Choosing a Colocation Provider

When choosing a Colocation provider there are many things to consider. Your choice will be depends on your specific requirement and the budget you have available.

One of the most important things to investigate is the provider’s track records, as this will give you an idea of the service you could experience. Their reputations are something to look at, and seeking others opinion will help. Online reviews are always worth a look. Although you can’t trust every review at face value it will give you a general overview of others experiences. If you are visiting colocation centre’s during the decision making process you should ask other customers their opinions if possible. They should give you direct and honest answers to any questions, and after all, they should know.

The technical side is very important. You need to make sure the colocation provider you choose has the capacity to host your server. There would be nothing worse than choosing a colocation provider only to realise they don’t meet your requirements. Amongst other thing you need to check bandwidth. Although most data centres have plenty, you need to check this before proceeding.

You should try to establish how much downtime is normal for a particular provider, and whether this is better or worse than others who you are considering. Also look at how long sites tend to be down for and whether they have any contingency plans for potential problems. Many providers have backup plans, which may mean these issues would not have too much of an affect.

The conditions the server will be hosted in should be a consideration. Most data centres control the air and temperature of the relevant areas of their premises so that they are optimised for hosting. The better controlled they are the more suitable the area is likely to be for hosting.

Another area to look at is security, as the security of your server is vital. The premises need to be protected from break-ins. The very nature of a colocation centre means that customers are in and out all the time, and therefore security is even more of an issue. You need to be sure that other customers cannot access your server. Protection from other problems such as fire is also important.

Some colocation centres have support on hand, while other don’t. Depending on your requirement this may be something you need to think about. You won’t want to pay extra for support that is not required, but if you are not confident in hosting you may need to make sure support is included.

A final consideration is price. It may not be the sole reason for choosing a host, but it will certainly come into the decision making process. Some go for the cheap option for obvious reasons, while others choose the more expensive providers because they think the service will be better. Sometime the old adage, “you get what you pay for” is true, but not always. Whether it is cheap or expensive is not the key; the key is value for money and making sure you get the service you need.

Andrew Marshall ©

PAT Testing Labels

PAT testing labels are used during PAT Testing so that appliance users can see when a test has been carried out, and whether or not the appliance passed. The labels are in the form of stickers which are placed on appliances after testing. This is easy for the user to see and they can immediately see the conditions of the appliance they are about to use. This may seem like an old fashioned approach, but it is simple and easy for everyone to understand.

The labels are colour coded making it even easier to see if the equipment has passed. Green labels denote that the appliance has passed, while a red label means it has failed and should not be used. There is also a blue label, which means it has passed but there are issues, and it should be tested regularly.

The pass or fail statement is obviously the most important information on the label. Either PASS or FAILED – DO NOT USE is already printed on the relevant coloured sticker so doesn’t need to be added by the testing engineer. There may be an Appliance ID Number that is attached to the specific equipment and entered onto the label. For green and blue labels the pass date and date when the next test should take place are entered. For blue labels the next test date will be closer to the present time than it will be for green labels. There is space for any additional information, such as more specific details as to the condition of the appliance, and a space for the testing engineer to sign. Red labels have a fail date space.

The above is only an example of the most common PAT testing labels. There is no industry standard but the majority tend to be similar. They come in different designs, possibly including the logo and name of the company who performed the PAT test.

A relatively new addition to some PAT testing labels are bar codes. These mean that the PAT testing history of equipment can be tracked. With these the details of the PAT test can be entered onto a scanner and then the bar code on the label is scanned. This associates the bar code with a record of the appliance. Prior to any future portable appliance testing, the previous label can be scanned to bring up the file, with details of the new test then added to the file. The new bar code will then be scanned so the two tests go onto the same file. Previous records can be viewed at any time by scanning the bar code on the label. This means that over time a complete record of the PAT testing of a particular appliance can be viewed at any time.

When testing appliances a testing engineer will arrive at the testing site with green, blue, and red labels. After each appliance has been tested the relevant colour label will be filled out and then placed onto the appliance. This then allows users to see the details of the PAT test when they come to use it.

Andrew Marshall ©

Adoption by Gay Couples

Gay Rights has become a highly debated subject in recent years. The majority of people now agree that gay people and gay couples deserve the same rights as anyone else, but there are still people with strong opposing view. This is especially the case when it comes to adoption.

Gay people have been granted equal rights in many areas, with civil partnerships the biggest victory for gay right campaigners. Civil Partnership were introduced in the UK in 2005 and are a form of gay couples registering their partnership; very much like marriage under a different name. This was a way of legalising a marriage type institution for gay people, but getting around the argument that marriage should be for male-female couples only.

