WordPress is one of the content management tools that is more friendly, offering total freedom for programmers to use creativity in time to prepare the templates for the site.

While it offers a number of configuration options, each customization can help you to do extra work and save time which can be used in managing the content of the website or blog. It is preferable to use specific plugins to perform tasks like making a post sticky or view the most popular posts and etc.

Here are some of the essential plugins that can simplify the management of your site.

WP-Sticky

The WP-Sticky has a simple function which is widely used by many blogs. With it you can set a particular post to stay on the homepage of the site, thus ignoring the chronological order. Through it,  you can create a post of honor and let it always remain in sight.

Popular Posts

The Popular Post plugin lists your most popular posts, using the number of votes and the number of comments they received as a parameter.

Related Posts

with the Related Posts, you may include at the end of each post, a list of other posts related to the subject matter. It offers a great way to introduce your reader to a range of other posts on your site that cannot be found by the readers.

WP-Polls

With the WP-Polls, you can easily create surveys to extract feedback from your readers. This plugin uses an AJAX script that makes the voting process simple and intuitive, and the user does not need to reload the web page.

Cforms

The cforms plugin is ideal for collecting information from its users. It has a very user-friendly configuration interface that allows the creation of forms with unlimited fields, and rely on AJAX and validations and submit their responses by email.

A precautionary term, CAPTCHA is nothing but a fully computerized communal touring test to be implemented during on line form submission process. The purpose behind such a development is to avoid unwanted emails that might be sent intentionally in view of spamming. Simply as a forbidden step initially, CAPTCHA signs up for consequent web site accounts and to be unrecognizable, usually, captcha is made up of a combination of somehow fuzzy and random letters, surrounded by a mixture of background colours.

Most recently, under the concept of modern captcha, to be most effective, not only unrecognizable but also unfeasible captcha images are generated. Due to formulation of entirely crowded cluster of strings, these images become enough efficient to remain impracticable to identify always.

Under the captcha mechanism, an indiscriminate string has been generated illogically by assembling content and information together and the whole mixture has been entrenched into images. Ultimately the mixture as a captcha, stored in the session or cookies of the web pages has been verified by users during online form filling process.

Flow chart for captcha mechanism as follows:

• Creating indiscriminate text
• Encrypting image throughout by written text
• Storing image in a session/cookie
• Demonstrating image during form filling.
• Accepting and substantiating user input after matching.
• Submitting form

Realistic uses of captcha as follows:

• Prohibition of “comment spam” in user blogs.
• Defensive website registration through anticipation of bots, as for spaming purpose only many accounts can be registered using these “bots” only.
• Protection of email addresses from “Scrapers”, scraper is a software bot that searches the Internet for email addresses in plain text.
• Helps in preventing Dictionary Attacks.

Important aspects need to be included into cloud computing strategy are diversification and Redundancy. As while transferring data on the net, it is required to extend both data and applications along with different providers. This is because in case of small business, all applications can be disturbed if any vendor locks out all these. So as a preventive measure it’s always essential to select different vendors for different data and applications, which is known as “diversification”.

As we know that to be positioned up, building redundancy is very essential for any business. Provision of a nice backup facility in any business, helps in achieving redundancy.

A domain name is always required.

As per the requirement of a domain name for branding, smart strategy includes DNS provider as an intermediary between the domain registrar and hosting provider. Such a service where DNS can be made easy, helps to cope with the DNS as well as makes a proper DNS ready in case of a failure. Thus, the DNS of a business domain can be controlled entirely by means of such a deal.

In case of locking out, either the strategy of failing over of DNS can be managed or DNS server can be changed manually. Also here, the business owner could receive emails constantly and easily by shifting the MX records to a new provider by means of a smaller TTL value of MX records and main website record, simply by ensuring a broadcasting of DNS records within very less time.

NOTE:

In the Domain Name System, a resource record specifying a mail server is called A mail exchanger record (MX record) which handles email messages on behalf of a recipient’s domain.

Routing of email by means of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is specified by the set of MX records of a domain name only.

