The introduction and the ever-growing popularity of cloud technology have changed the IT landscape globally. More and more companies are now moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud to make the most out of it. However, it is often not possible for businesses to migrate the entire infrastructure to the cloud for various reasons. In such a scenario, they may choose to adopt a hybrid IT strategy.

The approach of hybrid IT infrastructure is to divide the IT infrastructure between cloud and physical server. While for some, it is a blend of cloud server and on-site infrastructure, it is a hybrid of colocation and cloud for others.

Why do enterprises adopt a hybrid IT solution strategy?

Cloud is agile, scalable, and reliable, but some enterprises are hesitant about moving their IT set up to the cloud. Many causes make businesses skeptical about cloud technology. Some of them are hardcore practical reasons while the others are not so rational.

The main reasons that restrict enterprises from migrating to the cloud are the issues like security, compliance, dependency on legacy software, and cost. While a company deals with sensitive data like their client’s financial information, it may be too risky for them to operate entirely on the cloud. They may even face compliance issues if they move the sensitive data to the cloud. Regulations of different states and countries require businesses to keep confidential data on-premises.
Many enterprises depend on legacy apps and software for their critical business operations. They can’t get rid of these apps momentarily to migrate to the cloud.

Cost is another factor that makes it difficult for companies to migrate to the cloud at one go. The initial cost of adopting a cloud model can be burdensome for many.

Apart from these, some enterprises do not want to migrate simply because they are not confident enough. They want to test the water before deciding. Besides, people, including business owners, still believe in some myths about cloud technology. That makes them doubtful about the reliability of cloud infrastructure. They often migrate a part of their infrastructure to the cloud to see how it goes.

How to manage hybrid IT infrastructure?

The hybrid IT model has many advantages as it allows you to benefit from the bests of each infrastructure. However, one of the main challenges is its management. Managing the hybrid infrastructure is particularly more difficult for small and medium-sized businesses. Depending on the plan offered by the cloud service provider, the companies often need to assume the responsibility of managing the security, backups, and configuration. In addition to this, they also need to manage their on-site data center.

Colocation can help them to lessen the burden. However, businesses still may need to hire a professional who is well-conversant in the hybrid IT model. Before adopting a hybrid approach, they need to have an effective plan for how to go about it. The process can be complex and technologically challenging. Maintaining the coordination between the two IT infrastructures is another challenge that businesses need to consider before making a decision.

Solution providers who offer both colocation service and cloud infrastructure can be the perfect solution to handle all these challenges. Service providers like AiNET, provide an end-to-end solution to the businesses that want to benefit from the hybrid IT model. They provide guidance on how to adopt hybrid IT infrastructure based on the client’s particular requirements. The coordination between the two infrastructures also becomes more efficient while the same solution provider manages them. It helps in reducing complexities by eliminating the scope of miscommunications. While they take care of your entire hybrid IT infrastructure, you can focus on your core business in peace.

Contact us at AiNET to know more about hybrid infrastructure and its benefits. Let us help you grow your business with our world-class services.

Are you skeptical about which one, fiber vs. cable internet, will allow you to surf the internet with great speed?

Fret not! In this article, we will highlight the ultimate champion of the fiber vs. cable internet showdown!

Difference Between Fiber vs. Cable Internet

Fiber optics use thin glass filaments and carries signals as light energy. It is now considered the paradigm of local internet connection with a coverage of 43% in the USA.

On the contrary, cable internet transmits radio signals via copper lines. The waves then intersect at various points and eventually reach the Internet Service Provider — ISP.

Fiber vs. Cable Internet: 5 Comparison Points

1.   Reliance

Firstly, stable and fast network connectivity forms the supreme dynamic duo that every internet user wants. It is a problem with cable broadband, which largely depends on an uninterrupted electricity supply.

It is also susceptible to poor weather, signal interference, and abrupt disconnections. In comparison, fiber optics provides consistent internet and is devoid of any such limitations.