Same-sex adoption is an area that has been pursued heavily, and one that produces much debate. Some think that there should be equal right in all areas and therefore same-sex adoption should be legal, while others are completely against it. This includes many religious groups, especially the Catholic Church. The UK is amongst many nations where same-sex adoption is now legal, and more countries are bringing in similar laws all the time.

Below are some of the points that are being put forward on both sides of the gay-adoption argument.

ARGUMENT FOR

• There are so many children waiting for adoption so it only makes sense to utilise gay couples wishing to adopt.
• One of the main points made against same-sex adoption is that children need male and female role models. However the traditional family is not as common as it once was, and therefore many children do not grow up with both biological parents anyway.
• It is morally right that gay couples should be given the same adoption rights as straight couples.
• There is no reason why gay people cannot be good parents.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST

• It is best for children to grow up with a male and female role model. Even when parents separate, the children see both in the majority of cases.
• Children could be bullied if their parents are gay.
• Children could suffer psychologically by being bought up by a gay couple.

The question has to be asked, what is most important with adoption?

The most important thing is that children are loved and cared for, and therefore does it matter if they are bought up by one male, one female, one of each, or two of either? And is sexuality important in someone’s ability to bring up children? If the answer to these questions is no, then this suggests that adoption should be allowed for gay couples.

Most of the argument against same-sex adoption can be countered.

• Many have claimed it is best children are bought up by both biological parents, but many do not stay together anyway.
• Emotional problems can stem from being bought up by gay parents – many studies that have been carried out looking into the subject though, suggest there are usually no psychological affects.
• Being bought up in a stable family is best for children – but civil partnerships can be just as stable as marriages.

THE LAW

Before the current laws came in one person was able to adopt a child. This meant that an adopted child could potentially live with this person and his or her partner, even if they were in a same-sex relationship. There were also situations where a gay woman would become pregnant through artificial insemination and then the child could live with her and her partner. This gave lesbian couples an advantage over all-male couples. In many ways then, it was possible for gay couples to bring up children.

New laws were implemented in 2006 so that same-sex couples could adopt a child together. There are strict adoption rules, but they are the same for gay and straight couples.

Many adoption agencies have ties with religious groups. Those with catholic connections refused to allow adoption by gay couples. This was ruled as being illegal in June 2009. Many of these organisations claimed they would rather close down than adopt to gay couples. However, most have abided by the rules.

Andrew Marshall ©

Civil Partnership Solicitors

Advantages of Shutters

Shutters are a type of window covering that can be on the interior or exterior of a building. They are most commonly used on residential houses. They can be used instead of or as well as curtains. Shutters frame the window area and often have louvers that can be opened or shut according to how the user see fit. Curtains and blinds have their own benefits but here we take a look at the advantages of shutters in comparison with curtains.

Many would agree that shutters are more aesthetically pleasing than curtains. They are a Mediterranean in style that many like. They give a house an old fashioned, elegant and homely feel. They can also be seen as an investment, as they can add value to the building. They are part of a building and aren’t just removed when the homeowner moves elsewhere.

Shutters can usually be made to specifically fit the customers’ requirements. Making shutters is more or an art, as they are crafted to fit the size, style and decoration of the house they are being made for. They can be designed with or without louvers and painted and designed in any style. Shutters can be painted in any colour. They can also be re-painted when the colour begins to be worn or if you want a change of colour.

Durability is another advantage of shutters. They typically last many years depending on the materials used to construct them. Some shutter makers offer lifetime guarantees as they are so confidant that they will last. Their durability comes from the solid wood materials that are used.

Curtains are much more high maintenance than shutters. When they need to be cleaned, for example, they must usually be taken down and dry cleaned. This isn’t necessary with shutters though; they can merely be wiped down with soap and water, just like cleaning furniture. Due to exposure to the weather conditions, exterior shutters may require cleaning more often than curtains, but it is only a small job.

Due to the design, variables such as the amount of light, air and heat being let through can be varied. This though, is specific to louvered shutters. The louvers can be opened or shut to let in the amount of light you want. They don’t have to be fully open or fully shut, so all possible light, no light, or anything in between can be let in. Using curtains there are two options available when it comes to letting air in – open the window or close it. Louvered shutters offer much more control than this. It means on a fairly warm day that is still not considered hot, you can have the louvers partly open.

Shutters, when closed, offer protection for windows. This is particularly an advantage if you live in an area where natural disasters are a common occurrence.

Andrew Marshall ©

What is Commercial Law?

