Network Expansions in Midwest Data Center

In the recent weeks a new network segment has been added to the Midwest Data Center to provide expanded network capacity and redundancy.  As of the end of November, Qwest now provides FastServers.Net with OC12 (622 Mbps).

With the addition of this circuit, the Midwest Data Center now has multiple Gigabit Ethernet paths to 4 different IP providers. This diversity allows for no single point of failure in the MDC’s network and provides for even faster paths to the Internet at large.

Forums: News and Announcements

Have you logged into our forums? Haven’t yet signed up? Why not do so and subscribe to the News and Announcements section.  It is in this section that you will be the first to know about upgrades, scheduled maintenance, and any outage notices as they occur.   This single point of information provides email updates from our team of system and network engineers and is our way of communicating with the masses.  Check it out when you can!

Happy Holidays

As the year winds down, the entire staff at FastServers.Net wants to personally thank you for a fantastic 2007.   It has been a pleasure meeting many of our clients at industry events or onsite during visits to Chicago and the Cedar Valley.
Each day I hear engineers and members of our billing and sales teams talking about process improvements, unique customer experiences, and solutions they have provided to customers.  In 2007 we have seen the rapid growth of many new and existing clients that have started small and are now being fitted into Enterprise-level solutions. This type of explosive growth and solution engineering provides our entire team with exciting projects and complex engineering engagements that keep everyone on their toes.

Our major 2007 projects have included expansion into a new Chicago data center, opening a new Iowa office, increased resources dedicated to staffing throughout our multiple locations, and deployment of a new Qwest circuit.  We are incredibly thankful for the continued loyalty of our customers who made these advancements and enhancements possible.

As we continue to grow as a company, we remember that each client is very important to the success of FastServers.Net, now and in the future.   Our entire team encourages you to share your experiences with us and provide ongoing feedback that will help us grow to the next level.

We wish all clients a very happy holiday season and successful 2008!

Be on the lookout…the Velocity DX just got a major makeover!  That’s right fellow readers; FastServers.Net has recently replaced its Velocity DX with Dual Core, Dual Xeon processors from Intel.  The Velocity DX that was previously offered with Dual Core, Dual AMD Opteron 2.4GHZ processors is now offered in a more finely tuned and energy efficient model. The Dell PowerEdge 1950 comes with Dual Core, Dual Xeon 1.6GHz processors, a 1066Mhz FSB, and a whopping 8MB of Cache!  Not only will the new Velocity DX be offered with the same standard 2GB RAM and 160GB SATA drive in the base configuration, but it will now include the technology and speed that only Xeon Dual Core technology can provide.  On top of that, this new and improved model will be coming to you at no cost increase!

So how exactly does this package upgrade benefit NEW Velocity DX buyers?  Well it’s very simple; the existing Velocity DX offered the power of 64bit dual processors with Dual Core technology.   Although the Dell SC 1425/1435 was more powerful than our standard Velocity CX and PX packages, Dell considered it a stop-gap server between the single processor and Enterprise-level servers. For that reason, Dell never offered more up-to-date and competitive technology in the 1400 SC series that was available in our Enterprise-level solutions.  The NEW PowerEdge 1950 server will offer the same dual processor/ Dual Core power that the Dell PowerEdge 1435 had, and will now come standardized with the rest of the PowerEdge line of features and benefits the SC line simply didn’t offer.

The major benefits that the Velocity DX offered to clients in the past (dual processors and Dual Core technology) allowed users the ability to have a very robust and cost effective solution in a baseline offering.  Now the new DELL PowerEdge 1950 offers the same standard package savings with an Intel processor that is in the same technology field as our higher-end Enterprise solutions. Our Dell tools and advanced monitoring will not need to be modified to each different server. This saves time, money, and crucial uptime for you.

With a basic configuration price tag that starts as low as $298 a month for a Linux solution or $328 a month for a Windows solution, the enhanced Velocity DX server is definitely going to be a hot item during the upcoming quarter here at FastServers.Net.  So whether you’re an existing client or a potential customer, make sure to check it out.  It just might have you saying, “Dude I am getting a Dell from FastServers.Net!”

Our technical support and data center engineers work day and night in a server environment comprised primarily of Dell servers and storage equipment.  They handle entry level servers all the way to the biggest, baddest enterprise class systems in Dell’s arsenal.  In fact, FastServers.Net is the second largest purchaser of Dell hardware in the Midwest.  Working with such an enormous inventory of hardware presents some real challenges to any organization, and FastServers.Net is no exception.  What makes us unique is the time and attention we devote to the continuous training of our support staff on the technology they use every day.
This past week, a sizable number of our support and data center engineers underwent a rigorous two day training session on the latest server technologies from Dell.  Pulling our staff away from their day-to-day jobs creates challenges of its own - we have to keep supporting our customers 24/7 and processing new server orders without interruption.   Ultimately, we feel the time and effort spend focusing on training really does pay off.