Objectives of any business can be achieved through excellent customer service and different types of services are provided by following Cloud Service Models:

1. SaaS (Software as a Service):

A software release model, SAAS is hosted centrally in the cloud along with its allied data and can be accessible through users by means of web a browser. SaaS is also referred as “on-demand software”. For many business applications such as, accounting, collaboration, customer relationship management, business enterprise resource planning, human resource management, content management and service desk management etc, SaaS becomes a general delivery model.

Usually the term SaaS can be precisely used where most of the initial application service providers focus on managing and hosting third-party independent software vendors who are capable enough to build up and run individual software. Also by means of currently used software architecture, cloud computing service providers make a separate instance of an application mandatory for each business, so, to design an application in view of providing multiple businesses and users with corresponding partitioning of data, a multi-tenant architecture as a service solution has been utilized by existing web-based software.

2. PaaS (Platform as a Service):

Using a Cloud service model called as PAAS, applications can be used effortlessly, exclusive of any complication regarding the cost and management of the required hardware and software. As PaaS supports the complete life cycle of building and delivering web applications and services by facilitating design, development, testing, deployment and hosting itself.
Services like team collaboration, web service integration and marshalling, database integration, security, scalability, storage, persistence, state management, facilitation of developer community, application versioning and instrumentation, etc. might be provisioned as an integrated solution over the web.

All these facilities permit customization of the existing SaaS applications which is comparable to the facility of packaged software applications such as Microsoft Word. But, every time developers and users of PaaS need to subscribe SaaS applications, in view of developing a comprehensive environment, stand-alone PaaS environment has been proposed which is free from any type of technical, licensing or financial dependencies based on specific SaaS applications or web services. Still, some PaaS  applications require improvement in the development, debugging and testing capabilities to provide hosting-level services such as security and on-demand scalability etc.

In PaaS, under the concept of Open platform as a service, developers can use any programming language, database, operating system and server too.

3. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service):

To release infrastructure as a fully outsourced service, IaaS is a capital investment-sourced model. As by means of IaaS, all the resources like servers, software licenses, data center space and network equipment etc can be purchased by clients as fully outsourced service only. Hence concerning the customer’s significant project, IaaS through a dedicated hosting environment is the most stout, safe and sound policy.

Advantages of IaaS:

1. Dynamic scaling: capability of scaling up and down the various resource aspects in close to real time, according to varying business requirements.

2. Usage-based pricing: This strategy of IAAS helps customers in purchasing the precise infrastructure which may be required at any particular time by ensuring “just pay for what you use”.

3. Reduced capital and personnel costs: Reduced in-house infrastructure considerably eliminates capital expenditures and enduring cost for workforce and enables any organization to concentrate on core competencies in view of developing and filtering market product offerings more willingly than purchasing hardware accessories.

4. Access to superior IT resources: Unaffordable Enterprise-grade IT infrastructure and engineering resources become accessible to IaaS users.

The term web hosting, more commonly abbreviated as “hosting” means the practice of hosting one or more websites on a web server, accessible over the network and then viewed by online users.

The web hosting is a service provided by millions of companies worldwide who are called “Web Hosting Provider” or simply “hosting provider”. The owners of web hosting allow a website to have a space with certain characteristics (disk space, monthly bandwidth, email accounts, databases and other services). Within this space all web pages, images and general content required for the operation of the website are saved: a domain, such as www.esds.co.in is connected to this space so that the site is publicly accessible.

The web hosting services are hosted on servers, and these in turn reside in particular physical structures called Data Center, designed to have low temperatures and ensure continuity of service, so that websites will always remain visible.

The web hosting providers usually provide different levels of web hosting services that include:

• Dedicated Server
• virtual servers
• colocation web hosting services
• cloud hosting and applications hosting

How Many Web Hosting Companies Are There?

Currently in India, as well as in the rest of the world, there are thousands of companies that provide web hosting services: the distinction between them is mainly due to the fact that each decides to host their servers in a different nation.