2.  Broadband Speed

Secondly, fiber optics relay information at a lightning-fast speed of 1000 Mbps/second. Now compare this with the download and upload speeds of coaxial networks of 10-500 Mbps and 5-50 Mbps, respectively.

Pause, notice, and try to absorb that fiber internet is 100 times faster than your average internet connection! Furthermore, with fiber optics, excessive active users do not affect the connectivity.

3.  Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the maximum data you can transfer at a given point in time. Fiber connection with symmetrical bandwidth ensures the smooth sailing of your day-to-day activities.

Increased productivity, better communication, and easy syncing into your cloud storage are some worth mentioning benefits of ample bandwidth.

4.   Cable Size and Distance

The strengths of your signals deteriorate over long distances. This loss is only 3% with fiber and 94% with coaxial internet for over 100 meters. For the latter, it occurs as impulses are carried to and from the Central Office (CO).

Cable internet’s transmission speed is also directly correlated to the cable size, which is not an issue with fiber internet.

5.   Cost-effectiveness

Cable connection, though seemingly cheap, is costly while servicing. Fiber internet is expensive in the short term. But in the long run, it is more enduring, low-maintenance, and requires less hardware.

Fiber network providers like AiNET save you a buck by remotely scaling up your bandwidths and switching to the cloud.

Bottom Line: Fiber Internet Is Better Than Cable Internet

In conclusion, fiber internet came, saw, and conquered the world of internet connectivity. It should be the go-to connectivity option for people requiring smooth internet access.

Last but not least, AiNET provides seamless cloud storage, fiber network, and data center facilities to its customers. Contact the AiNET team today to get a better picture of our services.

One of the terms IT departments constantly use, resource pooling, serves as an important tool in satisfying customer demands. So, let’s go straight into it because I know you’re eager to read about it.

Let’s start with the cloud

The term we are going to talk about today consists of three different words: Cloud, resource, and pooling. To give you the best explanation we can, let’s talk about them for a second.

We all know what cloud is by now (you can check the explanation from our website AiNET.) But in any case, the cloud includes the software found on the internet, which anyone, with the right to, can access. Many companies use the cloud in order to have a smooth workflow. The cloud enables you and anyone you would like to share and view the same files no matter how far you are from each other. You can also store anything you want and protect it from disasters such as flood, fire, accidents and so on.

So, what is cloud resource pooling?

Cloud resource pooling describes where the providers serve multiple customers with scalable and provisional services. All the computing resources are pooled with the objective to serve multiple customers. The IT resources included can be assigned and re-assigned depending on the demands of the customers. To go more into details, the cloud provider pools the resources demanded by the customers using a model called “multitenancy models” which rely on virtualization technologies.  Since multiple customers are served, it is important to keep in mind that these resources are shared.

A resource pool can be either:

• exclusive for a task
• Shared in several different projects.

Since the information is shared between different customers and is accessible to the users, this makes it easier to identify the conflicts between different projects. Cloud resource pooling can also help you understand and analyze your time management skills since it shows you the time allocated in each task.

Benefits

There are many benefits that cloud resource pooling provides. For example:

• High performance
• Better customer satisfaction
• High reliability
• Reduce cost
• Improved problem solving
• Advanced synchronization
• Management improvements
• High availability

Many companies are now shifting their way into using cloud resource pooling since it not only helps them achieve better results, but it also satisfies their customers more and saves them money and time.

There are many more terms that the IT department uses, and AiNET is ready to explain all to you. Come and take a look at our website and don’t forget to enjoy!

What Is Private Cloud Solution? How Can Your Business Benefit From It?

During the last two years, the cloud computing market has seen rapid growth in terms of cloud adaptation, infrastructure building, and development. Businesses today, small and large, deal with such an enormous amount of data and applications that they have never experienced before. The traditional IT infrastructure is inadequate to handle this increasing demand created by rapid digitization. Here comes the role of cloud computing. It enables businesses to adopt an IT strategy that is flexible, agile, and scalable.

While migrating your IT infrastructure to a cloud environment, you have three options to choose from: public, private, and hybrid models. Each of these has its own set of advantages and downsides. 

