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Cloud And Cloud-Native: The Difference Is Significant

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Cloud And Cloud-Native The Difference Is Significant

Cloud-native is neither cloud nor cloud-enabled. An association can exploit the complete advantages of the cloud, assuming that the application improvement is, moreover, cloud-native.

Cloud

The noun cloud alludes to the area for equipment and programming sending, like servers, stockpiling, data sets and every conceivable application and administration.

Cloud Native

On the other hand, the adjective cloud-native portrays a way to deal with the plan and activity of utilizations that utilize the benefits of the distributed computing model, such as agility and computerization.

Despite the name, cloud-local doesn’t allude to where applications are sent but to how applications are planned, conveyed, and made due. Cloud-native doesn’t imply that applications should fundamentally be worked in the cloud; on-premises use is additionally conceivable. The cloud-local idea expects to speed up adaptability and quality in application improvement while diminishing dangers simultaneously.

ALSO READ: Cloud Management: What You Need To Know

Cloud-Enabled

The term cloud-enabled must also be distinguished from the term cloud-native. It implies that generally evolved applications are adjusted to run in the cloud. A cloud-enabled application is an application that has moved to the cloud yet was initially intended to be sent in a customary server farm.

This is ordinarily inheritance and venture programming. For relocation, it is important to change some application attributes or adjust them for the cloud. A typical technique for cloud movement is the “lift and shift” strategy. Interestingly, a cloud-local application is an application that is, as of now, planned with the cloud standards of multi-tenure.

The Cornerstone Of Cloud-Native Development

But what specifically characterizes the cloud-native concept? The cloud-native advancements are described by administration-based design, Programming interface-based correspondence, compartment-based foundation and DevOps processes. 

  1. Service-based designs, for instance, microservices, enable the advancement of specific, roughly coupled organizations. Other specific structures that move close – like more modest than regular organizations – give affiliations essential assistance in accelerating application creation without extending multifaceted nature.
  2. Services are provided through lightweight, technology-agnostic APIs that reduce complexity and effort to deploy, scale, and maintain. The API-based configuration permits correspondence using an administration interface that brings over the organization, avoiding the dangers of direct connecting, shared memory models, or direct read admittance to another group’s information store.
  3. Cloud-native applications depend on holders that empower activity in various innovation conditions and hence support genuine application compactness, for example, about the general population, private and half and half mists. Compartment innovation uses the virtualization abilities of the working framework to share the accessible figuring assets across different applications while guaranteeing that the applications are secure and detached from each other. Cloud-native applications scale on a level plane, simplifying it to add more application events – as often as possible through robotization inside the holder system. It’s low above, and high thickness licenses different holders to be worked with inside a comparable virtual machine or real server.
  4. Application development for cloud-native approaches follows coordinated strategies with constant conveyance and DevOps rules that focus on the cooperative creation and arrangement of utilizations by groups from advancement, quality confirmation, IT security and IT activities.

There is frequently as yet requiring explanation about the terms endlessly cloud local. Organizations that depend on distributed computing can work on the versatility and accessibility of their applications by giving assets on a case-by-case basis. In any case, understanding the full advantages of the cloud likewise requires another type of use improvement. Also, here we are regarding the matter of cloud-native.

Cloud-native application advancement is a way to build, run, and improve applications in view of demonstrated distributed computing procedures, empowering quick application improvement and updates while working on quality and alleviating risk.

Information Security On Mobile Devices: How To Keep Your Company Risk-Free?

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Information Security On Mobile Devices How To Keep Your Company Risk-Free

Much has been said about security for the company’s data and network. However, with the advancement of mobile technologies, only some are concerned about information security on mobile devices. Without a safe use policy, they can represent a gateway for external threats and, therefore, need as much attention as any other technological resource connected to the network.

Want to know more about it? We will share some valuable tips for you. Check out!

Why Is Information Security On Mobile Devices So Important?

Digital transformation has boosted business in the online environment. Combining this with the evolution of mobile technologies, more and more remote devices are used to carry out remote work. In other words, mobility has become a corporate strategy. But remote access requires care, not only on the company’s side (networks and databases) but also on the part of the devices where it is performed.

When the devices are used according to the established standard, they prevent the entry of viruses and hackers that can steal sensitive information, delete an entire database, and destroy systems. Many companies have not recovered from such an attack, making mobile devices the next target for security efforts.

How Can You Better Protect Data On Mobile Devices?

Below are some practical tips for orienting your workforce to the risks and bolstering your company’s security. Follow!

Mobilize Users To Increase Cause Buy-In

Before implementing any changes, you need to involve everyone in the project. If a single user follows the adopted procedures, the entire strategy is dismantled, and the risk, although smaller, is still a problem.

Then gather the team to present research data on the subject and give practical examples that occurred in other companies and businesses to justify the new measures. In the process, let them know how important safety is to them. This is the best way to engage users in the project.

Adopt A Secure Access Standard

Register the company’s and employee’s devices used to access the organization’s network and databases and start monitoring and controlling internal and remote access. After all, in addition to limiting the devices that enter the network, it is important to identify patterns of abnormal behavior to block access instantly.

Also, make users aware not to use the open network (public internet), as it does not have protection filters, leaving their logins and passwords exposed to all local users. If the device is lost or stolen, request that they contact the company immediately to block it. Thus, major problems can be avoided.

Create A Password Policy

To make it easier to remember, many people are in the habit of registering easy passwords, such as “123456”, using their birthday or their name. Don’t let this happen to your company. Passwords should have letters, numbers, and special characters mixed for strength.

Also, demand their periodic exchange. Ideally, this should happen monthly or whenever there is suspicion of an imminent threat. Lastly, reminding users to keep their passwords confidential is always good.

Configure Systems

In addition to these procedures, you can rely on technological tools to add greater security to access mobile devices and automate some monitoring and control processes.

Script errors cause database access failures, even if the SQL, for example, is healthy. It often takes time to identify the problem, so it is essential to use the right tools to speed up the process of identifying and correcting failures.