These are real companies that work with staff specializing in providing customer service and maintenance of servers online: this type of activity is not performed with the same quality from all operators, and this leads to a differentiation of solutions and prices in the web hosting market.

Please refer to the section on choosing a web hosting company for all information and advice when purchasing a web hosting service.

Key Features Of  A Web Hosting Service

We conclude this brief introduction to web hosting services, listing what are the elements that are usually included in a web hosting service. A web hosting service is built with a number of features and technical elements:

Domain name: (such as www.esds.co.in) to associate the web space (website)
Web Space: 50 MB up to 20/30 GB of space to publish the files
Monthly bandwidth: the amount of bandwidth that we can use for our account
Subdomains: it is shaped as webhosting.esds.co.in, restricted or limited in number
Control Panel: software that allows you to manage your account
E-mail boxes: vary in the number and size available (these services usually also include Antivirus and Antispam)
Databases: MySQL, SQL Server or other types used
Statistics: a tool to monitor the access and visits to the pages of our website
Supported languages: PHP to Ruby on Rails, specify what types of programming languages that we use to write the pages of our website
WebMail: A tool to view your email online, in your browser.

Conclusion

In this article we have seen what is meant by web hosting. Services are often very complex and within them, as we have seen, there are dozens of different characteristics. Use our search engine, on top of this page, for the information and terms that you are not clear about.

1. Business value:

Flexibility and ability of matching the cost of the service to the consumption, differentiates cloud computing from other internet services and though critical, this feature creates a new value for business services and enables to develop new business models which have never been tried till now, as Cloud is not a kind of resource expense which can be replaced by means of working costs.

2. Service deployment:

The strength of cloud computing is instantaneous output, as customers can get service within a few minutes only.  But, payment has not been done instantly all the way through typical manual itself.

3. Self-service deployment:

Spontaneous and well defined service provided by cloud computing, can be utilized independently by customers.
All these core fundamentals imply a fully automated service provisioning and for the consumer it means, “Service is in your hand take or leave it!”

Cloud computing, as a service in the form of “IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service)” and “PAAS (Platform as a Service)” by means of Infrastructure and Platform, are evolutionary steps to change its deployment model and the business value in very thoughtful ways. As cloud computing is a completely new part of IT portfolio, just washing up the pre-existing services with a cloud doesn’t make any sense. It’s very important to focus on the things that make cloud computing, original and distinctive in every way.

Now a days as a part of a rapid growth, the traditional concept has been replaced by on-demand service, and that’s why, genuine prospective of SaaS (Software as a Service), has been not fulfilled in a proper way. As in fact, existing products are simply rebranded or just repackaged by vendors.

Similarly, to profit from the wave of cloud computing, pre existing features of cloud computing have been rebranded without any proper functionality. To do this all, concept of Cloud washing is implemented by vendors to convince decision-makers of any business or IT industry that how his strategy is useful to maintain swiftness with the latest innovations in the marketplace. Still, due to a few factors that are lacking, strategy of cloud washing has not been fully implemented yet.

For all industrial applications based on Cloud environment its very beneficial to implement the concept of Cloud scalability. For effective functioning, cloud needs to be designed with provision of everlasting abstract scalability which can be controlled by service, if included in an architecture of cloud based application.  Thus, the service itself manipulates a scalable architecture design of an application, this is why Cloud based application essentially requires scalable architecture design.

NOTE: Cloud infrastructure provides an unbounded scalability.

Requirements of a strictly scalable application as follows:

1. Automatic enhancement of resources derived from demand
2. Operationally competent enough while scaling up and down
3. Safe service
4. Fault tolerant.

Types of Cloud Computing Services Models:

As a part of business objectives, customer service can be provided by means of Cloud Service Models. Basically there are three types of Cloud Service Models as follows:

1. SaaS (Software as a Service)
2. PaaS (Platform as a Service)
3. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

Software as a service (SaaS):

In this type of model, the cloud application is highly controlled by administrative authority and the service Provider is charged for updates, development, maintenance and security. Thus, the service provider controls the final authority over the whole application and the end user is totally free from any service issues.

