Webanet Blog

We are hearing the term Cloud Computing more and more, but what actually is a cloud? And more importantly, what benefit does cloud computing bring to business? Cloud services are becoming more and more popular now and even the big boys like Amazon and Microsoft are beginning to offer cloud storage without their own cloud services for free!

While we can all appreciate the need for backing up all of our personal digital media such as family photos, music and videos. It’s a little more fuzzy when we thing of the cloud in a business use sense.

The term cloud computing can be used to describe any services that is delivered over the Internet and can therefore cover a wide array of actual applications, many of which are very beneficial to the way you do business.

So pretty much any file sharing can be classified as a cloud service, from Exchange Email solutions to Hosted VoIP services. Having your data stored in a cloud solution means that it is always available to you wherever you choose to do business. Cloud solutions can save you time, money, and indeed the hassle and limitations of storing media locally.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing saves you money: Storing your data with an external provider means you do not have the overhead of expensive equipment or software charges, instead paying a sinlge monthly or yearly fee for someone else to manage everything for you.

Clout Computing saves you time: Since all files and media can be accessed from anywhere by anyone with access, it means that getting the files you need is both quick, easy and efficient.

Cloud Computing simplifies things: The data will always exist in the same place, so if you work with both a main PC, a laptop, or even an iPad or other portable device, they can all access the files via the Internet without the need to ensure each computer device has the files it needs.

Cloud Computing is Safer and Easier: If you store all files locally, you’ll need to also ensure that the files are backed up in order to recover in the event of hardware failure. With a Cloud solution, your files will be stored on a remote dedicated server, and will be backed up automatically by your provider so you can be assured your data is in safe hands.

With more and more people now working remotely, the benefits of cloud computing are really starting to shine through. If you have a team of employees that work from home or on site, Cloud computing can ensure they all have access to the same files with the minimum of hassle.

A recent study has shown that 80% of larger businesses are now using one or more cloud services and half of these are using up to 6 and we expect this to continue to grow, and eventually the cloud ethos will become the preferred normal way in which we work.

To find out more about cloud hosted services and how they can help your business, please get in touch.

This year has been a real eye opener for the development team at Webanet. We had never worked with HSBC’s ePayments system before due to hearsay regarding bad experiences from other developers and users of the systems. But having had the opportunity to integrate both the ePayments CPI and ePayments API into new websites this year, we now see the HSBC ePayments systems are rather good, at least once integrated and running.

HSBC ePayments CPI PHP Integration

As luck would have it, our first ecommerce website was to integrate with the ePayments CPI (Cardholder Payment Interface) which sounded the easier of the two to get up and running. HSBC provided a plethora of PDF documents including an ePayments integration guide and reference document. However this was the area where I had heard bad things, that HSBC documentation was not not going to win any awards for attention to detail for exampl. While I can agree that the documents may seem quite woolly to the uninitiated developer, I did feel it gave us enough information to understand the system and find our way around quite quickly.

I was wrong in my expectations that the CPI would be easier to integrate than the ePPayments API however, since the CPI required the installation of an HSBC specific library file, in my case a “LibCcCpiTools.so” which did require the installation and update of certain required Linux libraries to get working. While this was pretty straightforward to do, it was not something I expected to have to do with the CPI version. The documentation provided me with all I needed to verify that the library was working and then began planning a HSBC ePayments PHP class to make life easier when integrating with the website front end.

During tests, there are a few things that can catch you out, especially related to the setting of the mandatory variables for currency types and the like, and also with the test mode since that does rely on certain order characteristics to be met for it to successfully go through as a test payment, none of which is documented very well. For the test orders, you can user a set of test credit card details which can simulate a real transaction and allow to you follow the progress of a real order through the system.

Overall, the integration was not as easy as some other payment systems we have used, but it was nowhere near as difficult as I had expected from my preliminary research. The library files that need to be installed could pose a problem for websites hosted on a shared hosting system since some providers do not like to install non-standard libraries. At Webanet, we are gradually rolling out the C version of the a LibCcCpiTools.so library to all of our shared servers to alleviate some of the initial installation burden for our customers. The library is also available in Java and COM versions but we stuck with the C library due to our in-house C expertise. As far as integration with PHP goes, this part was a breeze! We quickly created a HSBC ePayments PHP class to work with the C Library to authenticate, and added all the little bits and dabs to ensure the content we send to HSBC was in the correct formats. Within no time we had send our first test payment through the ePayments CPI system and all was well in the world.

