provider is to clearly differentiate between what the customer has installed, and what they will support, and let the customer have a nearly free reign to install software as needed within those boundaries.

This type of co-location package is typical for server virtualization needs, although advanced virtualization is making co-location of dedicated servers less and less necessary. (Server virtualization is software that allows multiple operating systems to run virtually on a server, either multiple copies of the same operating system running different dedicated apps, or, in some of the more dedicated and challenging systems, different operating systems running on the same platform. From the perspective of a remote user, multiple virtual servers are nearly impossible to distinguish from multiple dedicated hardware setups.

There are other benefits to co-location arrangements. In many cases, you will own the server directly (this was the original meaning of a co-location agreement; now, many times, the hardware is leased from your provider and configured to your needs, the better to take advantage of economies of scale in both hardware purchasing and service and maintenance packages). Owning the server directly gives you some additional legal rights, including the ability to take dedicated control of the server and its data.

The other benefits of a co-location agreement are mostly physical. In particular for small organizations, co-location of a server means that there will always be support staff on hand, which is a significant improvement over manning your own server IT staff department. On top of this, most hosting providers providing co-location services offer better fire protection and physical protection of the servers themselves; the buildings are more secure, they have better (and electronics friendly) fire suppression systems and dedicated climate control, along with centralized backups.

By: Derek Rogers

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For Business Internet Services including Co-location, he recommends Iconnyx.

Technorati Tags: co-locating a dedicated server, CSM, hosting packages, server virtualization, SQL DataBase, support staff

Many people falsely assume that small laptops aren’t powerful laptops, or that small laptops could not possibly be as feature-rich as their larger competitors, but anyone who believes these false assumptions have not met the Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop. The Acer Aspire One is an 8.9 inch LCD, 160GB HDD, 1GB RAM White Laptop Computer that weighs a mere 2.78 lbs and offers amazing transportability.

Regardless of whether you are checking your e-mail, managing your online accounts or having a conversation with your friends, this surprisingly transportable Aspire One laptop offers an operating system that is simple and intuitive, clearly organizing everything that you need in order to effectively surf the internet, get your work done or simply have some fun.

Battery Life – This is one of the greatest elements of the Acer Aspire One. As far as battery life is concerned, you will be surprised when you see how long this battery can go for. I’ve taken my laptop out of the house expecting to lose power within an hour or so. After playing my favorite video game for four hours straight, I closed it down and found that I still had a surprising hour and fifteen minutes worth of battery life to take advantage of.

Look and Feel – My Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop attracts crowds beyond my imagination. Most people assume I am playing with a DVD player until I start playing games or my laptop starts throwing off chat sounds. If you are looking for a small, portable and visually attractive laptop computer, then the produces created by Acer are a good way to go. The Acer Aspire One is my favorite laptop by far, and it continues to blow my mind when I take it out and watch everyone get excited at it.

The key specifications are enough to give a clear indication of how awesome this small, portable laptop really is.

Processor – Intel Atom Processor N270

Memory – 1024MB DDR2 533MHz SDRAM

OS – Windows XP Home

Monitor – 8.9" WSVGA CrystalBrite LED Backlight LCD Display

Hard Drive – 160GB 5400RPM SATA

Weight – 2.78 lbs

Measurement – 9.8"L x 6.7"W x 1.42"H

Ports – 3 – USB 2.0, VGA Connector, RJ45-Ethernet and AC Adaptor Connector

Included Accessories – 4GB USB flash drive, 6-cell LI-ion battery, user guide, Power adaptor, Power cord and USB mouse

Pre-Installed Software – Acer Recovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe Reader, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Microsoft Office Trial 2007

If you are looking for a small and portable laptop that is visually stunning and really packs a punch in terms of functionality, then the Acer Aspire One Mini laptop is the way to go. This laptop will give you the capability and functionality that you need, regardless of whether you are looking for a laptop offering work functionality or a nice gaming rig. No matter what you need, this is an excellent laptop for you if portability is important.

By: Brandi Yates

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Here you can get the best price on an Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop Save money on this great mini laptop and save time because the Acer Aspire One is getting hard to find in stores.

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 Different Types of Computers

Computers have revolutionized all types of industries. They have proved a boon to mankind. What are the different types of computers? To know them all, read on…

A computer is one of the most brilliant inventions of mankind. Thanks to the computer technology, we were able to achieve an efficient storage and processing of data; we could rest our brains by employing computer memory capacities for storage of the information. Owing to computers, we have been able speed up daily work, carry out critical transactions and achieve accuracy and precision in work output. The computers of the earlier years were of the size of a large room and were required to consume huge amounts of electric power. However, with the advancing technology, computers have shrunk to the size of a small watch. Depending on the processing powers and sizes of computers, they have been classified under various types. Let us look at the classification of computers.

Different types of Computers

Based on the operational principle of computers, they are categorized as analog computers and hybrid computers.