Example of SaaS is Gmail, where Google is the provider and we are just end users.

SaaS Component Stack and Scope of Control:

Despite of organizations and enterprises, an individual can be a subscriber or user of SaaS.
In most of the cases, calculation of usage fee depends on the number of users.

For example: Google Apps for business, individually charges fees for more than 10 users,
In SAAS, in spite of concentrating on hardware maintenance, infrastructure management, job hiring and retaining etc, center of attention needs to be the business.

Need of SAAS:

In the cloud applications, SAAS can be implemented by means of productivity and collaboration, to make the task a little bit easier for HR, PayRoll and Sales

Cloud based Storage and sharing services like Dropbox, Windows Live, Amazon S3, Google Docs and Box.net etc.

NOTE: Individual use of more than 30 Google Cloud Services is example of SAAS itself.

PaaS (Platform as a Service):

A policy to develop, test and deploy a software is practically known as platform and entire SDLC is operated on a service model called as PAAS. PaaS is dedicated to application developers, testers and administrators. Everything required to build up a cloud SaaS application, is provided by PAAS.

PaaS Component Stack and Scope of Control:

On an average, development environment, programming languages, compilers, testing tools and deployment mechanism etc are included in PaaS.

For example: In Google Apps Engine (GAE), the developer downloads the development environment, locally in the developer’s infrastructure otherwise accesses tools in the provider’s infrastructure through a browser.

Independent Software Vendors, IT Service providers or even individual developers wishing to develop SAAS, can become subscribers of PaaS.

Need of PAAS:

Developer needs to concentrate on just the application development as the platform itself takes care of everything.

IaaS:

A range of of virtual computers, cloud storage, network infrastructure components like firewalls and configuration services etc, is nothing but IaaS.

The System Administrators are the subscribers of this service and by considering per hour CPU utilization, storing of data, network bandwidth and infrastructure consumed respectively, the cost can be added and services can be used.

For example: monitoring, auto-scaling etc.

Fees structure of IAAS depends on all the above mentioned factors and can be calculated by considering each of them.

IaaS Component Stack and Scope of Control:

In case of a newly established company, IAAS can be very useful in launching any application or website.

By means of a simple and well-designed toolkit, Code igniter is a commanding PHP framework. If we consider web applications with advanced features, then to create such an application Code igniter is one of the efficient PHP Frameworks. As it makes web application always ready, learning becomes easier. Also due to the usual PHP coding it makes the code portable and only because of this, Compared to other frameworks, Code Igniter is significantly simple and fast.

Derived from the Model-View-Controller (MVC) development pattern, it is a software approach to unscramble application logic and presentation by alienating from PHP scripting. But in reality, web pages containing minimal scripting are allowable by code igniter.

MVC structure of Code igniter:

Model: Basically data is represented by model and all its functions retrieve, insert and restructure the database information as model contains data logic and also represents classes, data structures etc.

Despite the fact of data validation, validation class validates the data by defining the validating object with a few assigned rules and certain error messages that have been programmed. In case of data sent by URL, automatic validation procedure has been provided by validation object.

View: is the information- in general a web page which is accessible to users. Just like a header or footer, we can say a page scrap in Code Igniter, which can either be RSS page or any page.

Controller: is just a name of a class file linked with a URI and it is loaded by Code Igniter. But, for loading purpose not only matching of controller’s name with first segment of Url is necessary, but also first character of class name is required in upper case. Here, the parent controller class is extended and all its functions are inherited by controller class. Function of controller, need to call is determined by second segment of the URL as it loads “index” function when clears.

For example:

<?php
Class ABC extends XY_Controller {

        Public function index ()
        {
                Echo ‘Hello World!’;
        }

        public function wishes ()
        {
                echo ‘Good Morning!’;
        }
}
?>

Now, it displays “Good Morning!” after loading example.com/index.php/abc/wishes/

When either a URL is absent or just a site root URL is requested, in that case loading of Default Controller is required. Thus, effectively, Controller serves as a mediator between the Model, the View, and any other resources essential for processing the HTTP request and generating a web page.