This article will briefly discuss how your business can benefit from a private cloud infrastructure. 

What is a private cloud?

As the name suggests, it is a cloud computing infrastructure dedicated to a single business. If the company already has an on-premises data center, it can implement the private cloud in-house. However, establishing and running an on-premises infrastructure involves considerable capital investment. It is not a very viable option for most small and medium-sized businesses. Thus, these organizations often opt for private cloud services offered by a third-party cloud service provider.

Advantages of private cloud 

Depending on the nature of business and its demands, it is the only sustainable option for some organizations. Here are some most prominent benefits of choosing it for your business. 

Improved privacy and security: 

Security is the cornerstone of today’s IT environment. It is considered safer than public cloud system. With a private cloud server, you store your data and applications on a cloud server that no other organization can access. You know exactly where your data is and who can access them. You and your team have total control over the organization’s cloud environment, even if you use the resources offered by a third-party data center. Thus, your data remains private and more secure.

If you deal with sensitive data like clients’ financial information and other private data, you must choose a private cloud. Even if you don’t, it is a safer option to protect your business data against privacy breaches and cyber security hacks. Besides, if a data breach occurs, it can be extremely challenging to access the security log if you are using a public cloud. It is not the case with the private cloud. 

Regulatory compliance: 

All businesses need to comply with local and national regulations. However, for some, the compliance requirement is more stringent than others. Companies that need to comply with HIPAA Compliance Hosting or PCI Compliant Hosting have little choice but to implement private cloud infrastructure. In this way, they can enjoy the benefits of cloud computing while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Enhanced performance: 

While you do not have to share the resources with other organizations, your performance is automatically improved. With it, you have access to a large number of computing resources and greater infrastructure capacity. Besides, usually, private clouds are installed behind firewall protection. It enhances security, performance, and network efficiency.

Have questions? Get in touch with us, and we will answer all your questions. AiNET offers a range of IT solutions, including private cloud and hybrid infrastructure. Let us know your requirements. We have a solution for every business, irrespective of their size and budget. 

Data encryption has been the cornerstone of cyber security. Encryption essentially transforms the data to an indecipherable format so that no one can access them without the key. Cloud encryption works the same way. It uses an advanced algorithm to transform the data from plain text to unreadable format before sending it to cloud storage.    

Methods of encryption

There are two types of algorithms used in data encryption:

• symmetric
• asymmetric.

These methods continuously evolve to mitigate the newer challenges thrown in their ways. 

The symmetric algorithm, which uses the same key for encoding and decoding, is usually used for bulk data encryption.

• The process is fast.
• Hardware can implement it easily.
• Best suited for closed systems.

On the other hand, the asymmetric algorithm method uses two keys mathematically linked together, one is public, and another is private. The process is more complicated than the symmetric algorithm, but it provides more robust security. 

Key benefits

Encryption is considered one of the most effective ways to protect cloud data.

In this process, the data of a file is scrambled in such a way that it becomes almost impossible to read the content without the key. While businesses store their sensitive data outside their premises, it becomes even more critical to protect it from unauthorized access. Data encryption ensures that safety. Even if someone steals the data or someone loses it, they remain safe. No one can access them without the decryption key. 

Moreover, cloud encryption can be highly beneficial to the businesses that collect and store sensitive personal data. These companies are obliged to protect their clients’ data by adhering to stringent compliance requirements like General Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). Migration to the cloud can be challenging for such companies due to these compliance issues. However, if they implement cloud encryption along with other security measures, they can adopt cloud technology without compromising the required data security.

Cloud encryption best practices

Cloud service providers may offer various degrees of encryption as part of their service package. Such as:

• Limited encryption only for sensitive data
• Full end-to-end encryption protecting all the data stored in the cloud space.

An encrypted connection is another way to protect your data while in transit. 

First, you need to determine what are the data that require encryption. You may want to encrypt all the data, but that is often unnecessary. It involves a significant cost to encrypt cloud data. So, you must be selective about the data you need encrypt.

