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How To Tackle The Online Challenges Presented By The Olympics

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Dealing with remote traffic and customer traffic

Given the transportation issues the Olympics will create for inner and Greater London, many companies will likely allow some employees to work from home. For this to work seamlessly, they must ensure their data centres or virtual servers are prepared for the influx in traffic that working from home will bring. A large number of staff accessing email, database software or other business operations at the same time could overload the server; potentially crippling productivity. As a result, using a server (cloud or dedicated) which provides scalability for growth is essential in order to cope with such an influx.

Businesses face a similar situation when it comes to their customer-facing systems. A major event can create added demand for websites and all their functionalities, but for those with cloud servers, this shouldn't pose too much of a problem. Cloud computing is easily scalable, so a spike in traffic doesn't have to mean potential crashes or slower loading times.

Furthermore, server capacity can be scaled up or down as required. This means that during the Games, businesses can feel secure in the knowledge that they can attract as many customers as possible to their website without fear of overloading their host. Conversely, when customer numbers are down, businesses can reduce capacity; making cloud hosting a cost-effective option throughout the year.

Keeping everything secure

Online security is another challenge which presents itself thanks to the Olympics. E-commerce sites are particularly vulnerable, given their sophisticated payment processes and the confidential information they hold. The rise in remote working could also leave networks at risk, so security - across the board - is a vital consideration.

There are a range of solutions that can aid a business' security - like encryption, endpoint security and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). These can help quash the threat of unauthorised access. A business' cloud host or data centre should be able to advise them on the best methods to use for their individual website; helping them gain the upper hand on intelligent cyber criminals.

In terms of securing remote access for workers, endpoint security can prove highly effective; combining a firewall, anti-virus software, network access control and program control. Furthermore, VDI forces data to remain in the data centre, so sharing documents or saving files from remote devices is not allowed. Coupled with restricting access on parameters such as date, time, location, device and user, businesses should be well-equipped security-wise to deal with any challenges.

Take advantage of this event

The Olympics should provide firms with the springboard they need to outline a comprehensive IT strategy and security plan, especially for small to medium-sized businesses which are new to the challenge and hadn't necessarily been able to justify the budget needed before now.

Businesses that remain ill-equipped for the challenges the Olympics present could find themselves regretting it post-Games; especially if it affects their customer bases and ultimately, their profits/reputations.

At PEER 1 Hosting, we are uniquely positioned to help organisations doing online business in London during the summer events.

Our wholly owned and managed 10Gbps FastFiber Network™, Portsmouth Data Centre, High Availability and Disaster Recovery Services and Content Distribution Network (CDN) are designed and managed to deliver uptime and reliability at all times. And because they circumvent the network quagmire that will be London during June and July, businesses that need to be online nonstop can stay online nonstop.

We have also created a specific webpage at http://www.peer1hosting.co.uk/london-2012-games with an infographic to support businesses that want to learn more about how their business may be affected.

FG_AUTHORS: Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Web-Hosting Articles from EzineArticles.com

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