We gathered the participants in our Chicago headquarters and flew in an expert from Dell to conduct the two day curriculum, which also provided the opportunity for Q&A sessions with our staff.  The sessions covered a wide range of topics outlining Dell’s full range of server products and practices, including:

-    System performance tuning
-    Advanced hardware monitoring
-    Evolution of automated deployment techniques
-    Troubleshooting complex component issues
-    RAID diagnostics and recover procedures
-    Updates to server and operating system support
-    Windows 2008 and Dell servers
-    System recovery techniques

At the conclusion of the sessions, everyone in attendance took part in a Dell examination intended to test their knowledge, experience, and understanding of the curriculum.  All of our support and data center engineers present for the training passed the exam (we expected no less).
As we wrap up 2007 and move into an even more promising 2008, more Dell training is being scheduled, as well as  training on our other core product offerings such as Barracuda, Cisco, and Arsenal Digital.  The goal is for continuous training to result in continuous advancement in our service and support capabilities.  The addition of new technologies to our set of service offerings will always be combined with in depth training for our support engineers.   We believe these efforts are well worth the time, and represent another reason that FastServers is a step above the rest.

Interactions we have at FastServers amongst our internal departments often lead to good things.  When we talk about our customers, we usually go into their specific solutions and how they take our services and apply them to a specific application.  More often than not, these types of discussions lead us to think of new ways to improve our overall services.  As a recent project illustrates, employee discussions and customer feedback lead directly to implementation of ideas that work.

The first week or two of service are usually the most critical for clients.   From the time they receive the setup information, the pressure is on to launch a new service, migrate data, and produce a technically sound server solution to deploy their specific widget.  One of our Sales Engineers was discussing a recent solution she helped launch and felt the need to call and check in with the client.   What resulted from continuing the line of communication was a very positive review by the client.    This one suggestion and action by a single person blossomed into a department-wide project that now includes courtesy phone calls to all new servers are that deployed.    After 30 days of implementing callbacks, the entire Sales Team agreed on the success of the project and the added satisfaction it brings new solution deployments.

We have made some additional customer service driven changes, and you can count on us getting your feedback once we have deployed your server. We believe it’s crucial to have a follow-up with customers once we have turned over the server to them. While it is fresh in everyone’s mind, that short phone call can illicit great ideas on how we can improve our processes and make things easier for the customer. In addition, it is an important gauge on whether we are properly setting customer expectations and delivering on them.  Not setting proper expectations can be disastrous for a customer new to managing a dedicated server or coming from a shared hosting environment.  Our Sales Engineers have to be detectives, probing for all the clues that will make your relationship with FastServers.Net a success.

I’m sure everyone would agree that communication is the most important (and oftentimes most challenging) aspect of doing business. Every time I’ve been in a meeting that addresses improvements to an organization, “better communication” is always at the top of the list. I wish I had a nickel for all those times… Believe me; at FastServers.Net we are constantly working to improve communication between sales and tech/Ops. We hone and hone and hone. It’s a knife that is never quite sharp enough, and we are never quite satisfied with the results. It’s a dynamic, never-ending process.  It is this same devotion we have to connecting with our customers.  We simply cannot receive “TOO MUCH FEEDBACK”.

FastServers.Net always remains pro-active with downstream communications, including newsletters, blog posts, forum updates, and an open line of communication that is just a phone call away.  We promise to be even more vocal with new products and services in the future, letting you know what FastServers.Net is doing to stay ahead of the curve.  Our major resolution for the coming year (yeah, it’s not too early…2008 will be here before we blink) is to improve the upstream communication from our customers or, better said, partners. That’s not just a buzzword, it is a true partnership. We provide the dedicated servers and support to help your business grow and run smoothly.  You in turn give us feedback on how we can help you run your business by streamlining and improving our processes, offering new products, and suggesting solutions to your issues and needs. It’s a true win-win.

One of the ways that you can provide feedback is through our online surveys. You see links to these surveys when you either set up a new server or <gasp!> cancel a service.  I would implore you to take a little time and let us know how we have done and what we can do to improve your experience. Have we met your expectations? Have we provided you with all the tools, technology, or services that you require? What would you like to see us provide? Nothing irks me more than seeing a low survey score for products and services without indication of what we’re not offering that is being so sorely missed.  As Dr. Evil would say, “Throw us a friggin’ bone here!”