Mainly four categories of data require encryption, and they often overlap.

These data include personal identification data, data that come under regulatory compliance requirements, data that are core to the company’s operation, and data containing intellectual property. The list may expand depending on the nature of the business. 

Besides, you also need to decide whether to encrypt only those data stored on the cloud or if you need to encrypt the data in transit as well. If your organization deals with sensitive data, in all probability, you will need to have an encrypted network to protect the data in motion. 

Once you know what data to encrypt, the next step is to choose a cloud service provider who can offer you the required level of encryption. Selecting the right service provider can be the key to protecting your data online. Do your research, read their policies and procedures of encryption before choosing one. Make sure that their cloud encryption capability matches your need. 

Another important thing about cloud encryption is key management. That means, paying attention to who is holding the keys, and where they store it. Some cloud service providers offer key management services. In such cases, the service provider ensures the safety of the keys. They may also let you implement your own key management strategies. Whatever the case, always ensure that the person holding the keys are storing it separately away from the data. Using multi-factor authentication access, and ensuring the backing up of the key storage is a great method. 

AiNET offers cloud solutions to organizations of varied sizes and needs. We provide you with multiple services to cover all your data needs. Let us know your requirements, and we will help you take your business to the next level. 

Fiber Optic vs. Wireless Broadband: The never-ending debate is here! Before we get into the more resounding topic, let’s understand what they are.

Optical cables use fine glass fibers to transmit signals from one place to another. Moreover, it conveys information in the form of light waves. In contrast, wireless broadbands convert data into electromagnetic impulses picked up by electronic devices.

We will compare the two in the article below based on five factors.

Comparison between Fiber Optic and Wireless Broadband

1.   Speed

On paper, wireless broadband and fiber optics provide the same speed. Wireless networks can go as high as 12Mbps, whereas fiber cable offers a speed of 15Mbps. However, this is not always the truth in reality.

Wireless internet slows down during peak hours. It is attributed to the fact that hundreds of people are using the same bandwidth. Optical fiber, in comparison, transmits signals at the speed of light and is independent of these hassles.

2.   Distance

Fiber optics can transmit signals to great ranges without any interruptions. Single-mode fiber—is a unique type of optical fiber specially made to ensure quick internet across long distances.

The signal strength of wireless connections—Wifi, depends greatly on the distance. The main reason for this is that these devices are made to cater to a limited area only. You will experience a glitch in the connection as soon as you move away from this gadget.

3.   Mobility

Consider yourself on the go and want to keep yourself posted on what is happening in the world. Wireless broadband comes in handy here because of its accessibility, and portable devices are a must-have widget in today’s world.

Fiber optics, despite their thousands of benefits, restrict this flexibility. You can only access it at home or in the office, thereby reducing its overall practicality.

4.   Ease of Installation

Installing fiber internet is a hard nut to crack. It can take up to weeks and even months! Various geographical factors are considered while laying out fiber networks, and optical fiber services like AiNET do this hard part for you!

Conversely, wireless internet connections are set up readily and are available for use within days. Not to mention, this method requires fewer resources and a workforce as well!

5.   Cost-Effectiveness

Wireless connection is relatively cheap and is the best quick fix for the internet. Additionally, you do not have to pay a fortune to expand your wireless broadband in the future.

Fiber networks are costly but can save you money in the long run. Installation fees, permits, and tools for setting up a wired connection are just a few charges you must bear in mind.

Conclusion

Fiber optics and wireless broadband bring people closer to one another and their environment.

AiNET is a fiber networking service that ensures uninterrupted, smooth, and fast internet. Get in touch with their team. Discuss their packages and get started!

Technology is increasing, which in turn, is making data increase in quantity and in size. As new innovative technology is spread all over the world and new businesses are developing daily, we need places to store all this data surge. So, let’s talk about the types of storage.

There are a few options for businesses and individuals to store their data. Usually, the people at home would be storing their data:

• Either on their own personal hardware that they own,
• or they would use something known as the cloud storage.

