Monthly Archive for August, 2008

1&1 Fails MS Exchange Update

Published on August 8, 2008 in Uncategorized

Hosting provider 1&1 Internet has had trouble updating its Microsoft email platform leaving customers without access to web mailboxes for more than 24 hours, according to UK-based technology news website the Register.

After readers informed the Register about the problem, the website contacted 1&1 and received an email response apologizing for and explaining the disruption.

According to the statement, the problem arose when 1&1 was updating Microsoft Outlook Web Access software. “Following preparations for an update to new software for Microsoft Exchange 2007 Front-end, one server serving the Outlook front-end has partly been inaccessible as a result of a change in its IP address,” the statement read. “The IP address of this server was apparently made available too late for some DNS servers for some ISPs, resulting in some hundred customers using these DNS servers not being able to access their mailbox via Outlook Web Access.”

While 1&1 reported that a large majority of DNS servers already incorporated the change, due to different DNS server configurations, some users experienced slow performance. They noted that customers with such an issue should attempt to refresh their DNS cache with the command “IPCONFIG/flushdns.” They also suggested that another way to cope with the problem would be to use a different mail-client than OWA until the DNS-server has been fully updated.

According to 1&1, no customers using Linux mail servers or MailExchange customers have been affected.

NetSol Launches New Website

Published on August 6, 2008 in Uncategorized

Domain registrar and web hosting provider Network Solutions announced last Thursday that it has launched its new corporate website.

Located at About.NetworkSolutions.Com, the company says the new website illustrates the company’s philosophy, people and products in a comprehensive and personal way.

“Our goal with the new corporate website is to make it easier to learn more about what Network Solutions does,” says Michele Krisanda, VP corporate communications for Network Solutions. “Whether you are interested in joining our team, in learning about how we can help your business, or in learning more from one of our talented leaders, Network Solutions’ people are here to help.”

The corporate site includes a “Who We Are, What We Do” section and a page outlining career opportunities and the benefits of working with the company. Interestingly, the company says the images on the website are photographs of some of the people currently working as part of the Network Solutions team.

Along with information on careers and personnel, the new corporate site also includes news about recent developments within the company and a section on Network Solutions’ philanthropy and community involvement initiatives.

The corporate site reflects Network Solutions’ behind the scenes identity as “a passionate, customer-focused, friendly, helpful, professional, and knowledgeable organization,” says the company.

This may certainly be the case, but isn’t necessarily how the hosting provider has always been regarded in the public eye, especially considering it has long been criticized for engaging in front-running – the practice where an individual registers a domain name for the purpose of tasting, immediately after someone else has conducted a search for that domain.

In February, the company was named in a federal class action lawsuit regarding this practice.

Drawing on more than 29 years of experience, says the company, Network Solutions is a “leading provider of e-business solutions and the pioneer of the domain name registration service” offering web hosting, web design, e-commerce software, search engine marketing, SSL certificates, email services and domain name registration.

Verio Most Reliable In July: Netcraft

Published on August 1, 2008 in Uncategorized

Hosting service provider Verio was the most reliable hosting company site in July 2008, closely followed by European telecommunications company Tiscali, beating out Aplus which fell from its top position last month, landing at 17, according to research and security firm Netcraft.

Verio had ranked number nine in June. A long-time technological innovating company, at the end of June, Verio added Wendy Pearson as senior director of marketing and communications to spearhead its marketing initiatives. Hoping to breathe new life into the brand, Pearson explained Verio’s more focused marketing strategy to theWHIR at HostingCon 2008.

In second place, Italy-based Tiscali operates its main site from Apache running on a Linux operating system. Tiscali markets its offerings mostly in Italy, the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Tiscali announced Thursday it has partnered with data center operator Equinix, helping to strengthen its presence in the French and German markets.

Their core business is providing internet access, with two million ADSL subscribers in the UK and Italy. Tiscali had the most reliable hosting company site in February this year.

Out of July’s top ten hosting companies, six run Linux on their main sites, including Verio and Tiscali. New York Internet uses FreeBSD and Go Daddy uses Windows Server 2003.

Netcraft’s ranking system is based on the number of failed requests. With performance measurements are made at 15-minute intervals from separate points on the globe, Netcraft measures the response times and averages the results each day. The percentage of failed requests, according to Netcraft, is more important to customers than outages on hosting companies’ own sites because it gives a pointer to reliability of routing.