The installation of corporate antivirus, antispyware, and firewall configuration in the operating system are some examples of useful technologies in this regard. These tools can be implemented on the company’s network and mobile devices, creating a seamless security system.

Finally, as you can see, the matter is more serious than many realize. With these tips, you can increase information security on mobile devices, but you need to start soon before the company is affected.

ALSO READ: Android 13, Tips And Tricks

Set Up A VPN Client On Your Router And Overcome The DNS Leak Problem

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Set Up A VPN Client On Your Router And Overcome The DNS Leak Problem

What is the use of using a VPN client on the router?  In the past, we have often focused on the features offered by some routers, NAS, and other devices that allow you to create a VPN server. Thanks to it, it is possible to connect to your local network remotely, be it the company, office, or home network, securely exchanging data (without other users being able to read and modify them along the way).

In the articles VPN server, how to create it using a NAS, and to make the VPN on Synology NAS servers more secure, we took the example of Synology NAS servers. Still, many routers allow you to configure OpenVPN servers. An OpenVPN server can also be configured on devices you have decided to install the firmware, such as DD-WRT, OpenWRT, or Tomato, or on Linux and Windows machines ( VPN connection in Windows with OpenVPN ).

ALSO READ: Buy Microsoft Windows Server: Reputable Resellers

What Is The Use Of Setting Up A VPN Client On The Router?

We have seen the importance of using an OpenVPN server: but what is the use of setting up a VPN client on the router? The answer is easy: imagine having a company spread over several locations. By setting up the configuration to connect to your remote VPN server (for example, the one set up at the corporate headquarters) on the router, all devices connected to it will automatically be connected to the remote network and be able to access shared folders and resources.

Regardless of the location of the other offices, it will thus be possible to access the company’s main network without changing the configuration of any client device. However, even for private users, setting up the VPN client on the router can be extremely useful. By subscribing to a VPN service managed by a third party, you can overcome local limitations, geographical restrictions, and any censorship applied to the various services.

The advantages of a VPN service are countless: we have summarized them in our articles. How, when, and why to use a VPN connection and VPN, what it is and how to choose the best ones. The important thing is to choose the VPN service well, ensuring it offers good performance (especially if the goal is to access the main multimedia content streaming platforms) and respecting user privacy by not keeping logs of the activities performed.

We have often tried and used ExpressVPN, whose versatility has now become proverbial.

ExpressVPN provides VPN clients for any platform, as it is easy to check on this page. Even recently, the Android version of the ExpressVPN app has been enriched with the split tunneling feature that allows you to continue using the local network (and, for example, send content to a Chromecast key or a compatible device) while connected to the VPN.

VPN Connection And DNS Leak

Once connected to the VPN server, it is important to check for a possible DNS leak issue.

The DNS leak occurs when, by the DNS servers used, a third party can trace the real IP address, the user’s geographical location, or the websites he has asked to visit.

DNS traffic must pass through the VPN, which must be properly configured. Otherwise, automated tools, companies, and other users can collect information about the activities carried out on the network.

If a connection with ExpressVPN has been activated, the service makes this page available to users: the shield to the left of ExpressVPN is connected must be green (and not yellow); otherwise – as indicated below – it means that DNS requests are exposed in the clear and do not transit through the VPN.

It’s not just a privacy problem: ignoring – in the case of ExpressVPN – the appearance of the orange shield, some applications may need to be fixed (especially those that test the DNS used to trace the user’s geographical location).

The ExpressVPN apps automatically change the DNS they use once installed and when running (with a VPN connection activated). However, carrying out the DNS leak test mentioned above is always a good idea to ensure everything is configured correctly.

Activate A VPN Client On The Router

Some routers (even those that don’t offer VPN server functionality) allow you to set up a VPN client. As explained at the beginning, by enabling the connection to a remote VPN server from the router, all devices connected via Ethernet cable or WiFi (therefore desktop PCs, notebooks, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, game consoles,…) will take advantage of the settings defined on the router itself.

ExpressVPN offers “ad hoc” firmware to replace the original ones for some Asus, Linksys, and Netgear routers but also provides the OpenVPN configuration files (.ovpn) to set up VPN clients on any router: refer to this page and click on the Select router drop-down menu. Of course, there are configuration files for firmware, such as DD-WRT and Tomato.

We tried to configure, for example, Express VPN on the DumaOS-based Netgear XR500 router: A customizable router with traffic control and connection optimization features Netgear XR500.

It was enough to go to the router’s VPN/Hybrid VPN section, add a VPN provider, enter the username and password provided by ExpressVPN and paste the .ovpn configuration in the appropriate box.

The only problem we have encountered (and we have reported to ExpressVPN technical support) is that the OpenVPN configuration files do not set the ExpressVPN DNS servers, and performing a DNS leak test, while connected to the VPN, returns the DNS set by ExpressVPN default on the router or individual client device. To solve the problem, we installed the Express VPN app for Android (the one for Windows is fine, too), so we went to this page noting the IP address of the DNS server listed immediately below the indication No DNS leaks detected.

We, therefore, changed VPN servers (choosing one from the same country) and then repeated the operation. By setting the DNS on the client device, it was possible to pass the DNS leak test and, above all, to show all the installed applications that a foreign IP address belonging to the chosen country was being used. Finally, the most advanced routers allow you to choose which devices must exchange data through the VPN and which applications/services may be excluded.

Buy Microsoft Windows Server: Reputable Resellers

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Buy Microsoft Windows Server Reputable Resellers

How to buy Windows Server licenses, CALs and SQL Server at a discount. Use them in the company to renew the fleet of machines, extend the network infrastructure and use them in the cloud.

Both Windows servers and Linux machines can be used in the company. The underlying problem is finding reputable resellers of Windows Server licenses, CALs, and other Microsoft software like SQL Server.

Microsoft Windows Server resellers can be found online: the leading e-commerce platforms have many sellers who make product key codes available to applicants to activate the most used software in the business environment.