Businesses having huge amounts of data on the other hand would either need their own data center or other machines and servers that they set up in their businesses.

Types of Data Storage

On-Site Data Storage

Being the main way to store data once upon a time, on-site data storage is when businesses buy their own servers and machines to store their ample amounts of data. Companies that are on a very large scale, tend to keep their servers in a secure data center facility that they build for the sole purpose of data storage. Most businesses would keep their data storage equipment in a designated data room. This type of data storage allows you to have complete control over the data you have. That is because you own everything. Technically, you are providing the data storage service to yourself. Hence you are responsible for the safety and efficiency of the data storage too. This method of storing data is very expensive, can be rather inefficient and time consuming.

Colocation

Colocation allows you to rent out space in a data center. A space where you can keep your servers and machines for your data storage needs. As you need more servers and space required for your owned equipment, the more space you can rent out. Colocation facilities have the required cooling systems and power to manage your equipment in the facilities. When a business rents out space in the facility, this allows them to have their assets in a safe and secure location which is monitored all around the clock. Colocation allows people to have versatility and complete control over their data. This option is much cheaper than having your own in-house storage setup.

Cloud Storage

Individuals and companies can use this type of data storage, depending on their demand for storage space. Cloud service allows you to virtually store your data in hardware. A hardware which a cloud service provider owns and maintains it in his own designated facility. You can access data stored in cloud storage at any time, from anywhere in the world, if you have an internet connection. This type of storage is also very flexible and scalable, but it comes with heavy costs. Private clouds are used for companies that require higher levels of security.

AiNET provides you with the best prices and data storage facilities anyone can offer. Visit AiNET now and learn all you need to know about data storage!

We all have heard to back up our data constantly, to always be a step forward and take the necessary action even if the system already backs up our data automatically. However, why is that? Why should we be constantly worried about backing up our data? Why should we give extra attention to backing up information even if the system can do that for you? In this blog, we are going to explain why you should do so.

To start I’m pretty sure that there is no company that doesn’t have crucial information stored somewhere in their computers. Losing files like these can be catastrophic, and nobody wants to go through with that. You might be extra careful with your information, secure it with strong passwords and give importance to who can access it; however, disaster can strike any second.  We all know how important backing up is, but unfortunately there are many companies who still don’t have the appropriate data backup.

Let’s start, what does it mean to “back up” your data? Backing up your files and folders means to store them in another location separate from your primary storage area. This can help you recover any accidental data loss, helping you avoid all types of problems.

Something happened to your primary storage, and you lost everything? No worries, remember that time you actually listened and backed up your information in another medium? You’re in the clear!

So, let’s talk about more ways how data backup and recovery can help you.

1- Losing your files can be extremely bad for your business reputation. Even after a single accident, nobody will want to do business with you.

2-Although in today’s world technology has been extremely advanced and is continuing to grow more. However, technology can fail. Nowadays, almost every organization has gone paperless, and everything is found on a small screen. While going paperless is beneficial in many ways, going digital can harm you one way or another. One of the ways being data loss. Storing all your information in 1 digital place is very risky, which is why you should always make sure you have backed up your data properly.

3- One of the most obvious reasons why data backup is important is added security. Being extra careful has never hurt anybody, so why not back your data in any way possible?

Backing up your data has many more advantages, and if you want to learn more all you have to do is visit our blog and read more! We are waiting for you on AiNET!

More and more businesses are shifting their IT ecosystem off-premises. It is cost-effective, reliable, and scalable. Third-party data centers offer everything you need to run your system seamlessly at a much-reduced cost. These data centers may take various approaches and come in many shapes and sizes. Therefore, we can categorize data centers into two types: retail colocation and wholesale data center. These two types of colocations differ in size, space, power, and cost structure. Read on to know more about the two types, their benefits, and use cases.

What is Retail Colocation?  

To start with, retail colocations are primarily suitable for smaller deployments such as the IT infrastructure of a start-up or a small business. These colocation centers offer some or all services required for the smooth running of the entire IT infrastructure.  

What is a Wholesale data center?