I would like to add that you don’t have to order/cancel a server to provide feedback. Our lines are always open and you even have the secret key code: 753-FAST. (See end of this article on how to activate your secret key.)   We have a comment/contact form on the website at http://www.fastservers.net/about-contact/ and on our forum at http://forum.fastservers.net/, both readily available for you to provide valuable input. If you haven’t set yourself up on our forum, what are you waiting for? It’s updated with valuable information on our products, maintenance, network updates, issues, and announcements. The forum is a great place to start a discussion with our tech staff concerning new technology and service offerings. Finally, you can also email our sales staff or call me directly with your comments or concerns and I will make sure they get channeled to the appropriate department.

New products and services are a focus for the rest of 2007 and moving into 2008.    The Ultra Guard Suite (code named UGS) has been internally deployed and will go public later this month.   This product is the result of customer feedback on the need to be more secure while having pre-installed tools for our support team to resolve technical issues quickly.    The management team has opened the flood gates for future products and services.   Suggestions, ideas, and customer requests have made it back to the management meeting topics list.  If you have any special requests, you can utilize the 753-FAST secret key code to activate this idea!

And we’re not stopping the dialogue a couple of weeks after your server is set up. We’re making a commitment to keeping the communication lines open, especially for our customers that have solutions that are likely to scale.  An ongoing dialogue is important for us to help you plan as your company grows and your solution expands. Anticipation and forethought are the best insurance when it comes to ensuring you are set up with the right solution for tomorrow, as well as today.

So the next time you are thinking of contacting FastServers.Net, hopefully we have already reached out to you first and have received your feedback on outstanding issues, product and technological needs, and expansion plans. We look forward to better communication leading to your success in 2008!
To activate your super secret code, pick up your phone, prefix it with 1-866, and give us a call.    The full key code is 1-866-753-3278 (FAST) and this will provide you access to some great listeners who will be your vehicle and communicators for the entire company!

At HostingCon 2007, FastServers.Net had the opportunity to connect with current customers, partners and potential clients. Face-to-face meetings live on the show floor allowed our team to gather solution details, provide live quotes, and win new business with customers from around the world. Relationship building is one of the key points for the team at FastServers.Net so meeting everyone in person allowed our clients to view an accelerated and in-depth look at our operations and the people that make things happen everyday.

One of the greatest satisfactions of the event was the number of people we were able to meet. We found it very enjoyable to finally meet some long time customers visiting us from locations around the world including Australia, UK, China and the US. In fact, this year we had the distinct pleasure of putting together and hosting the first ever Business Networking Cruise for 360 guests of HostingCon 2007. The cruise provided the perfect time and place for people in general, and the FastServers.Net team to continue talks, answer more questions, and socialize with everyone on board. After several months of planning, we couldn’t have predicted that the removal of “activity based” events from our booth portfolio would be so well received.

Monday was filled with final preparations as the booth was setup and finalized. Very little stress took place that day as our efforts were spent on last minute decisions such as the color of lighting and location of power outlets for the FastServers.Net booth. And we spent some time internally discussing the exhibit floor and what was to come the following day.

After a previously “stressful” day of deciding what shades of green or blue would be applied to the lighting on the booth, I attended a power-packed dinner, compliments of The Tech Pad Agency. This exceptional event brought together evangelists from various companies including APLUS.NET, HostMySite, SWSOFT, SUPERB Hosting, LunarPages, HostNine, and of course, FastServers.Net. Derrick and Ben from The TechPad Agency deserve a big congratulations on a well executed event. This year is the first time they opened the event to non-customers, and in my opinion, they really brought together a nice selection of movers and shakers in the industry!

The exhibit floor opened on Tuesday and throughout the day various members of our management and sales engineering teams had several sit down meetings with both current and potential clients and partners. A full day of back-to-back meetings was followed by the three hour Business Networking Cruise sponsored by FastServers.Net and TopHosts. Many of us shared several more hours of “socializing” upon our return. Both the cruise and the aftermath resulted in the meeting of new friends with the comfort of having “The Usual Suspects” at arms length.

As things wrapped up on Wednesday evening, we finalized our exhibit hall meetings ending the night with food, drinks, and fireworks to celebrate another successful HostingCon! And when the fireworks exploded I jokingly stated to the crowd that the finale will include our logo to seal the show with some additional branding and to celebrate the new FastServers.Net logo.

As we all return to our regular schedules and routines, the FastServers.Net team would like to thank the many customers, partners, and friends who took time out of their busy lives to visit with us, talk about the industry, and provide us the distinct pleasure of offering the most reliable managed hosting services in the industry! As the weeks and months progress we will keep you updated on some of the successful relationships we have developed and we may even post a few new profiles on the FastServers.Net blog!