The fact is that the Product Key is one thing; the “license” is another: by purchasing from reliable Microsoft Windows Server suppliers, you are sure of being able to use regularly acquired licenses, licenses that have no expiration date and that can be used without limitations.

Which business, large or small, doesn’t have an Active Directory domain controller? Who doesn’t also or exclusively use Windows Server to deliver on-premise or cloud services?

In times of spending review, it is essential to count on more affordable prices to purchase Microsoft Windows Server (Standard, Essentials, Datacenter) with the certainty of having no problems managing licenses.

For example, Mr Key Shop is a reseller of Microsoft licenses and the leading computer security software that allows you to buy Windows Server at a discounted price. The licenses are 100% original and genuine: Mr Key Shop has been in business for over 18 years and relies on specialized partners who deal with the recovery of licenses from decommissioned machines (sentence of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 2012, C-128/2011) to then place them on the market at particularly advantageous prices.

Mr Key Shop knows the “history” of each license it sells and can make Product Keys available to customers that would otherwise have remained unused. By not marketing licenses sold by Microsoft as “volume”, end users can use them without any problems. 

This is why the charges purchased on Mr Key Shop are “for life” or can be used without restrictions: Microsoft’s operating system will be updated and supported for the entire duration of its life cycle. Below we see how to purchase Windows Server and other types of licenses useful in the company; in another article, we have presented the best deals in 2022 from reputable resellers for Windows and Office.

Buying Windows Server: Differences Between Editions

Over the years, Microsoft has released several versions of Windows Server that are marketed in various editions:

  1. Windows Server Essentials. It is the most affordable and “basic” edition of Windows Server. Intended primarily for small and medium-sized businesses, it allows you to manage up to 25 users and 50 devices. However, it also allows you to set up hybrid configurations with the possibility of extending the local infrastructure to the cloud. It does not require CALs (see below), prevents intrusions using Windows Defender Exploit Guard technology and allows you to limit administrator privileges.
  2. Windows Server Standard. It is the edition of Windows Server that has always been the point of reference for the majority of companies. The maximum number of users supported varies depending on the CALs purchased. Otherwise, Windows Server Standard supports all major roles except the network controller.
  3. Windows Server Datacenter. This is the operating system edition designed for companies that are more active in providing services to end customers. Also, based on the CAL licensing mechanism, Windows Server Datacenter was created to best support virtualization with Hyper-V and isolated containers.

For example, to buy a Windows Server license on Mr Key Shop, visit the Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2016 pages and choose the edition of your interest between Standard, Essentials and Datacenter. Suppose it’s easy to download Windows 10 ISO (it’s even easier to download the Windows 11 ISO image ), to help IT professionals and administrators. In that case, Mr Key Shop provides the official download link of the ISO file of any version of Windows Server.

Windows Server Cal Licenses: What They Are And How They Work

Starting from Windows Server 2016, limited to the Standard and Datacenter editions of the operating system, Microsoft has introduced a new licensing model based on the number of cores and not on the processors present on the machine.

Apart from this aspect, however, to use the services made available by Windows Server Standard and Datacenter, one needs to use CALs ( Client Access Licenses ).

Alongside the license for installing Windows Server, you need to equip yourself with Windows Server Cal licenses that authorize clients connected to the network to connect. Windows Server USER Cal licenses allow a single user to access Windows Server from an unlimited number of devices; Windows Server DEVICE Cal licenses are also provided, enabling a total number of users to access Windows Server using the same device (“device”).

You can opt for one or the other type of CAL license (or both), depending on the structure of your company. For example, if many users need to connect to Windows Server remotely from different devices, it is better to equip yourself with USER licenses; if, on the other hand, the apparatus, for example, the local infrastructure, is always the same but the users who use them change, you can opt for DEVICE licenses. On Mr Key Shop, you can find Windows Server Cal 2022, Windows Server Cal 2019 and Windows Server Cal 2016 licenses at a reduced price.

Purchase Windows Server RDS CAL

Those who work with Windows Server know it is necessary to connect frequently with each machine via Remote Desktop. Windows Server RDS CAL licenses give users and devices the right to access servers via a remote connection using the RDP protocol: RDS is an acronym for Remote Desktop Services Client Access License and is generally a mode called Terminal Server.

Mr Key Shop allows you to purchase Windows Server RDS CAL at discounted prices compared to Microsoft’s price list.

Windows Server RDS USER CAL licenses allow remote connection via Remote Desktop for single users, while Windows Server RDS DEVICE CAL for specific devices regardless of the users who share the use. Purchase Microsoft SQL Server on promotion Alongside Windows Server operating systems and CALs to allow users and devices to connect, there is a third product that companies often look to. A special license is required to manage relational databases (RDBMS) with SQL Server.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is an integrated environment for managing any on-premises SQL infrastructure: you can use it to access any SQL Server component, including databases on Azure, managed instances, installations in Azure virtual machines and Azure Synapse Analytics. While SSMS is free to download, you can once again turn to Mr Key Shop to purchase perfectly valid licenses of Microsoft SQL Server 2019, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 and Microsoft SQL Server 2016.

What You Receive By Purchasing Windows Server, CAL, And SQL Server Licenses On Mr Key Shop

Software licenses for professional use can be purchased on Mr Key Shop through the secure payment methods available; the requested product is sent via email in a few seconds, and specialized assistance is free and in Italian. Mr Key Shop sends an invoice that can be used for tax purposes and all the information for downloading the software and installing the product.

Licenses are managed digitally with an eco-friendly approach that avoids sending paper media, DVDs, USB sticks, etc. Finally, Mr Key Shop ensures the “satisfied or refunded” guarantee with the return of the amount paid in the event of an incorrect purchase or if something does not work as expected.

