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How to Create a GoGrid Cloud Server Image for Rapid Scalability

Thursday, January 31st, 2013 by Michael Sheehan

Let’s say that you have fully configured a Cloud Server running on GoGrid. You’re so proud of your achievement that you want to share your configuration with your team or perhaps even with the GoGrid community. And let’s imagine that you or your company has developed a software solution that you’d like to monetize within a Public Cloud. Well, the process of creating and sharing a GoGrid Cloud Server Image (GSI) is easy and literally takes just a few minutes.

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Similar to our previous “How To” article and video (“How to Select, Configure, & Deploy a GoGrid Cloud Server in Minutes”), the process of creating a GSI is straightforward and can be simplified into 3 easy steps:

1. Select
2. Save
3. Share

Before I show you how easy it is to create a GoGrid Cloud Server Image, here are some ways you might use it:

  • To reduce setup and configuration times for new servers
  • To enable rapid horizontal scaling of servers
  • To create a back-up repository of your GoGrid servers
  • To share your server configuration with your team for future cloud deployments
  • To monetize a software solution

(more…) «How to Create a GoGrid Cloud Server Image for Rapid Scalability»

How to Select, Configure, & Deploy a GoGrid Cloud Server in Minutes

Thursday, January 10th, 2013 by Michael Sheehan

If you visit the GoGrid homepage, you’ll be greeted with the following headline:

We make cloud infrastructure easy. Really easy.

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But without trying our cloud infrastructure service, how can you really know what “easy” means? It can be completely subjective and open to interpretation. Even so, we stand firmly by our statement. It IS easy because it simply boils down to 3 action words:

1. select
2. configure
3. deploy.

Don’t just take my word for it though. Your best bet is to test it out yourself. (Here’s a hint: If you’re new to GoGrid, contact one of our Cloud Experts, mention this blog post, and get a $100 service credit to see if we’re right.)

Almost as easy as watching a video

I understand you may not have time to do some hands-on testing so we’ve put together a short (3 minute 40 second) video that walks you through how to: (more…) «How to Select, Configure, & Deploy a GoGrid Cloud Server in Minutes»

Windows Server 2012 Now Available in the GoGrid Cloud

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 by Michael Sheehan

When we launched our Cloud Infrastructure back in April 2008, one of our core requirements was to not only provide Linux distributions, but also Windows Servers in the cloud. We offered Windows Server 2003 immediately and a few months later added Windows Server 2008 to the mix.

Last month, we added Windows Server 2012 64-bit to round out our robust Windows Server line in the GoGrid cloud.

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We continue to provide Windows Servers in the cloud license-free meaning that you do not pay an additional surcharge on top of your cloud infrastructure costs. The only exceptions to this are for Windows Servers that have Microsoft SQL Server included.

It’s important to note that there is no longer an 8-core limitation on cloud servers. We now provide the same core allocations as we do with our Linux cloud servers, specifically:

  • XX-Large Cloud Servers with 16 GB RAM now come with 16-cores
  • XXX-Large Cloud Servers with 24 GB RAM now come with 24-cores

The number of cores is directly tied to the size of the server: (more…) «Windows Server 2012 Now Available in the GoGrid Cloud»

10 Cloud Resolutions for 2013

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013 by Michael Sheehan

It’s the New Year! Have you resolved to get in better shape? How about the shape of your business? Are you going to keep trudging along at the same pace with the same old hardware clogging up your data center? Don’t you think it’s time to look to the future and get a head start on your competition by moving to cloud computing?

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In case you’re still shaking the cobwebs out of your head from the holiday celebrations, I’ve put together a list of 10 cloud resolutions for 2013. Just pick a few of these to help you and your business start 2013 right!

  1. I resolve to spend less time in the data center and get my hearing back. Have you ever walked around a data center? You can’t talk without shouting, and you can easily catch a cold from the refrigeration needed to keep all those machines running cool. Besides, if you spend too long in there, you’ll tend to speak a lot louder in the regular world.
  2. I resolve to ensure other people understand that clouds aren’t just those fluffy things in the sky. It seems that many people still think clouds are what produce rain or sometimes block the sun. But more and more companies are turning to the cloud to solve real business problems.
  3. I resolve to donate my unused hardware to charity instead of letting it gather cobwebs in my data center. When you use cloud computing, you can control your spend and use of server resources at a much finer level. And because you “lease” the virtual resources, you can afford to give up the physical ones.
  4. I resolve to understand the difference between SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS so I don’t sound like an “aaS.” There’s a difference between software vs. platforms vs. infrastructure as a service. Think varying levels of control and capabilities.
  5. I resolve to better forecast my infrastructure use instead of just rolling the dice. You wouldn’t build a house without a budget, and you shouldn’t build out infrastructure without knowing how much you’re going to use it.
  6. I resolve to take more vacations while managing my infrastructure remotely. With the cloud, you can get out of that loud data center and into the real world. The nice thing about having scalable, controllable infrastructure is being able to manage it remotely from a web browser using an API or a mobile application.
  7. I resolve to scale my flexible infrastructure much the same way my tummy scales after the holiday (thank goodness for sweatpants)! Programmatic control of your infrastructure and IT spend means you now have the flexibility to adapt your business to market conditions and customer demands.
  8. I resolve to convince my IT department to get their heads out of the clouds and invest in the cloud. If your IT department is still manually provisioning out-of-date physical servers that take weeks or months to deploy, it’s high time they look into cloud computing so they can focus on other stuff.
  9. I resolve to stop throwing my cash out the window by spending it on physical hardware. The cloud lets you to control your costs and requisition virtual environments on-demand.
  10. I resolve to test out GoGrid’s high-performing cloud infrastructure. It’s the start of a new year, and time to start a new cloud project! Contact a GoGrid cloud specialist for a $100 service credit to help you get started, and be sure to mention this cloud resolutions blog post!

Happy 2013! May our clouds help produce success for your business this year!

The 12 Days of Cloudiness

Thursday, December 13th, 2012 by Michael Sheehan

Happy Holidays to all of our friends, family and followers!

On the 1st day of Cloudiness, GoGrid gave to me,
Cloud infrastructure made easy.

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On the 2nd day of Cloudiness, GoGrid gave to me,
Public and private VLANs,
and cloud infrastructure made easy.

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On the 3rd day of Cloudiness, GoGrid gave to me,
Infinite cloud storage,
Public and private VLANs,
and cloud infrastructure made easy.

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On the 4th day of Cloudiness, GoGrid gave to me,
Secure hardware firewalls,
Infinite cloud storage,
Public and private VLANs,
and cloud infrastructure made easy.

(more…) «The 12 Days of Cloudiness»