While the ePayments CPI works, and works well, I really don’t like the fact that you cannot configure how the payment gateway looks. With Worldpay for example, you get to configure the payment gateway so that it looks more like your own website which ensures order continuity and flow. So I was eager to see what the ePayments API brings to the table, if it was to work like the CPI but give me full control of how things look, I’d be a happy man.

HSBC ePayments API PHP Integration

The HSBC ePayments API solution is fully integrated into your website, which means your customers will never feel as if they have left your website. They enter all of their details, including their credit card details into your website, and this is sent to HSBC via XML and your language of choice. So it’s a far more professional experience for your customers, which can only be a good thing overall.

The HSBC ePayments API documentation was pretty much as I was expecting it to be. A few more documents including an XML reference, and this time the absence of a library to install. So I already felt the API was going to be a little easier to initially work with. The first task is to understand the flow of how payments are taken from your website, are sent to HSBC, and returned back. Quite a lot of data is passed around via XML but once you understand the flow and the data, it’s time to get down to the coding. Again, for this website we used PHP to do the real leg work of managing the data sent and responses received.

Quite a lot of time is taken with form validation of credit cards information and with the handling all of the error codes that HSBC can send you back. This is probably my only criticism, the error code meaning is never really that obvious from the documentation explanations and this can be a little frustrating.
Once the website was fully setup, the order process is very good, very fast, and works really well. A test mode makes life a little easier during the testing phase and gives that all importance confidence that all is working as it should be.

HSBC ePayments CPI or ePayments API?

Both systems work and work really well once setup. But I cannot really get over the fact that you cannot configure the HSBC CPI gateway page to look more like your website. For me, the breaking of order continuity with the ePayments CPI makes the ePayments API the clear winner. Also, the extra step of installing the HSBC library could mean the CPI is not a viable option for websites on shared hosting due to providers not wanting to install the library. The integration time is a little more lengthy for the API but the final result really does make it time well spent.

Integrate HSBC ePayments with PHP

If you would like to know more about how Webanet can help you integrate with the HSBC ePayment systems or have any other questions, please contact us. We can also provide web hosting solutions that include the HSBC CPI libraries too which does alleviate some of the burden of installation.

The only true constant with SEO these days is that you have to constantly adapt your SEO strategy to ensure you maximise your search engine positioning. So whether you are an SEO yourself, or a marketing manager tasked with looking after a websites online marketing strategy, you always need to be at the forefront of SEO developments to maximise results.

We are now all too aware of the recent changes that Google has made to their search engine algorithm to rank the quality of websites, in fact this caused major changes to the search engine positioning of many popular websites during its rollout across the pond, and its set to do the same here when the Google changes are applied in Europe and the UK.

At least for UK SEOers, we get to see what effects the Google algorithm has had during its US launch and can plan for its arrival to ensure we maximise our websites search engine positioning.

We all know how important it is to ensure our websites area updated regularly with fresh content. But it’s now so important that the information on our websites is of significant quality for Google, Bing & Yahoo to hold them in high regard as far as positioning is concerned. The search engines still love new quality link backs to your website too, and indeed outbound quality links from your website to other websites. But this is where the new Google algorithm has made its mark.

We have always been careful about the websites we link to, but the new Google algorithm change is going to give us all a little bit more SEO paranoia. For example, would you like to gain a new link or post a new article on a website that has recently lost page ranking because Google has branded it a low quality site? At the very least, it’s going to make us think more about the impact it could have to our website.

Now while this all sounds like UK SEOers will be reaching for the Paracetamol when the Google algorithm graces us with its presence, I think the major shake-up will be a very good thing as far as quality of search results go. It just means we have to give Google what it wants, good quality content. And this is the major key, the ideal scenario is people are linking to your website, not because they want something in return like a link back or money, but because they truly feel your content is worth linking to from their website. After all, this is essentially what page rank has always been about hasn’t it?

Now we’re not saying you should abandon link directories, but it is best to avoid any of the many automated ‘add you site’ directories and concentrate your efforts on seeking out gaining quality links from directories that Google would deem as a higher quality website such as human edited link directories like the Open Directory Project DMOZ for example.