Traditionally, wholesale data centers were made for large enterprises, government agencies, and service providers with significantly high footprint requirements. Here, the colocation facility offers space and power. The client company brings all the other things, including cloud connectivity, hardware, and IT experts. 

Difference between retail colocation and wholesale data center

The followings are the four key areas where the two models of colocation differ.

Power

Firstly, the amount of power is one of the key differentiators between the two types. Usually, power deployment that crosses the threshold of 100kW is considered wholesale. However, this threshold is not standard. Depending on the geographical location or at the discretion of the data center, the upper limit for retail colocation can be as high as 1MW.

Space and hardware

Secondly, in wholesale colocation, the clients are often provided with a cage or sometimes a customized space specially designed for their needs. In retail settings, the client rents a rack space or cabinet. Usually, anything under 10 rack space is considered retail colocation.

Wholesale clients bring their whole setup, and they are responsible for taking care of them. Whereas in a retail facility, the colocation provider often acquires the required hardware on behalf of the client and deploys them in the facility. They offer managed services, including IT support.  

Connectivity

In addition, a retail colocation facility usually offers internet connections of their choosing. The clients have little choice but to use the service of the telecom carrier that has 

a tie-up with the colocation center. Wholesale colocation facilities may or may not offer network connections. Typically, in a wholesale setting, the client has the freedom to choose the telecom carrier and ISP.  

Cost 

Last but not least, retail colocation facilities offer packages at a flat rate. In addition, the package includes rack space, power, internet connection, IT support, and other services. Customers can choose from different packages and pay a monthly fee. The cost structure for wholesale colocation can be a little more complicated. The client pays the monthly rent for the space, and the charge for the power is metered. The client pays the bill based on per unit used during the month. Sometimes, there can be a minimal bill for a fixed amount of power, and the client needs to pay extra if they cross the threshold. 

In conclusion, at AiNET, we offer both retail as well as wholesale colocation services. Therefore, visit Ai.Net or shoot us a message. We will guide you through the entire process and help you choose the best solution for your business.  

The earth has technological advancements taking place every day. A hundred years from today, no one could’ve imagined the rate at which the world is evolving. With all this technological advancement, there is a big surge in data that needs a storage place. Since the 1900s, we have been introducing new ways to store and keep data safe. The data storage world has evolved to the point where we do not have to carry hard drives, USB’s and other modes.

Now, all the storage that we need to save, store and transport is usually either :

• Online
• In your own safe environment from where you can easily access it.

Data Storage

Companies and individuals alike need a certain destination for their data. A space where it can be safely and securely stored for further use and access is important for them.

Data is any information that is created for easy access, processing, and transport. It can be a simple picture in your phone to the hundreds and thousands of files in your company. Be it a picture or important company files. All of this needs a place where it can rest, without being:

• Deleted.
• Corrupted.
• Changed.
• Hacked.

This is where data storage comes into place. Today we have many ways to store our important data. However, we will go through two common and intriguing ways to store data: a data center and cloud storage services.

Data Centers

Data centers are usually owned by businesses. This is a location where individuals would keep servers and other storage computing resources to store and safeguard their data. Data centers are physical facilities where the company has all sorts of firewalls, routers, application delivery controllers and different storage systems.

Data centers are provided by companies to their clients who can rent out space in the data centers “Colocation” and use those facilities for their data storage needs. Colocation services are common with companies that have a need for high security and need to cut down on their own data center costs.

Cloud Storage

The common man uses the cloud storage services almost every single day. It is one of the most famous and common ways to store your data. Cloud storage allows you to keep your storage in a cloud computing model. A model which can be accessed with the help of an internet connection anywhere at any time. In addition, the service provider of cloud storage has physical hardware in which your data can be safely and securely stored and accessed to your own ease. Cloud storage services are usually rather expensive but highly expandable. Therefore, this allows you to have an unlimited amount of storage available to you if you have the money.

Therefore, AiNET is an amazing platform for you to approach for your data storage needs and any other information you may need.

So, visit AiNET, and get your professional storage services