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What is Hyper V?

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So you’ve got all this business related data.  It’s important to your business and your customers that this data is safe, secure, and accessible even or especially in a crisis.  What to do, what to do?

Well you could set up Hyper V on your Windows Server.  The virtualization system that shipped with the Windows 2012 Servers is better than ever.

How it Works

In basic terms, Hyper V is used between two server units.  One, the primary site, is where you upload all your data.  The other, the replication site, receives the data.  First you need to setup an initial replication, which can be over a network or physically transferred, such as on a USB device and placed in the replication site.

After that, any changes made on the initial site are transferred to the replication site.  This will occur, essentially, continuously and full transfers will vary depending on how long they take to complete.  Generally speaking, transfer will occur every five to ten minutes.

Why This is Important

Hyper V allows for the replica site to take over the workload time.  For example, if there’s a flood and your primary site server is damaged, your replica site, which can be a thousand miles away, will be brought online with virtually no down time. If or when you get your primary site back up, you can set a reverse replication, sending the changes down to the replication site back to the primary site.

What About the Cloud?

Hyper V can be used a cloud hosting service.  The system can be set so there is one replication site to receive data from multiple primary sites.  Security can be maintained because certificate-based authentication can be implemented so that only certain users can access specific areas of the replication site.

The Advantage of Hyper V

Hyper V’s major advantage is that it’s simple to set up.  All you need are two Windows 2012 servers.  There is no additional software required.  Staff wise, only a few IT professionals can maintain this system.  For more information about IT staff augmentation click here.

When the Cloud Falls

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The concept of the Cloud revolves around the ability to access information from anywhere at any time.  Millions of users uploading and downloading their data from a centralized set of severs.  No longer do IT resources have to spread out, but centralized.  Just as the many feudal lords were replaced by absolute monarchs, so have many servers been replaced by the few.  Sounds greats, costs are reduced and efficiency is increased—until something fails.  That’s what happened to Amazon’s EC2.  Businesses like Netflix and Pinterest went down with them.  The outage only lasted about 24 hours.  However, the outrage seemed to last a little longer.

It brings up and interesting question: Are we overly dependent on cloud services.  A lot of companies like using cloud hosting services.  They allow businesses to focus on providing goods and services rather than backing up their data or looking for more storage space for their files.  But is that the best practice?  When they first came out, cloud servers were more of a back-up than a primary means of data storage.  Now it’s the reverse.  But how can you have a hybrid system?  Perhaps having just enough data stored on site to function in case of a cloud server crash would be enough.  However, that doesn’t cover businesses like Netflix in which every file is needed.  If a user goes looking for a particular movie that’s listed in the database, but can’t access it, than you have a dissatisfied customer.  Should they only have blockbusters and big releases on hand?  What about everyone else?

What about your business?  Backing up files is considered a good practice.  How to, how much, and when is a more gray area.  In the end, even with this recent crash, the amount of uptime that Amazon’s EC2 has is impressive.  Reputable cloud storage companies are secure and reliable.

Application Hosting and Cloud Computing Future for SMBs

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I think this is a pivotal time for all of us who use, service or otherwise take an interest in technology. As you are all aware, Microsoft put out 2 version of their operating system in the last few year – Vista and Windows 7. While Vista proved to be a flop in my opinion, I believe the era of the OS and desktop computing is on the decline.

What does this mean for you?

I think what it means is that we will see less hype around the desktop, and the operating system. Yes, the MAC still does have a “cool” factor, however, when in comes to productivity at the workplace, cool may not be a substitute for fast, cost effective and available. And this is what The Cloud promises us. As we see widespread adoption of broadband across the US and other countries, and in the next few years we are also bound to see blanket, high-speed wireless coverage finally taking place, I believe more and more businesses will elect to move their computing environment to the cloud. Perhaps this full-on adoption will be slower with the larger companies who have their own, highly customized applications, lots of confidential data, entrenched IT departments, etc…but for the smaller, more agile firms out there, this should be a way forward.

The benefits are numerous:

  • Always On – access from any location 24/7
  • No upfront costs
  • No worries about upgrades or new releases
  • No “server down” situations (in a properly architected cloud environment redundancy should be in place)

..i can go on, but I think I have made my point. The technology will mature, and more and more businesses will find themselves using cloud computing in one way or another..Meanwhile, Spirinet has build a cloud computing and application hosting environment built with the small business in mind called AppsOnDemand. It’s core package includes Office 2007, file storage, email and other things that will serve as a starting point for most companies..And in case you need other apps, we can easily add them. Please check out our new product and provide any feedback, it is appreciated.