So less is indeed more, quality over quantity. Take the extra time to seek out those higher quality link backs from manually verified link directories and make this an important ongoing element of your SEO strategy. Getting any old link may be quick and easy but in some cases, they could cause your website more harm than good in the long term.

Whether in the UK or not, the key factors which determines your next UK web hosting plans home will largely come down to the amount of disk space and the amount of bandwidth your website needs. While disk space governs the amount of hard drive space your website has, or how many pages of data and images it can hold, bandwidth is the amount of times your pages and content can be downloaded by your web users. Therefore, disk space and bandwidth are the main commodities which you are paying. Of course the additional extras are always nice, the disk space and the bandwidth are what every web page will use without question.

Now, the networks that carry your hosted web page content around the internet (be it cable, copper wire, or fibre optic) do not have an infinite capacity and there are indeed limits on the amount of data content that can be transferred at any single time. The same is of course true for hard drives, they also have a capacity that once filled, will not allow more data to be added.

So with many web hosting companies now claiming they offer unlimited bandwidth and unlimited disk space, we can see that there has to be some small print hidden somewhere that must govern its use requirements. Because unless they have invented a world first unlimited hard disk drive, or a method to deliver truly unlimited bandwidth, then it’s simply a clever marketing ploy to stay competitive in the web hosting world.

How do web hosting companies offer unlimited bandwidth?

So we now know that web hosting companies simply cannot honour a web hosting plan that is really unlimited in nature. It is simply not possible to do. They are well aware that the majority of websites will be small, and in most cases will not use anywhere near their bandwidth or disk space allowances. Only when you are serving demanding content such as video, large images, or massive websites of content will the bandwidth really matter. So, this practice is known as overselling, and is based on the knowledge that people just won’t use all of the bandwidth on their account, let alone unlimited.

If a web hosting company is offering unlimited bandwidth, there is usually some small print somewhere that actually informs you of what ‘unlimited bandwidth’ actually means. For example, some web hosts will only cover unlimited up to a defined level. For example, “Unlimited bandwidth up to 5GB per month” and beyond the 5GB, you could be charged extra for any over usage of bandwidth. Another condition that may be applied to your web hosting account is that only images and pages (html content etc.) can be used within the unlimited amount. So if you have a website featuring a lot of video content this is going to use more bandwidth and therefore, this could not be covered under the ‘unlimited bandwidth’ terms. So it’s always worth checking with your new website host “What does unlimited bandwidth actually mean?” and read the small print in their hosting terms and conditions.

How much bandwidth will my website need?

In basic form, small website consisting only of HTML content and images would have to be incredibly busy to use say 10GB of bandwidth per month. While the same website with a video on each page, could use 10GB fairly easily. So if you need video web hosting then your bandwidth requirements will be higher than a simple small website hosting plan.

So should I go with an unlimited bandwidth account?

The general rule of thumb is that if you have an undemanding website, then unlimited bandwidth should be more than adequate for your needs. But if you know that you are using a lot of bandwidth per month, then it really is worth doing your homework so you find out if your new web host will be able to provide the bandwidth requirements your website needs, without any nasty surprises in the form of extra bandwidth charges later on down the line.

Does Webanet do unlimited bandwidth on thier web hosting plans?

Being in the web hosting industry since the late 90s means that we know the web hosting industry, and our clients really well. We know that offering an honest solution, with top the best hosting support and customer service is what sets us apart from other hosting companies. Our bandwidth limits are set, but you are free to use that for whatever content you wish to serve. An in the event that your website because really busy and needs more allowance, we will notify you ahead if time to ensure that you don’t get any overcharges. So we are a more proactive website hosting company.

To find out more about our UK webhosting packages, please get in touch.

Normally, when choosing a domain or web hosting provider your decision with come down to two main factors: cost and the extra functions that you get. But there is often a third element that providers are not entirely upfront about, and that is how easy will the domain be to transfer to another provider should you wish to move later on.

Domain names are fairly cheap these days, UK domain names can cost around £3 per year and a .com around £15. The problem is that some providers will charge your a “transfer” fee if you want to move your domain away, and this can be anything from £15 upwards for their admin fees.

People are often attracted by the offer of cheap domains without finding out about any extra costs and it’s not until they wish to leave the provider do they realise the true cost of their domain. In some cases, some providers do all they can to make the transfer process as hard as possible to try and keep your business, and these extra costs are just another obstacle they place to try and force you to stay with them.