Remapping Function Calls:

Using function remap ( ), Code Igniter overrides activity of determining controller’s calling function by second segment of the URL. A function named as remap (), is always called apart from the URL if enclosed in controller. Code igniter remaps each URL, through the URL routing feature.

Application flow of Code Igniter as follows:

Front controller initializes base resources which are mandatory to run CodeIgniter and router examines and resolves the HTTP request. Here, an existing cache file can be sent directly to the browser. Hence in security view, prior to loading of an application controller, filtering of HTTP request and user data is necessary. Model, core libraries, helpers, and any other resources, vital in processing the specific request, are loaded by Controller and final interpretation makes finalized View visible to the web browser.

But, if maintenance of model can be done inspite of additional separation and still intricacy is rising, in such a case Code Igniter has a quite loose approach to MVC pattern. Due to this reason, to build an application, just controllers and Views can be used by completely ignoring the model part itself. Also integration of own existing scripts and development of core libraries for the system can be enabled via Code Igniter only.

In short, when a framework with a small track, minimal design, outstanding performance, comprehensible documentation, variety of PHP versions and configurations is required, in such situations Code igniter is the best option as in such a framework, use of command line and specific coding rules is not restricted.

Thus, CodeIgniter Framework helps to develop rapidly, its own application which is very simple to handle and stout in functioning.

Advantages:

1. Easy and hassle-free migration from server hosting to server hosting.
2. Easy to learn, adopt and deploy
3. Easy handling and customizing.
4. A new functionality has been applied without affecting the customization at all.
5. Offers flexibility and easy management With MVC based framework.
6. Active Record Implementation is simply superb and easy to remember.
7. Provides easier configuration and customization of configuration files.
8. Facilitates easy working with a variety of developers.
9. Good collection of possessed libraries.
10. Awesome documentation of the user guide, which makes it easy for any coder to use the whole framework.
11. Enables to incorporate its own existing scripts as well as develop core libraries for the system,
12. Lightweight and extensive Thai user base

Disadvantages:

1. Its PHP based only and not very object-oriented in some parts
2. PHP4 legacy code,
3. Company-driven instead of community-driven,
4. Irregular releases,
5. Framework itself has no built-in ORM (only via 3rd party solutions).

Benefits of Code Igniter:

1. A small track and astounding presentation
2. Provision of broad compatibility along with standard hosting accounts,
3. Configuration and normal coding rules are not required
4. Depiction of straightforward solutions
5. Free from complex structures and development

Collaborative software has been intended to absorb a group of people in a job where the assigned task and goal to be achieved are same for all. The basic view behind such development is to create a collaborative working environment (CWE) in an organization. At the work place, CWE develops a cooperative atmosphere by working together and supporting each other irrespective of geographical location.

Collaborative software pertains to technical fundamentals of computer supported cooperative work; and collaboration can be official, casual, deliberate or might be unplanned too. Collaborative work system is a practical and systematic tool in view of recognizing behavioral and managerial variables related to formation of GCSCW itself. Instead of recreating every time, using robust collaborative applications, collaborative meeting can be hosted on a server which is Called as Collaborative Virtual Workstation (CVW, In such collaborative sessions, meeting can  be arranged in a virtual file cabinet and rooms, by allowing a continuous session to be joined and each user to be logged in afterward.)

Web Conferencing:

Under the concept of Web conferencing, conferencing dealings can be shared by means of locations which are isolated and information across geographically detached locations can be shared concurrently. For all the computerized meetings, training events, lectures or tiny presentations etc applications of Web conferencing; a single person or a whole group can become a member of Web conferencing throughout these applications.

According to group size, participation of a person is permissible through system requirements and obviously the group itself is supposed to handle all these requirements.

In general, system requirements relying on the vendor and service can be made possible through Internet technologies.

Features Of Web Conferencing Are As Follows:

1. Slide show presentations: – Presentation of requisite images for spectators, by means of a provision of markup tools and a remote mouse pointer for the host, to hold addressees during discussion.

2.Streaming video is provided by means of a full motion webcam, digital video camera or multi-media files for the viewers.