ALSO READ: Temporary Email: What It Is And How It Works, The Best Sites

How To See Snapchat Last Seen

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How To See Snapchat Last Seen

Snapchat is an app that pays attention to transparency but does not give information on user activity: here’s how to understand with alternative methods if a person is online

Social networks were born to allow people to increase their social networks, communicate with acquaintances, friends, relatives and colleagues and make new acquaintances. There are many platforms that, over time, have spread to every part of the world among people of all genders and ages. Among the most used ones, especially among the youngest, is Snapchat.

It is an application that allows you to exchange images, videos and messages with people online securely and transparently. Snapchat tries to provide its users with all the information they need to communicate honestly with their interlocutors. To achieve this, it has come up with numerous features.

ALSO READ: Facebook With Messenger: How To Have Both In One App

Snapchat, The Platform Features Appreciated By Users

  • The first version of Snapchat was launched in 2011, and since then, the number of subscribers to the platform has grown exponentially. Users immediately appreciated the ability to send multimedia messages, called snaps, to people close to them, such as friends and relatives or those they know directly on the application.
  • On Snapchat, you can send photos in private messages, which can only be viewed once by the recipient. Stories that remain visible on the user’s profile for only 24 hours can be created. Modern features, which other successful social networks, such as Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, have also taken over.
  • Snapchat is highly transparent and tries to provide subscribers with all the necessary information. For example, you can know when a photo was taken, or a video posted in the stories was shot.
  • The writers have the opportunity to know the list of users who view their content shared through stories. It is always shown when someone opens and reads a chat to facilitate conversation.

See Last Seen On Snapchat: Is It Possible?

  • Despite the excellent transparency of the platform and the intent to show as much information as possible, Snapchat is also attentive to the privacy of its subscribers. There is data that he avoids making public, such as the last access on the application.
  • Therefore, no one can know when a user was connected for the last time or if he is online at a given instant. There is no indication, as happens on other social platforms where there are, for example, green dots indicating that a person is online or the most recent access time.
  • To understand if a friend or acquaintance has used Snapchat, you can check some elements which provide a general indication of the user’s activity on the platform. You can always see if she has opened a shared chat or viewed a snap sent to her.

Publishing New Stories

  • Snapchat users frequently post new stories to their profiles. One of the easiest ways to understand if a user has recently accessed the application is to check that they have shared new content.
  • Stories remain viewable for 24 hours. If they are present, it means that the activity took place during the day. At the top left of the screen, just below the name of the user who posted it, information about when the sharing took place is provided. If it’s only a few minutes old, the person who made it is likely still online.
  • It’s a simple method but only sometimes applicable. When content is loaded from the camera roll, it doesn’t show the moment it was posted but the date the video or photo was clicked on the phone.

Turn On Notifications For Friends

  • If you always want to stay up to date with your friends’ activity, you don’t need to check their Snapchat profiles for new content frequently. Turn on story notifications for the desired user. 
  • This way, whenever the selected person publishes a story, you will receive a notification on your device in real-time. This will indicate the user’s online presence, and a possible conversation can be started.
  • To do this, open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left. Then tap the settings icon on the top right of the screen and select the Notifications item. Turn on those related to Stories of friends.
  • To manage notifications more precisely, select Manage Notification History from the settings. Select, among friends and followed content, all those from whom you want to be notified when they publish a story. Click Done to save.

Viewing Stories

  • Once a story is published, you know who views it. The viewer list is sorted chronologically from newest to oldest. Whoever sees the content last appears at the top of the list. If the affected user is among the names above, they may still be online and active on Snapchat.

View on Snap Map

Using Snap Map, you can know the last time users who decided to take advantage of this feature were active on the platform. Having identified the person on the map and selected his avatar, it will be possible to find out when he last used the application. 

If ‘Just now’ appears, the user is online. Not all subscribers can use this feature: those who decide to apply the ghost mode will not appear on the map.

How To Install WordPress In The Cloud

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How To Install WordPress In The Cloud

What are the primary distinctions between cloud facilitating, shared facilitating and utilizing devoted servers? The most effective method to introduce WordPress on a cloud server is to exploit a more dependable, performing, versatile, secure and helpful setup for your site.

WordPress positively needs no presentation: the open-source CMS circulated under a free permit flaunts a Bulgarian rate in pieces of the pie. It is assessed that practically 60% of sites use WordPress while, for instance, Joomla – runner-up in the positioning – is presently just introduced in 6.6% of cases.

From Shared Hosting To Cloud Hosting

At the point when you start another venture on the net, you, for the most part, enact a membership with a facilitating supplier. By and large, all drives start with shared facilitating, the least expensive choice accessible available.

Notwithstanding, when your web-based project starts to develop, all of the constraints of shared facilitating will generally arise unyieldingly, in which assets are constantly divided between large numbers of the supplier’s clients.

Then again, the cloud approach meets clients’ requirements since it permits the initiation and utilization of different administrations. Cloud facilitating depends on assets divided between different clients and can be progressively redistributed on a case-by-case basis.

It is a considerably more legitimate plan than the standard common encouragement because it has positive repercussions both as far as asset accessibility and administration reachability and unwavering quality, as far as data security and expenses for the client, regularly contained on the premise to utilize.

Changing to cloud facilitating plans permits, from one viewpoint, to dispose of the issues of shared facilitating while, at a more significant level, trying not to oversee at least one actual server all alone, with every one of the subsequent issues at the equipment level.

Cloud facilitating puts no restriction on the development of your web-based projects since you can set up your virtual organization and associate however many virtual servers you need, likewise placing them in correspondence with one another.

Thus, on one cloud machine, it is feasible to keep the genuine web server, on the other, the information bases, and on another, a document server along with the reinforcements of the other virtual servers. In the article How to relocate content between various suppliers. Towards the multi-cloud, we have featured the best migrating information and application methodologies.

The Main Advantages Of Cloud Hosting

You are switching to cloud hosting like Aruba Cloud means getting rid of restrictions that previously limited your online business growth. A sudden traffic peak or the need to manage large volumes of data at specific times of the year are unsuitable for shared hosting.