Analog Computers: These are almost extinct today. These are different from a digital computer because an analog computer can perform several mathematical operations simultaneously. It uses continuous variables for mathematical operations and utilizes mechanical or electrical energy.

Hybrid Computers: These computers are a combination of both digital and analog computers. In this type of computers, the digital segments perform process control by conversion of analog signals to digital ones.

Following are some of the other important types of computers.

Mainframe Computers: Large organizations use mainframes for highly critical applications such as bulk data processing and ERP. Most of the mainframe computers have the capacities to host multiple operating systems and operate as a number of virtual machines and can thus substitute for several small servers.

Microcomputers: A computer with a microprocessor and its central processing unit is known as a microcomputer. They do not occupy space as much as mainframes. When supplemented with a keyboard and a mouse, microcomputers can be called as personal computers. A monitor, a keyboard and other similar input output devices, computer memory in the form of RAM and a power supply unit come packaged in a microcomputer. These computers can fit on desks or tables and serve as the best choices for single-user tasks.

Personal computers come in a variety of forms such as desktops, laptops and personal digital assistants. Let us look at each of these types of computers.

Desktops: A desktop is intended to be used on a single location. The spare parts of a desktop computer are readily available at relative lower costs. Power consumption is not as critical as that in laptops. Desktops are widely popular for daily use in workplaces and households.

Laptops: Similar in operation to desktops, laptop computers are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use. Laptops run on a single battery or an external adapter that charges the computer batteries. They are enabled with an inbuilt keyboard, touch pad acting as a mouse and a liquid crystal display. Its portability and capacity to operate on battery power have served as a boon for mobile users.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs): It is a handheld computer and popularly known as a palmtop. It has a touch screen and a memory card for storage of data. PDAs can also be effectively used as portable audio players, web browsers and smart phones. Most of them can access the Internet by means of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication.

Minicomputers: In terms of size and processing capacity, minicomputers lie in between mainframes and microcomputers. Minicomputers are also called mid-range systems or workstations. The term began to be popularly used in the 1960s to refer to relatively smaller third generation computers. They took up the space that would be needed for a refrigerator or two and used transistor and core memory technologies. The 12-bit PDP-8 minicomputer of the Digital Equipment Corporation was the first successful minicomputer.

Supercomputers: The highly calculation-intensive tasks can be effectively performed by means of supercomputers. Quantum physics, mechanics, weather forecasting, molecular theory are best studied by means of supercomputers. Their ability of parallel processing and their well-designed memory hierarchy give the supercomputers, large transaction processing powers.
Wearable Computers: A record-setting step in the evolution of computers was the creation of wearable computers. These computers can be worn on the body and are often used in the study of behavior modeling and human health. Military and health professionals have incorporated wearable computers into their daily routine, as a part of such studies. When the users’ hands and sensory organs are engaged in other activities, wearable computers are of great help in tracking human actions. Wearable computers are consistently in operation as they do not have to be turned on and off and are constantly interacting with the user.

These were some of the different types of computers available today. Looking at the rate of the advancement in technology, we can definitely look forward to many more types of computers in the near future.

By Manali Oak Published: 9/13/2008

Technorati Tags: analog computers, desktops, different tupes of computers, hybrid computers, laptops, mainframe computers, microcomputers, minicomputers, PDA's

 This post was submmitted on the blog but was deleted per mistake. I was able to find the video on YouTube so, the post is back and you can go ahead and watch it

Technorati Tags: the machine is using us, Web 2.0

Not too many years ago, no one ever thought of having more than one computer in the home. Now that we are so dependent upon them, it is a common thing for home to have multiple computers. Before the blink of an eye, there are seven computers in the house yet there is only one printer and just one Internet connection. How is everyone going to be kept happy and productive?

The answer is to set up a network! This is none other than a group of computer components connected together with a router, hub and switch which gives its users the ability to share resources. These resources are some of the most integral parts of computer use. A network is much like a spider web. That is the basic reason why the Internet is often called the World Wide Web. Signals are constantly flowing along the network. Unlike a spider web, a computer network sends and receives those disturbances in the form of ‘packets’. Although there are other ways to perform the same function, almost all networks today operate as explained below.

On the network, the software and hardware cooperate to pass those packets.These packets are chunks of information that contain your data that is wrapped in control information. The control data allows the computers and the routers to know where and how to send your data. In most commercial and home networks, the method uses IP or Internet Protocol. Every device on the network is assigned an address such as 206.121.34.148. When you are talking about using a computer in the home these addresses are typically in the range of: 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255, or 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255, or 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255

These are what are known as Private Addresses since they are not able to be sent unmodified over the public networks that make up the Internet. These are used by computer, routers and peripherals in your home network. These same address ranges are also used by private commercial networks. An NAT, or network address translation, and coupled with the use of a boundary router allows many companies and homes to use the same range without unintentionally passing information to and from one another over the Internet.