Commercial Law is the name given to any legal issues around the area of business and commerce. Commercial Law is made up of many different areas.

CONTRACTS

Contracts are legally binding agreements, usually in the form of a document. Contrary to popular belief though, verbal agreements are also legally binding. Contract can be agreements with clients or customers, such as what work will be done, how and when. In a retailer, when an item is sold to a customer that automatically becomes a contract of sorts. The customer has certain rights, such as the right to a refund if the item is faulty.

Another area where contract are important, are employment contracts. Employment contracts dictate an employees’ salary, working hours, holiday entitlement and working conditions. The employer then has to abide by these agreements.

TAX

It is important that businesses pay the right amount of tax, or they will be held legally accountable. Solicitors can advice business on the areas where tax can be saved, and which tax breaks they are entitled to. For example charities are often entitled to certain tax reliefs.

EMPLOYMENT LAW

Employment Law regulates the legal rights of workers. Businesses have to make sure employees are paid correctly. This is even more important since the advent of the minimum wage in 2000. Employment Law also protects against discrimination; businesses are not allowed to discriminate in any situation, including during the recruitment stage. This area of commercial law also dictates the legal holiday entitlement and the maximum working hours allowed.

MERGERS & TAKEOVERS

There are a number of legal issues to consider when a business takeover or a merger between two or more businesses takes place.
Commercial Solicitors London are required to make sure everything is as the law dictates. Contracts must be sorted out to state the conditions of the takeover. This can include how the role of employees may change, any agreement as to the direction the company will take, and of course the financial agreements. Agreements as to when payments should be made, and whether it is in instalments or a lump sum are covered here. The company which is being taken over may demand certain conditions of the sale.

HEALTH & SAFETY

This is an area that has become increasingly important in recent years. This area of law covers the health and safety of employees and customers. Areas of operation must have potential dangers clearly marked and steps must be taken to prevent accidents where possible. Companies can be help responsible if accidents occur.

FINANCE

Finally, finance is an area that is relevant across business. Relationships between businesses and banks can be crucial to the financing of businesses so it is an important consideration. Finance overlaps with many other areas of commercial law, such as employment, tax and contracts.

Andrew Marshall ©

Commercial Solicitors London

Positives and Negatives of the Child Trust Fund

The Child Trust Fund is a government scheme introduced to encourage parents to save on behalf of their children. Depending on which way you look at the scheme it has both positives and negatives.

Those who are pro child trust fund claim that it helps people to save. This can be the case for both parents and children. Knowing that their parents are saving for them and that it works can get children to see the benefit. This can then encourage them to do likewise and continue to into adulthood. Many parents would not save on behalf of their children without the child trust fund. As they receive a CTF voucher and invest it for their newborn child it makes them think about the possibility of saving for their children. This may then encourage them to add the fund.

If the CTF has been added to throughout their childhood, once the fund matures when someone turns 18 they may have a decent sum of money available to them. The Child Trust Fund
is only seven years old so it will be another eleven years before the first funds mature. 18 year olds wishing to go to university could be helped significantly. It may help them through their studies and mean they might not have to take on the large amount of debt that many young people do at present. This means money may not have to be the worry that it often is to people now, and they might not have to spend many years paying of the debt they have accrued.

Whatever they choose to do with the money, there is no doubt that if the Child Trust Fund has been embraced by their families and topped up regularly, 18 year olds could start off adulthood with a good start financially. There are several things they could potentially do with the money. It could, for example, help get them on the housing ladder, or it could just mean they have some spare funds it case they need it. It means money may not be such a worry.

Although there are certainly positives, there are ways that the Child Trust Fund can be perceived as a negative.

Many (including two of the three main political parties) claim that the states money could be better spend in other ways. The Liberal Democrats believe the money should be spent in other areas to help children. They think helping under privileged children should be more of a priority and that spending it on education and childcare would have a more significant impact in helping today’s children. £500 million is spent on the fund each year, which is undoubtedly a large amount.

With the current recession the amount spent by the government on this scheme seems even more significant. Many have the opinion that there are more important things to be spending this money on and that the Child Trust Fund should not be a priority. Is it an area where a large amount of state money could be saved?

In reality the scheme doesn’t help everyone. Not all parents are able or wiling to invest in the fund. And without extra investment it won’t be that affective. Some say it only helps children from wealthy backgrounds as their families can afford to top-up regularly. Poorer families have other priorities and less disposable income.

Some argue that 18 year olds are not always best placed to be given a significant (relatively speaking) amount of money. They could blow it all on a car or in the pub? Most would say that this isn’t something their tax should be spent on.