Shared hosting is, therefore, the starting point, but it is good to be aware that it does not allow for the division of resources and the isolation of data that cloud hosting allows. The advantages of cloud hosting are essentially the following :

Pay-Per-Use 

You can only pay for what you consume without running the risk of overestimating your site’s traffic.

Dedicated Resources

You no longer have to worry about having “housemates” on the same server. This is the most critical point for those who rely on shared hosting services: sometimes, it can happen that – due to errors made by the administrators of other websites – the traffic generated by other customers on the same machine makes it difficult to use or even temporarily unreachable—own site.

Flexibility/Scalability

A cloud server offers maximum customization possibilities. Acting on a single control panel, it is possible to adapt the server configuration to one’s needs without risking over or under-dimensioning the machine.

With just a few clicks, you can freely set CPU, RAM, storage, network cards, and so on without incurring site downtime to allow the provider’s technicians to intervene on the server’s hardware configuration physically.

A Concrete Example

 If you need to give your blog/eCommerce more power at particular times ( Black Friday, Christmas, summer, special events and so on), go to the web panel and increase CPU and RAM for the period you want “warmer”.

Security 

if with traditional hosting, the risk of downtime, although not frequent, is concrete, with cloud hosting, this risk is practically nil. The data is saved within the cloud provider’s infrastructure with a distributed approach: that is, they are stored on multiple machines and in the event of a failure, they will always remain available.

In the event of a hardware problem on the infrastructure that deals with the virtualization of cloud machines, the customer and the users connected to the site will not notice anything, and the service will continue to be available.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Cloud Hosting?

There is only one disadvantage when it comes to cloud hosting instead of shared hosting: the second does not require particular skills, while in the first case, it is necessary to master a few more concepts.

To use a shared hosting service, it is sufficient to know how to use an FTP client, to understand how dynamic web pages work, to have “a smattering” of the main programming languages ​​and, at the very least, to see the .htaccess and web. Config configuration files.

It is enough to know how the RDBMS ( relational database management system ) works and how to import and export data on the databases made available by the provider (these, too generally stored on machines shared with other customers). In the case of cloud hosting, it is necessary to have a broader set of skills or know how to administer a Linux or Windows server, keep it updated, and configure web servers and databases.

Your cloud servers should be thought of as something other than physical machines, each with its dedicated hardware, but as virtual instances. Therefore, if the processor, RAM, storage, and network cards are virtual or intended for the single client of the hypervisor (the system that also manages cloud resources), the configuration of the cloud server will be identical to that of any physical machine.

Fortunately, Aruba Cloud provides “pre-packaged” images of the leading Linux distributions and Windows Server installations that simplify the configuration tasks of the cloud hosting service even for the less experienced. Let’s see how it is straightforward in Aruba Cloud to create a new cloud server and install WordPress, “the king” of CMS.

ALSO READ: Cloud Management: What You Need To Know

Install WordPress On Aruba Cloud In Cloud Hosting

As we saw in the introduction, most online projects are based on WordPress. There are not many websites that still use proprietary CMSs today, and those who in the past used other solutions have often decided to migrate to WordPress, above all due to the versatility of this solution, the infinite customization possibilities (with themes and plugins) and the continuous availability of updates.

To install WordPress on the Aruba Cloud, create a new server from this page after activating your user account. After clicking on the Create a new server button, you can opt for a Pro or Smart cloud server, depending on your needs: the former are paid according to the hourly consumption of resources and can be interconnected using virtual switches. At the same time, a monthly subscription fee is applied (however, the available resources are reduced in this case). 

Once you have chosen the preferred plan, you must indicate supplementary information, such as the name you want to assign to the server and the hypervisor to use. You will then have to show the operating system template that you want to be uploaded to the cloud server.

Aruba Cloud provides CentOS 7. x 64bit – WordPress or the image of a Linux machine with a web server, PHP, MySQL and WordPress already pre-installed. In the final part of the cloud server configuration screen, it is possible to define a password to be assigned to the root user (make sure it is sufficiently long and complex) and then determine the characteristics of the cloud server in terms of CPU, RAM, storage and net.

After leaving the Aruba Cloud for a few minutes to configure the requested server, it will be immediately reachable through the public IP. This address will immediately be shown in the configuration panel, and as soon as you type HTTP:// in the URL bar followed by the IP of the cloud server, the step-by-step procedure for setting up WordPress will be shown (so that the cloud server is reachable, the Manage button should appear under the Action column ). 

The WordPress configuration will be solved in one step, specifying the username for the administrative account and your email address. For the template called CentOS 7. x 64bit – WordPress, the open incoming ports on the public IP are the following: 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS), 21 (FTP), 22 (SSH), 3306 (MariaDB, used at the instead of MySQL).

How To Access The Cloud Server

To access the cloud server and configure it according to your needs, you can use the well-known SSH client PuTTY and type the public IP of the machine in the Hostname (or IP address) box. The SSH connection (port 22) will be immediately attempted by clicking on Open. To access the shell of the remote server, you will have to type root and the root account’s password chosen previously.

To update the operating system and all other installed software packages, type the following: yum update -y To install the popular nano text editor, you can order the following and press Y when prompted: Yum install nano As can be verified by typing the command nano /var/www/html/wp-config.php, the username used to configure access to the database used by WordPress (WordPress) is wp user. At the same time, the password corresponds to the one chosen for the root user.

To exit the nano editor, press the key combination CTRL+X. Access via FTP is possible by connecting, for example, with FileZilla to the IP of the cloud server specifying the wp user as the username and, once again, the root password previously chosen.

If you need to manage the MariaDB database from the command line, write MySQL -root -p WordPress and confirm the root user password. To have WordPress update automatically from the web application by selecting Updates in the left column and entering your FTP username and password in the right panel, you will need to issue the following commands:

  1. usermod -aG super $USER
  2. chown -R user:wp user /var/www
  3. chmod -R 775 /var/www

To more efficiently manage MariaDB databases and user permissions, you can install the phpMyAdmin and Webmin packages.