It may happen that your computer may have quite a different address such as 70.31.192.243. This is often true because a single computer that is connected to the Internet gets an address that is assigned by the ISP or Internet Service Provider. You then do not really have only a home network, but you are considered to be a paying customer of a commercial network. When every device, computer, router and printer, is assigned its own address, the software as well as the hardware can ascertain where the data is coming from and when it should go. This is called communication without confusion.

The router software along with the hardware, routes the data to and from the proper devices using those addresses. The method is almost exactly the same as the postal system when it routes letters from one home or business to another.

By: Joseph Nyamache

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Here is a list of the top affiliate marketing directory for affiliate marketers Joseph Nyamache will help you identify the best niche affiliate marketing program

Technorati Tags: computer network, computer network at home, networking at home, setting up a computer network

The hilarious video here above made me laugh. But is this guy joking or did he really ask for $0.25 from every one and got it? Needing $5.000 for a new computer and creating a funny video in order to get the cash is actually both funny and a smart way to save some money…

Granted, I would send him $0.25 for the funny video and the laughter it caused, no pain for me, while it will be a gain for him if at least each and every one of the 50.000 viewers would do the same. And if only 1 in 2 would send him the $0.25 than he would need 100.000 viewers that do want to send him the quarter.

Do you give some exchange to beggars on a regular bases? I often do, and without the need of being funny, as non of these people are actually there for the fun. Most are depressed, and some are ashamed, and others are looking at you in an angry way, like you had something to do with their misfortune.

The begging online is a totally different world though. People tend to dare more online because they feel safe behind their desks and can remain anonymous. They employ also all the available gadgets and software, such as mobile phone and other types of cameras. The question is – do they really need what they are asking for, or do they simply want to see how much they will be able to get if they go ahead and try?

Technorati Tags: begging for a new computer, begging helps if it's funny, begging online, hilarious video

LAN, WAN and MAN…all sound like jargon…which is what they are. These are different types of computer networks and something each one of us should be aware of.

First of lets start by discussing what a computer network is. As defined by Wikipedia: " A computer network is two or more computers connected together using a telecommunication system for the purpose of communication and sharing resources". Ask any computer network expert to simplify this definition to you and you will start a debate on how it should not be just two computers but three. This argument is best left alone.

Simply put a network is a means of communication between computers. Within a given network, computers can send files, emails and other correspondence to each other. Even things like instant messaging, is set up within a computer’s network. These days we take these basic things for granted, but intense network designing has gone into it.

Types of Computer Network

There are two basic types of computer Networks:

• LAN: LAN or Local Area Network is the most common kind of network set up. There are two ways to connect a LAN network. The simplest and easiest way is the peer-to-peer connection network. This is when two or more computers are directly connected to each other. For example if there were four computers in the network, computer 1 would be connected to computer 2, computer 2 would be connected to computer 3 and computer 3 would be connected to computer 4. This means each computer is dependent on the other. And if there were a network problem with any one computer, all of them would be affected. The other type if the client server connection. This is the type of connection where all the computers in a given network are connected to one central computer. This is a more complicated network but one that is much more efficient that peer-to-peer.
• WAN: WAN or Wide Area Network is when several LANs or independent computers are connected to a single, wider network. The Internet is the perfect example of WAN. Emails, Chat Rooms and IMs all connect to the WAN of the Internet. WAN is much more complex and requires connecting devices or hubs from all over the world.

Computer Networking Design Tips

Networks and network servers need to be designed according to the requirement of the organization. Here are some tips for Computer networking design:

• Server Processor: the processor is to the network what the heart is to the body. It is what processes all the activities of the network. Pentium Processors are superior processors for use in network designing.
• Hard Disk: Hard disks are where all the data is stored permanently. While selecting a hard disk for a network, consider the Smart Monitoring and Reporting Technology, as this is what will be monitoring the hard drives. Provide the network with a hot swap disk drive that can replace the faulty hard disk.
• Clustering: This is an environment created on the network when two or more servers operate as a single server. This is so as to encourage performance, reliability and load balancing.
• Memory Performance: while you are selecting the memory for the network in progress consider Error Correcting Code technology, this fixes and repairs errors of single and multi bit varieties.
• Power Supply: there is a need for multi-power supply while designing a network. This is done so that in the case of failure of one source of power supply there is always another available.
• UPS: there is a need for UPS or Uninterrupted power supply for networks so as to balance any sudden jerks in electricity that can cause damage to the network and server.
• Cooling fans: every server set up in the network needs a cooling system and this is what the cooling fans do inside the server.
• Computer Monitoring Hardware: this is a designed adapter that monitors the performance of the various parts of the hardware of the computer.
• Computer Monitoring Software: there are thousands of computers monitoring software available in the market to monitor the performance of the server and the other computers in the network.
• Data Server Location: the network server needs to be placed in an environment that is dust-free, has a capacity for cooling and should be clean. And this location should be accessible to authorized personnel.

By Khushnuma Irani Published: 12/18/2007

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