3. On web based logins, Web tours enables to move forward URL, the data of cookies, forms, scripts and sessions etc, to further participants, which is required throughout the website demonstration and if in the meantime users are participating.

4.The presentation activity on the client or server side is the Meeting Recording which is required for screening or distributing records.

5.Highlighting the items on the presentation slide, in the form of notes is allowed to the host or attendees by the way of Whiteboard only.

6. Sessions for existing question and answer can be arranged merely to those limited people linked to the meeting by means of Text chat which may possibly public (to all participants) or private (between 2 participants).

7. Polls and surveys, conducted by a host, by means of multiple questions with multiple choice answers are always aimed at the audience.

8. By means of screen desktop and application sharing, no matter what the host has shown presently, everything can be viewed by participants on respective screens; also the remote desktop control manipulates the host’s screen under the same application.

Technologies Of Web Conferencing:

1.VoIP:  Voice over Internet protocol is the audio technology for a completely web-based communication.

2. In the same meeting, two participants’ can be made unaware of each other by means of webinars, under concept of Hidden or anonymous participant functionality

3. Normally with elective secrecy, a variety of online facilitation tools such as brainstorming and categorization, various voting methods or prepared deliberations are provided by Electronic meeting systems (EMS). Core web conferencing functionalities such as screen sharing or voice conferencing are not supported though.
Web conferencing sessions, prescribed for interactive online workshops, are appreciable.

Benefits Of Web Conferencing Solution:

1.Without any travel cost, virtual meetings can be performed through sharing screen within multiple participants.

2.Point to Point presentations are uploaded and controlled by means of Power Point Presentation.

3.Entire conference can be managed through only a single interface under the concept of Teleconferencing.

4. Exclusive of network arrangement, the meeting can be attended by means of friendly firewalls and proxy servers, also an online meeting can be continued straight away.

5.Scheduled meetings helps to avoid delays likely to occur due to  email invitation

6 By means of understanding and testing, it is allowed for attendees to be familiar with the term, web-conference.

7. Prior to meetings, instant meetings can be conducted through ad hoc and verbal meeting invitations, in spite of sending an email.

8.  Devoid of installation and downloading process, conference involvement becomes effortless and usable instantly.

9. Adaptability ensures joining and viewing the same screen in a consecutive manner, regardless of connection speeds of different connections ranging from broadband to 64KB connections.

Online Document Sharing:

Presently in spite of paper file allotment, any PDF document or PPT format becomes sharable, by means of an organized system of electronic document management software.  A comparatively faster uploading and downloading process makes this system faster and usable. Moreover a huge file without breaking into smaller units, can be transferable using the same software and yes, of course as a result, it simplifies sharing of documents between business professionals by reducing all probable risks.

By means of such online sharing, people located remotely become capable of working together collaboratively on the same projects, as well as  data access system in the software provides safe and sound access to all documents by permitting access to just selected one in a regulated manner. Effectively, shared PDF documents can become not only accessible but also sharable from various locations.

Still, this online sharing software needs to follow a few security regulations in view of making “online sharing of documents fully secure.

Note: Features of Microsoft Word facilitate collaborative writing of documents which are simple and extremely easy to use, also a professional look to documents can be provided without any effort.

Features Of Online Sharing:

1. Track variation by means of creation of new versions for the documents.

2. In view of knowing the latest changes, online sharing system permits multiple authors, but just to modify the document- emailing that document is not permissible. As for fine work, online sharing systems strictly avoid blocking of inboxes principally in case of slow connections and if keeping track of recent changes becomes complicated for document.

3. Access to the document uploaded on the server is streamlined by the online sharing system but, collaborators can access it from multiple versions of document available online, where adding of notes and comments is allowed for Collaborators only.

4. To make online file sharing easier, all communication is coordinated by a common online project workspace to make email updates voluntary to all members.

By means of a single workspace, the entire team of collaborators can be kept informed about the recent changes made in a document.