The Child Trust Fund is often debated. There are good points on both sides of the argument. All three main political parties have differing opinions on the scheme so it will be interesting to see what the future holds.

Andrew Marshall ©

Choosing a Managed Hosting Provider

When choosing a managed hosting provider there are many things to consider. Different people have differing criteria as to what constitutes a good host, and different areas of hosting will be important to each prospective client.

There are many different types of managed hosting. Some are fully managed with everything taken care of for clients, while others are only partly managed. This means some parts of the hosting are managed while others are not. It is therefore important that you know what you are getting for your money. You don’t want to think that you are getting a fully managed service only to realise that you have to perform a lot of the hosting tasks yourself. People and companies have different interpretations on the definition of managed hosting so make sure you don’t assume something is included without having it confirmed.

When choosing a managed hosting provider it is best to focus on the areas that are most important to you. Everyone’s requirements are different so you need to find a host that performs well in the areas that suit your specific needs.

Bandwidth is one of the most important factors to many. Not having enough bandwidth could be problematic for large sites or if you have many visitors. So you need to be sure you have enough bandwidth for your needs. At the same time you don’t want to pay for unnecessary bandwidth as this will obviously drive up the costs. Of course you want some extra bandwidth in case it is needed unexpectedly. It is a similar principle when it comes to support. Not enough support could be an issue if you come into problems but you don’t want to pay for support that you are unlikely to use. If you have knowledge in hosting you may not want certain areas covered, but then you might not want the hassle of this. It may be important that the servers are monitored so any problems can be spotted.

You might want to consider the expertise of the managed hosting provider’s staff. After all, they are looking after the hosting of your website so they should know what they are doing. The experience of the host might also be something to consider, for example how long they have been in the business and how many clients they have had.

Price is inevitably a consideration. The saying, “you get what you pay for”, has often been used, and that can sometimes be the case. It isn’t always though and you can get deals from good quality hosts. The cheapest option is unlikely to be the best but that doesn’t mean you should use the most expensive. Price is one of many areas that can come into the decision of where to take your managed hosting.

It is always good to look at reviews of managed hosting companies. Don’t rely on reviews on their own websites, as they will only use the positive ones. Web hosting forums like web hosting talk, can be good portals to see what other have to say. Many who comment on web hosting forums have knowledge of hosting so know what they are talking about. Decisions shouldn’t be made on one or two good or bad reviews as these could be due to unreasonable clients or one individual’s experience. Look for patterns; if something has been said by many people it can probably be trusted.

There are so many areas of managed hosting that can contribute towards your decision. Some factors will be more important to you than others so this should be considered, and you should try to make the decision based on the balance between them.

Andrew Marshall ©

Popularity of Colocation

Colocation is a popular form of web hosting, where clients can hire rack space at a data centre to host their servers. This prevents them from having to host their own servers, saving on inconvenience and cost.

Colocation usage is increasing and is now one of the most popular types of web hosting. It is much in demand and more Colocation centres are being opened all the time. It is becoming big business and many data centres are continually investing in their infrastructure to provide the best service possible.

The Internet is more integrated into business than ever before. You rarely find a business that does not have a website, meaning millions of new websites every year. On top of this there are many information and personal sites; although most data centre clients are businesses. With the Internet being used for a wide variety of business purposes, complex hosting solutions are often sought after. They often require individual servers, with basic hosting not enough for many. This is one of the reasons why colocation is more in demand than ever before.

Data centres infrastructure is shared between many clients and this spreads the costs, meaning a cheaper service for clients. Everything that is needed for high quality hosting is in place. Many clients who require their own server would not want to go through the costs and effort to build the infrastructure required just for a single server. Therefore they turn to colocation where all this is already in place. This makes colocation both cost affective and less work than hosting your own server.

Support is another reason for colocation’s increasing popularity. There was a time when co-locating your server meant performing all hosting and maintenance tasks yourself. This can still be the case with some packages but support is often available. This is becoming more and more common. Sometimes this is merely support while at other times hosting can be managed by the data centre’s staff. This is referred to as managed colocation (like Managed Hosting but within a colocation environment). Many who require hosting do not have the necessary expertise but with managed colocation they can get the assistance they require. This makes colocation accessible to all.

Colocation services are improving all the time. There are more choices of colocation packages meaning a large number of website owners are able to find a package that suits them. With more websites being built all the time hosting is more in demand than ever, and colocation is a good choice for many. The most common clients are businesses who require their own server but do not want the hassle of hosting it at their own premises. They can host the server at a data centre, often meaning they have support at hand should they need it.