How To Create A Converting Website?

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How To Create A Converting Website

How to create a website or a project for my client that brings me concrete results? How do I know if a site is having success or not? What are the actions to take to improve conversions? If you are interested in learning more, the information you will read below will be useful.

First, what is the Conversion Rate? The Conversion Rate, or, in Italian, is the ratio between the number of visitors to a page or website and the number of visitors who have carried out an action considered strategic, called a conversion. This is the main objective of any website that does not want to be a simple business card. Can be:

  1. the sale of a product or service
  2. to call
  3. the request for information or a quote by filling in a form
  4. newsletter subscription
  5. registering on a site with a paid reserved area
  6. sharing content on social networks.

So, how do you create a website that achieves a specific goal?

How To Create A Website That Converts?

According to the numbers, there are at least two ways to increase website conversions. The first consists of increasing visits (keeping the conversion rate unchanged as visits increase. Statistically, conversions should also increase).

The second consists of keeping the number of visits constant instead of improving the conversion rate. To create a website that converts, it is necessary to work on both fronts, both on visits and the conversion rate, and therefore on the user experience of the user who lands on a website page.

Open The Doors To Your Site!

To make a website that brings concrete results, you must first bring a critical mass of visitors to the site. Like? Optimizing the website for search engines and through Pay, Per Click online promotion campaigns and remarketing directly to the site. It is also important to use all the communication channels available:

  1. newsletters
  2. social networks
  3. address at the bottom of company emails
  4. address in offline communication media (catalogs, brochures, quotes, gadgets, etc.).

Improve The Loading Of Your Pages

In addition to working on increasing visits, it is essential to improve the user experience of the site starting from its loading, which must be as fast as possible. For a visitor, waiting a few more seconds to consult a page is already a good reason to abandon it and go elsewhere.

Clarify Your Core Business Immediately

Whether he has only a few minutes or even hours at his disposal, the visitor wants to immediately understand where he is and find what he is looking for right away. This is why it is very important to create a logo and homepage that can immediately clarify the core business and identity of the website.

Beautiful, Yes, But Above All, Easy To Use

To create a website that converts, aesthetics must always be put at the service of usability. A website must be not only attractive but also easy to navigate. The contents must be easy to find and the information easy to read. An intuitive menu, designed based on the average user’s behavior, is a must.

Insert a search space and contact a professional copywriter to draft texts according to speed reading and persuasive copywriting formatting rules. It’s important to use simple fonts and remember that sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Also, speak through photos, which must be professional, images and short videos.

Ask To Take Action

The call-to-action (literally “call to action”) is a set of texts and images, usually a button, which expressly asks the user to act. The text of the call to action must be short, direct and persuasive. In a few moments, it must convince the user to act (“click here, call now, contact us now, buy today” are typical examples of calls-to-action). The colors of the button also play a decisive role. The best colors for a call-to-action are:

  1. the orange
  2. the yellow
  3. the Red.

On the other hand, blue should be avoided, which could push the user to reconsider the action. The button should also be placed in the most visible area of ​​the website, generally at the top or bottom right, depending on the flow of content.

Too Much Information, Too Little Information

More information is equivalent to giving the user little information and, in any case, making him confused and undecided about the action to take. Better to reduce the calls-to-action to a few clear actions from which the user can choose with complete peace of mind. A useful exercise is then to synthetically specify the user’s benefits from carrying out the action (buy today, save now – subscribe to the newsletter, you will be the first to know, etc.).

Analyze, Analyze, Analyze

To create a website that achieves the set goal, monitor visitor behavior and conversion progress, proceed by trial and error, and adjust the site along the way based on statistical evidence. Consider very seriously doing A/B testing (also called split testing) to find out which version of a page, button or text performs best.

ALSO READ: Lean Marketing: What Is Its Purpose And How To Apply It

Emotional B2B: Why Communicate “More Human”

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Emotional B2B Why Communicate More Human

We have been talking about it for a long time – and in this blog, even recently – but the need and the advantages of communication-based on emotional levers also in the B2B sectors are simultaneously in the public domain and, at the same time, far from being unanimously recognized.

While waiting for everyone to get there, let’s take a moment to reflect on the origin of this evolution and put forward some hypotheses on the social and cultural phenomena behind this “new” chapter of business-to-business communication.

How Today’s B2B Was Born: Some Non-Scientific Hypotheses

Not long ago, the article New B2B communication strategies: excite those who sell to win over those who buy our Artuso reflected on how a more emotional approach can also be useful in purely B2B communication contexts. I want to take a cue from Elena for some observations, neither systematic nor definitive, on the subject.

In particular, on the genesis of this change of perspective. In other words, I’m not interested in demonstrating the need for this new approach but in advancing some hypotheses on the causes of this ongoing change.

It’s The Only Business: Nothing Personal. Or Yes?

It was just business. Thus the criminals of the cinema justified their reprehensible actions.

A joke from a film that, however, reveals a cultural assumption: work issues are, by definition, the opposite of personal ones. Like the commonly used expression “personal matter”, which follows precisely these boundaries: personal is everything that is not professional. It is a distinction that has its reasons even today, but it also survives because it is a legacy of a previous era. Today the individual, the great winner of the third millennium, expects to be recognized, valued and understood, even at work. 

No one wants to be “a number”, the famous cog in the cog. Whether or not he manages to avoid it is another matter. But certainly, in the last century, the depersonalization of the worker was a recognized evil. Sometimes tolerated, others contested, but in any existing case. And it is not absurd to think that the idea of ​​”impersonal” work, and therefore that of the professional as a cold, emotionless calculator, was nourished precisely by that non-individualistic climate. Just as I don’t venture a bizarre idea by saying that, on the contrary, contemporary individualism is (was) one of the Trojan horses of a more current human vision of the worker.