Advantages Of Online Doc Sharing:

1. Huge files can be transferred without splitting them into smaller sized units.
2. Free document sharing and Pdf file, DOC and also PPT formats are well-designed.
3. Considerably cheaper than paper file sharing.
4. Suitable and swift process
5. eliminates the obligation to send bulky PDF files

In this fashion collaboration is very straightforward to manage and from first to last its applications like online document sharing and web conferencing etc help to manage a project in all aspects.

Storage is definitely the most complicated and costly to manage for all businesses and it is clear that a cloud approach and use of sustainable infrastructure is essential to prepare for future developments and the exponential growth of data, while remaining flexible and avoiding high costs for infrastructure.

Small and medium enterprises trust again the new technologies and cloud services, but this is rapidly changing and employers must be educated about the benefits of cloud computing and security guarantee provided by these services . The false fears derived from this innovation should not preclude the possibility of saving, making your company more competitive.

From the perspective of the end user of online storage services, it is increasingly necessary to manage documents while on the move, this is evident if we think about the success of companies worldwide, with a simple application that stores data on eMagic, which has definitely revolutionized the use of cloud storage and increased the volume of private data that today can handle everything online.

Even in India, you can take advantage of cloud computing services that are very advanced, without the need to send data over the ocean, with very low cost and high reliability, missing only the confidence and awareness in the marketplace. I am thinking above all developers and small IT companies that could easily take advantage of a technical infrastructure on the cloud that can easily let it grow without too much investment in hardware, which is likely to be changed in every 2-3 years if purchased through common channels.

From photo sharing to streaming, from social networking to create applications for smartphones, there are now dozens of possible services that are being able to take advantage of a flexible storage, low-cost, high performance.

Many Indian ISPs have already prepared or are preparing to offer cloud computing services like this and it’s up to them now to offer cloud storage with more efficient and competitive services so as to remove barriers in culture which have limited use so far.

The sector recorded a real race for the virtualization of data centers and server hosting, in the wake of technological and economic advantages it can offer. The companies, however, should be conscious of the risk arising from plunging too quickly into cloud computing services, since virtual environments have many implications of compliance and safety.

Without doubt, virtualization creates an additional layer within the IT infrastructure, where often traditional security software, designed for physical environments, has a lack of visibility. This introduces vulnerabilities into the network, and visible gaps in the traffic between VMs. The new virtual machines that are installed automatically on the platform (especially in the case of an uncontrolled expansion of the VM) should be protected, regularly and systematically. The VMs are migrated from one physical platform to another – due to expansion of infrastructure or broken hardware – it also needs to be protected and monitored to avoid downtime during the live migration of VMs.

In addition to these internal threats, companies must protect their virtual environments also against external threats. Virtual environments can be even more dangerous than physical since the same techniques of attack and the same threats that exist in the physical layer exist in the virtual platform, where applications are not physically separated. This means that if a host server is under attack and the virtualization layer is compromised, this too can expose all the virtual machines to compromise on the infrastructure, all applications and data.

What are the best security practices for maintaining a secure virtual network?

The ideal solution must provide the same level of security present on the physical servers, virtual machines and applications:

First of all virtual machines too separate and protect the traffic between them, and hypervisor. The integration with it is important to ensure that the protection is running the hypervisor itself, not only on the virtual machine.

Secondly, the solution must proactively protect against external threats, with firewalls and intrusion prevention capabilities.

Third, to ensure unified management for both physical and virtual environments, making it easier for administrators to manage security.

It is important that the solution does all the above, without compromising the flexibility and scalability of the virtual system – security should help to exploit the benefits of virtualization, and not to mitigate them.

In addition, the solution must provide protection at all levels of security and not only at the network level. Of course, all levels of protection applied to the movement in the physical world, must also be implemented in the virtual environment.

Conclusion

Virtualization, as each new technology presents new risks for a company, incorrect implementation of security for a real environment may negatively impact on a company, exposing it to new risks and threats to security. For this reason, the implementation of the security architecture must be appropriate in a virtual environment, and knowledge of how to stay updated and protected against both internal and external threats, is a must for IT managers.