In-fact the transfer process for domain names is a lot easier than some providers may let on. For example, to transfer a .co.uk simply requires an IPS TAG change to the new tag. This single step will transfer the domain name to us. However, some providers will charge you £15 to make this 10 second change!

With .com domains (GTLD) the process has a few extra steps such as ensuring the domain is unlocked for transfer and that the admin contact email is set to one that can be checked, but is still a pretty quick and standard process. With GTLD’s however, a transfer does include a requirement to renew the domain for an extra year but of course, this would be the standard fee for one year of domain registration (and charged by the new provider, not the one you are moving from).

At Webanet we are upfront about our domain costs so you can be sure you know exactly what you will be paying at each and every stage.

While domain transfers do need a small amount of administrative work to process, we include this as part of the domain fee you pay us and so any modification requests for your domain are included in the registration fees.

If you have any problems with your domain why not get in touch, we will be happy to help and advise all we can.

When a domain name is registered, one of the key elements that is chosen will be the legal registered owner of the domain. If you are purchasing a domain from a domain provider then this should be set to your name or that of your companies. However, some providers will instead use their details as the legal owner which can lead to ownership questions and subsequent legal disputes later on down the line.

We see this time and time again, a customer contacts us for a new solution and as part of this we transfer their domain in. In cases where there has been a conflict between the customer and the previous host, we often find they use the domain as a bargaining tool when in fact the domain should have been registered in the name of the customer from the starting point.

Domain disputes can and do occur and each registrar have their normal policies for dealing with them. However forewarned is forearmed so before you register your domain, make sure you ask your new provider to confirm that the domain name will indeed be registered with you as the legal owner.

Often, a domain name is worth much more than just the registration fees, a company’s whole online presence can be dependent on the domain name so ensuring that the domain is actually your legal property is vital. You may have invested in online marketing for the domain, have it on all your business stationary, and be something within which people recognise and trust you. Making sure your domain will be registered as yours before the registration process should be at the forefront of your mind when registering a new domain name.

With domains from Webanet, you can be sure that your domain will indeed be just that YOUR domain. If you are currently having any issues with domain ownership, why not give us a call and we will be happy to give you some advice or assistance.

The Internet is great Isn’t it! But is you website safe from hackers? A wealth of information at your finger tips and even better, FREE software in the form of Open Source! Brilliant! Or is it? And are you leaving yourself exposed and vulnerable to hackers by using it?

So why should you worry? Well the thing that makes open source so great, is also the thing that makes it a potential security threat. Open-source software is freely available for distribution and modification, as long as the modified software is itself available under open-source terms. While this is great for ongoing development of software and the saying “many hands make light” work of course means all the nice funky features get added, and you of course get them free should you choose to use them. But this openness of the software is the reason you should be concerned since if honest coders and users can access the software, so can the more unscrupulous users such as hackers.

Hackers scrutinise the open code, looking for weaknesses or security holes which can allow them to breach the security of the website and sometimes even the whole server, including any other software running on them. While the open source community provides hot fixes and updates to fix any known problems, their method is more reactive than proactive since they provide fixes to problems that have occurred usually once hackers have exploited the weakness.

Updating your open-source software on a regular basis does not of course come without cost, since it takes time to upgrade, and in some cases other dependent features can break which ends up costing business’ in the long run, making the free software a bit less ‘free’ shall we say.

So we see a two-fold reason why you should steer away from open-source, first, there are of course hidden time related costs if you want to make sure you are kept up to date by patching to the latest versions. Then this of course does not guarantee you will not be one of the unlucky ones that get hacked because of a new exploit. Then of course, getting hacked can range from malicious updating of content right through to a total systems failure. Either can be very damaging and detrimental to your business. Imagine if a hacker places some defamatory information on your homepage? Think about the harm this could do to your reputation.

At Webanet, we build systems using our own in-house development framework which is totally protected and restricted to in-house development meaning it is less prone to be hacked opportunistically and is not a threat to your server or other critical software which may run on it. With open-source being the easy and cheap initial choice for business, they are often not aware of the ongoing implications once they have build a solution around it, we are often contacted by people that have a large and unwieldy open-source solution that has grown and matured into a chaotic mess of outdated and vulnerable code. Contacting Webanet is of course the right thing do to do and we have helped people get their systems back on track with an Webanet solution that is cost-effective, scalable and of course secure!”

For more information about our software solutions why not give us a call.