But we admit that there are not cold, calculating machines but people in the workplace. In that case, we also end up recognizing that emotions enter the workplace, endorsing what previously seemed almost an embarrassing promiscuity. After all, what company today doesn’t tell us in every way that it is made up of people? More: people who put their heart and passion into what they do? Whether she is sincere in saying it or not, mentioning it as an added value confirms that the company has now positively cleared the presence of the human component in companies through customs.

The Wisdom Of The Belly

What has been said so far does not demonstrate that society always encourages an emotional approach to work. Still, we are certainly more inclined today than in the past to accept that an emotional component in work is inevitable. However, some feel emotional at work and recommend it.

However, hardly anyone admits it publicly. Great leaders reveal that they collect all the data, analyze and report… and then jump in or back out depending on what their stomach tells them. Instead, we need to focus on the essentials with simple rules. And to be able to follow intuition. Which isn’t the irrational intuition we typically think of. Instead, it is only direct knowledge gained over years of experience and accumulated in the brain, which we cannot access “linguistically”. 

The brain sends simpler signals through the body to direct our choices, for example, giving us a sense of security or danger, as the case may be. The intuitive decision would therefore be irrational in manifesting itself, not in forming. Beyond establishing whether it is better to make thoughtful or intuitive decisions, which is not the point of this article, it also seems clear to science that even in positions of command, where a mistake can cost millions, emotion makes itself felt. Influence. Especially in those assessments that leave a margin of uncertainty to rationality. Which is where we usually work in marketing and communication.

Informed Business, Ignorant Consumer

I want to close the reflection with a third and final factor unrelated to the previous one.

One reason why many struggles to recognize emotion’s importance in B2B communication can be traced back to an old marketing principle. Almost a cliché, which I too often quote and which reads more or less: “the first function of a brand is to defend the customer from his ignorance of him”. In extreme synthesis, the positive perception we have of a brand reassures us in choosing products that we would not have the tools – due to our incompetence and lack of verifiable information – to choose with good reason.

A dynamic that already existed at the origins of the modern market and is practically endemic today. We have said over and over that globalization has made the world smaller. But in the globalized world, because everything is virtually closer, everything is also further away. Let me explain. It is never easy to trace the truth of information, but in previous centuries, at least, the facts capable of influencing our lives were limited to narrower scenarios. Today, when our lives as citizens, consumers, etc., are affected in real time by what is happening worldwide, what hope do we have of verifying the information that may concern us? Products and their origins, companies and governments, events and their background: today, the truth has too long a supply chain.

And while information, facts and sources are moving away, progress and globalization require increasingly in-depth skills: even a simple product like flour, today, requires assessments in nutritional, health, and chemical but also ethics, geopolitics and environmental matters. Back to the bomb. The exasperated perception of our ignorance as consumers fuels the idea that at least insiders must necessarily understand something. It’s the same visceral need we have, flying on an airplane, to convince ourselves that at least the pilot in the cabin knows what he’s doing.

And since competent, desperately presumed so, professionals would be less in need than ordinary consumers of the function of guide and comfort of a marketing communication oriented towards brand loyalty. But unlike in aviation, where the pilot is likely to understand more than the passengers, things aren’t so starkly black and white in the marketplace. Undoubtedly, a purchasing manager will have a certain degree of knowledge of his subject, the brands he can choose from, and the differences between products and services offered to him. But in the global scenario, I mentioned earlier, how much of this expertise translates into absolute certainty?

Indeed, there are also specific assessment tools, such as regulations, certifications and standardizations, which aim precisely to guarantee people in companies worldwide unambiguous selection criteria. But on the other hand, precisely the multiplication of these tools demonstrates how much the problem they aim to solve is felt. Be that as it may, it is a fact that emotional levers have long since left the narrow confines of consumer communication.

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Cloud Management: What You Need To Know

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Cloud Management What You Need To Know

Cloud storage has become one of the most adopted security measures today, mainly by companies that want to protect themselves from malicious attacks on their systems.

As a result, in the current market, several suppliers can be found that provide this type of service, adopting different operational measures, specific tools, and even other purposes, depending on what is being sought by the user.

However, companies still need help with management through cloud systems. This happens because the process can be quite demanding in terms of labor and demands much greater attention.

Various types of specialized software are adopted to circumvent bureaucracy and resolve these issues without significant obstacles for managers. These programs are intended to manage cloud storage services.

Faced with the offer of so many cloud services and the difficulty of the process itself, companies have been looking for professionals and services that have the management capacity and the right actions to solve these issues.

The various tools used in the process are part of the multi-cloud strategy, which has grown in the market and proved to be of great value to companies that depend on these storage services for their processes.

To be functional and play its role, cloud management needs good project management, which will be responsible for developing all the necessary steps so that everything is in order and generates good results.

Considering this issue makes your business develop well throughout these processes and can show positive results, which benefit the organization’s growth.

Cloud Consulting And Management: What Can This Service Help With?

As the search for good professionals who can carry out cloud management functions is complicated, consultancies for such purposes have grown in the market and are essential for good projects to be carried out for the benefit of companies.

It is optional to consider issues such as the size of the company or the time it has been in the market. It is possible to optimize these environments and make life easier for the IT sector with the measures in question and their benefits from the beginning of the processes.

Considering this, a good consultancy needs to target critical points to meet the client’s needs. Different levels of assistance are provided, depending on the customer’s demand and which topics need to be addressed by the consultancy in the business.

This way, management can be carried out from implementation to the processes involving networks and security, encompassed by operational management.

This is responsible for installing software and ensuring the necessary security and care for the operating system.

What Management Levels Can Be Adopted?

As there are several possibilities for providing this service, it is necessary for the company to precisely determine which level of management it wants to be carried out in its procedures.

This happens since the process can encompass several aspects, ranging from the composition of the cloud, which can involve even other steps, such as networking and more profound aspects.

The current models implemented by companies allow cloud infrastructure solutions to be made feasible from the beginning of the process, starting from the implementation until reaching the actual networks and taking into account routers, for example.

