Wapfly appoints Zen Internet for business continuity
Security and reliability are important issues in all lines of business, but to Wapfly, an online mobile content provider, its business depends on the secure nature and reliability of its servers. So, when deciding to relocate these to Manchester, it turned to Zen Internet for help.
Wapfly, a new company recently set up in Manchester, is a provider of mobile content and services, providing an online service that allows businesses to sell mobile entertainment products within a global marketplace.
With the launch of this new company came the need for new servers to host their service. During the development phase, the servers were originally hosted in London, but near to launch the decision was made to re-locate Wapfly's servers at co-location facilities in Manchester. The reason behind this was so that if any faults were to occur or maintenance was required, the company would be in close proximity to its equipment.
A secure environment
Having heard of Zen Internet's reputation (a Rochdale-based Internet Service Provider - ISP), Wapfly asked Zen to host its equipment within its exclusive secure suite at TeleCity, Manchester.
We decided to work with Zen Internet due to its excellent reputation for service, and this reputation has exceeded my expectations. Their support and assistance during setup has been exceptional,
said David Hague, director of Wapfly.
Zen Internet's exclusive suite within TeleCity (a leading provider of co-location infrastructure in Europe) offers a complete range of services including 24/7 manned security, CCTV, environmental control, fire detection and suppression systems, two independent power feeds with UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), generator backup and up to two power sockets per server.
Following discussions with Zen about the range of options available to them, it was decided that a half rack allocation (23.5 U) would be the most suitable. This solution would allow Wapfly to add to their existing three servers as and when required in line with the company's future growth.
Mission critical
With security a real business concern, Zen advised Wapfly about appropriate firewalls available in order to protect themselves from threats and vulnerabilities. Wapfly subsequently installed a WatchGuard Firebox X700 firewall, which Zen also provides maintenance and support for.
The security and reliability of our servers is mission critical for our business, so we needed to work with a company that would understand our business needs and the fact that we operate a 24/7 environment. With Zen Internet, not only do we have the reassurance that they are situated only a few miles away from the facility, so can be called upon for assistance should we need it, but they are also available 24 hours per day,
commented Hague.
Zen is also working with Wapfly to ensure that its users can experience fast and reliable access to its Web site. Any online business needs to know that its customers' user experience will be fast and reliable, not only to secure a sale but to encourage customers to revisit the site as often as possible. Therefore, Zen provided a 10MB Internet connection based on a 'Data Transferred' billing option, which allows the company to select the most appropriate amount of bandwidth, yet also lets them exceed this limit during busy times if required.
It is great to know that we are only being charged for the amount of bandwidth we actually use,
said Hague.
We could have found an equivalent product offering in terms of bandwidth and speed from numerous hosting companies, but Zen's offering was far more cost effective than most, with the added bonus that we knew that Zen's support network is generally unbeaten in the market place.
The other benefit of working with Zen Internet was the level of customer service we received. The company understood our needs and the mission critical nature of our business. As an online global business, we can't afford any downtime, so to know that our servers are located in an award winning co-location facility in a secure environment is extreme piece of mind for any new company. With the support and expertise of Zen Internet we have the back-up we need to concentrate on our core business activities without having to worry about the security and reliability of our systems,
concluded Hague.
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