Andrew Marshall ©

VoIP Bans

Several countries have either banned VoIP or talked about banning VoIP over the last few years. VoIP is cheaper than other forms of telephony and some counties are looking at this as a negative for a variety of reasons. VoIP Providers can often be based anywhere in the world, so as opposed to telephone providers, the profits may leave the country. There are several reasons why VoIP has been banned in certain territories.

Part of the reason is competition. Some claim it is unfair on local telecommunications companies as VoIP providers can offer a cheaper service. This brings up the debate of a free market. Should it be completely free and open to everyone or should steps be made to support local business? If local business cannot complete should they just be allowed to go out of business? The increasing popularity of VoIP will obviously be bad for traditional telecommunications companies. Some have accused countries, such as Russia, of hiding behind the reason of unfair competition, with security being the actual reason.

Many telecommunications networks around the world are state controlled. Therefore VoIP can literally threaten governments’ income. This is obviously an incentive for countries to stop VoIP usage.

Whether or not telecoms companies are private or run by the state, it can still be bad for the economy. If overseas VoIP providers are taking the majority of the business, then certain parts of the national economy could suffer. This can lead to the loss of jobs meaning rising unemployment.

Some countries are concerned about security problems around VoIP. It is much more difficult to track VoIP calls than regular telephone calls. This is because signals travel over an Internet connection rather than a common telephone line that connects the entire network. This is partly as VoIP technology is relatively new though, and this could become easier as the technology is worked out. Some believe that tracking calls is necessary for national security reasons, while others think that tracking private conversations should be against human rights laws. Whichever side of the debate you are, it is something that some governments will take into consideration.

The debate of banning VoIP has taken place in countries such as Germany, Russia and the United Arab Emirates amongst other places. In Germany the telecoms provider Deutsche Telekom had banned the use of VoIP over their network stating unfair competition as the main reason. It looks as though this ban will be lifted though, but there may still be a surcharge. The banning of VoIP has been discussed in Russia but as yet there hasn’t been any ban. As mentioned above they have said it is for competition reasons, but many believe it is really because they would like to track calls easily. In the UAE VoIP is currently banned in certain areas, such as Dubai. However there are reports that this ban could soon be lifted.

Andrew Marshall ©

Business VoIP

Who can benefit from Managed Hosting?

For a website to be visible to Internet users you need webhosting. There are many forms of webhosting from basic hosting to more complex solutions such as Colocation or managed hosting. Managed hosting does what it says on the tin – you hosting is managed by the hosting provider. But who can benefit?

This option is mostly used by businesses, especially those whose staff have little or no experience of web hosting. Basic hosting can be relatively easy to run after a little research, even for those with no prior knowledge. But more complex packages are different. Those who don’t believe they have the necessary skills and are not confident that they can manage their hosting, often prefer to pass it on to someone they think they can trust.

Many business owners are not confident in web hosting problem solving. They don’t want to risk having their server down for long periods, an eventuality that could happen if server problems are not rectified quickly. Managed Hosting is sometimes chosen for this reason alone, as having a team of experts can both prevent many problems and solve them when they do occur.

For those who have lots of website traffic or need a high-end hosting solution, a dedicated server is often what is required. A dedicated server means a website (or a group of websites) has its own server, which isn’t shared with others. Most cases of managed hosting is where a dedicated server is in use. Having a dedicated server is more complex than being on a shared server and many aren’t able to control this themselves. It is harder for novices as it isn’t just simply controlled with a control panel (although some areas are).

Businesses usually want to spend the majority of their time focussing on their core business. They do not want to spend half of their time trying to figure out how to run their website hosting. Some will want to outsource all of their IT, while others may only outsource certain areas, such as the hosting.

The day to day running and updating of a website is not usually included in a managed hosting package. Hosting is related to the servers that keep the website online, not the website itself. This is more likely to be taken care of by website maintenance companies or the company who built the website. Some managed hosting packages do include website maintenance though. This may be an add-on on top of the hosting services, and therefore may be cheaper than hiring a company just for this purpose. Customers with very limited knowledge, or those who just don’t want to worry about the website at all, are those who will pay for this.

Administration is something that many people dislike, and they would rather pass it on to someone else if at all possible. Managed hosting sometimes includes certain admin tasks. Although it is rare that someone would pay for managed hosting just for the admin, if it is included it may encourage businesses to use the service.

There are many reasons why managed hosting may be chosen. Businesses are the most common customers, but others may also use the service. For basic hosting managed hosting is rarely the best option as it can be expensive, but for complex solutions it can solve a lot of time and stress and therefore can give value for money.

Andrew Marshall ©