From that point on, the process can go through other security layers that are part of the action, reaching the firewall and BPM, which is the layer considered a service in which the servers on which the applications will be made are located.

Therefore, there needs to be a more incredible determination as to which processes will be encompassed by this management since, from that point on, a professional will dedicate his time to the care of a specific machine, even to a much larger and detailed implementation.

Rules And Responsibilities Throughout The Process

When adopting the measures provided by cloud management, it must be borne in mind that the company hired for the service must be fully trusted by the contractor because it will have direct access to the data contained in the cloud, which are generally confidential or sensitive.

There is a great responsibility on the part of the company that provides the service to protect itself in these accesses to cloud management because, as these processes are carried out over the internet, there is an imminent risk of virtual attacks, which is increasingly common.

Cloud storage alone is already a way the company can protect its data and documents with the idea of ​​virtualizing the entire IT infrastructure of the company. Therefore, the concern of managers should be focused on this access.

As for contractors, it is essential that they, when looking for the service in question, evaluate the type of consultancy being provided and also the partners of this company to find out what solutions are provided and the company’s ability to deliver the promised work.

An essential fact regarding job responsibilities is to consider the existence of technological associations that make the work of some companies more legitimate.

However, people are only partially dedicated to professionals working in the cloud. Therefore there is a need to search for partners affiliated with specific associations to guarantee more credibility and trust.

This will happen once such companies adopt the norms and measures that must be respected and considered throughout the technical and legal processes of the applications.

Checking these issues is interesting because companies have sets of work rules that enable flexibility issues if there are necessary changes along the process, for example.

ALSO READ: How Virtual And Augmented Reality Will Determine The Future Of Companies

Lean Marketing: What Is Its Purpose And How To Apply It

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Lean Marketing What Is Its Purpose And How To Apply It

Turning to Lean Marketing can be the best way to promote a brand, products, and services with the minimum costs.

Incidentally, this is the year companies increased investment in marketing after the long winter pandemic. 

According to a survey by Marketing Week, in the first quarter of 2022 alone, nearly a quarter of organizations decided to increase their budgets directed toward this area. Great, but are the managers of these brands doing this consciously?

The answer would be yes if everyone guided their decisions based on Lean precepts to conduct their marketing strategies.

What Is Lean Marketing

Lean Marketing is the approach by which managers use lean production concepts and practices to plan and execute their marketing actions.

As a Gartner study reveals, companies can spend up to 10% of their budgets on this crucial sector alone.

In this case, the question revolves around how much is spent, but mainly how it is finished.

Marketing is always an investment, and as such, it is expected to generate returns.

However, the return can only be maximized when the investment is well allocated.

At this point, the Lean philosophy can help find answers to apply the budget more wisely.

What Is Lean Marketing For?

Like other branches, such as Lean Construction and Lean Healthcare, the application of Lean in marketing has as its primary objective the optimization of resources.

This is done with intelligent marketing tools, emphasizing digital resources.

Data analysis gains even greater importance since it is through it that strategies are defined.

Following the example of companies that apply the Lean methodology in marketing, tests are also carried out to identify areas for improvement.

This is done, for example, when running A/B tests to optimize campaigns.

How Does Lean Marketing Work?

Just as Lean Manufacturing does not appear overnight in a company, it is necessary to respect the steps for its consolidation to implement Lean in marketing.

What is done is similar to more well-known practices.

The difference lies in introducing certain Lean concepts and approaches in each phase of strategic and operational planning for marketing.

Therefore, Lean Marketing is a form of “turbocharged” promotion to which some of the leading lean production tools and techniques are added.

Collaborative Briefing

The joint briefing is the first step in creating a marketing strategy according to Lean principles.

In it, the agency and client define a series of essential aspects to conduct future actions to generate more business opportunities.

This can be done by following a seven-step roadmap:

  • Review: stage in which the agency exposes what it has already done, what it has not done, and what it can do
  • Definition of key objectives: the goals to be achieved as a priority
  • Action scripting: strategically establishing where to go
  • Segmentation: mainly by building a buyer persona
  • Brainstorming: gathering ideas and everything that can be done to achieve the goals
  • Prioritization: definition of priority scales of actions
  • Action: final phase in which efforts are determined, and their deadlines stipulated.

Lean Planning

As detailed as the joint briefing is, it must be subjected to further revisions until a lean plan is reached.

This way, the action plan that emerges after the briefing is compared with what was done after that stage.

In other words: the marketing team analyzes the plan, adding more ideas and suggestions for improvement.

Once these solutions are approved, they are finally included in the planning, which is completed by determining the actions to be followed and the roles of each professional.

Results Analysis

In the same way that the industry analyzes its results to eliminate waste, it is essential to have periodic analyses of the results achieved in Lean Marketing.

Depending on what is found, investments can be reallocated, new priorities can be established, and even partnerships can be revised.

The analyzes are generally comparative; that is, in them, the latest results are evaluated positively or negatively, having as reference the results of similar past periods.

Or, in more technologically mature companies, these analyzes can be predictive, in which the reference is not what has passed but what is to come.

Continuous Improvement

This is where marketing comes closest to the Lean philosophy.

After all, one of its foundations is precisely the demand for a continuous process of improvement and improvement of practices, better known as Kaizen.

By implementing it in marketing, the company enables itself to innovate and makes it difficult for the competition to monitor it.

Therefore, Lean Marketing is an approach that aims to increase the efficiency of commercial efforts and anticipate the risks of a strategy being detected and copied by competitors.

How Do You Apply Lean Marketing In Your Company?

Implementing a new approach requires a significant mobilization of resources and, mainly, people.

Therefore, Lean Marketing can only flourish in companies where the organizational culture is receptive to change.

This requires leaders prepared to lead the process, not only to implement new solutions and tools but also to overcome pockets of resistance.

Conclusion

Lean production principles gave rise to Lean Marketing, which also drinks the source of the Lean Six Sigma methodology.

If you are a manager or work in this area, it is worth investing in training to achieve better results according to Lean practices.

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