Please click each FAQ to 'expand or contract' our answers: (Download our brochure here)

• What is a Hosting Service Provider (HSP)?

  • A HSP, such as HSP Central, is an Internet-based business, built on proficient Windows network operation principles and popular Windows based applications. This hosted architecture allows a HSP to take advantage of a wealth of pre-built, compatible services that allow a subscriber to access a simpler yet productive IT service experience.

  • A hosted environment permits the HSP to devote more time to creating specifically targeted, reusable business logic components and less time on underlying maintenance code or compatibility issues necessary for many diverse applications to function effectively.

  • The need to be able to construct a reliable solution quickly from existing parts has led to the concept of software accessibility as a 'service'. In the hosted services environment, due to the ability of the HSP to run hosted applications on one common platform, subscribers will be able to save time and money by leaving the 'traditional' and arduous support efforts of distributed applications on many different platforms.

• Why should I or my company be interested in hosted Microsoft Terminal Services?

  • There are several major benefits with a Terminal Server enabled network:

    • Cost Deployment of new services or upgrades are accomplished in a fraction of the time and cost compared with a traditional, distributed network.

    • Security HSP Central's Vanguard Security System© offers a dynamic suite of multi-layered security features as ubiquitous as they are up to date.

    • Speed All hosted network services reside on a high performance network AND all desktop applications execute on high performance servers.

    • Centralized Application Deployment and Updates All subscribers receive the latest application modifications immediately. No software versioning issues. All branch offices and remote users are part of an efficient corporate LAN.

    • No IT Guesswork or Investment Eliminate the requirement to forecast capacity needs and purchase expensive  hardware (PCs and servers). Eliminate risks associated with short hardware life cycles, equipment under/over utilization, and legacy compatibility issues.
    • Flat Capital Requirements IT costs are subscription based. Pay only for what you use and when you use it. No initial hardware or software purchases. No up-front fees. Monthly subscription costs are an operating expense not an amortized asset.
    • Company Taxes Operational cost deductions over a two year period are about 20% better rather than traditional upfront cost tax deductions and then depreciation scheduling.

    • True Telecommuting Capability Outstanding Remote Access from any Windows based device with Internet Explorer and an Internet connection anywhere in the world, without the practical limitations of Windows XP or other methods.

    • Establish your green environmental policy and save on your IT budget at the same time.

    • Agility IT infrastructure immediately available in remote locations without set-up, relocation or migration delays or costs.

    • Disaster Recovery Files are backed up, stay resident on the network they were created, in the licensed applications in which they are written.

     

• The common perception of businesses going 'green' is that the process is an additional expense. How does HSP Central save costs with a green IT effort?

  • For any HSP Central subscriber, there are no requirements to purchase servers and licensing and pay for network service deployments. Existing office IT equipment such as a PC lifecycle can be extended as long as the PC continues to basically function and access the Internet.

• How can we be sure of our data security at HSP Central?

  • Data Security is maintained via encrypted (128-bit SSL strength) authentication logon to the hosted environment. AND security is further enhanced with very strict Windows 2008 Kerberos access control lists. Organizations can only view/access their own data storage. Please check our Hosted Services Security  page for more details.

• Can a company save time and money with HSP Central hosted services?

  • IT Support requirements are decreased over 40% and annual cost savings for each user IT requirement is about 50% (The Cost Effectiveness of Hosted Services). With the user monthly subscription, the hosted services covers all application licensing costs including upgrades.

  • New applications and upgrades are fully tested before deployment. The hosted services environment possesses high-speed Internet connections. Therefore, a company only has to purchase the Internet connectivity performance it needs to only access the Hosted Services. Once the subscriber is logged on to the hosted environment, surfing the Internet can be achieved at higher speeds.

• When an organization decides to deploy a HSP Central turnkey solution, will present IT personnel continue to have responsibilities?

  • Absolutely YES!! An HSP Central solution does not replace existing IT personnel. HSP Central does, however, free IT personnel from many tedious operational tasks in their production environment. This will allow them to focus more on application decisions and design to meet corporate needs, network service optimization, and increase end user production via specific application training.

  • Local IT personnel will be required to manage user accounts, create or modify access control lists to file structures and constantly plan for capacity issues of all services. Possibly, HSP Central may reduce a company's need to hire future operations IT personnel yielding additional strategic cost savings.

• My data files are on my PC and some department files reside on an office file server. How can we easily transfer data to the hosted environment?

  • File transfers or uploading can occur in several ways. The simplest is to email basic files as attachments to your hosted email account. This may not be practical for very large files so a confidential FTP process will then be disclosed.

  • However, if an organization has more than 750 MB of data, a HSP Central representative will copy all data files from the client's network to a storage hard disk device. And that storage device will be transported to the HSP Central Data Center for transfer to the organization's private file storage area on the hosted network storage array.

Please check our SharePoint Team Services website for more details regarding the latest information of various hosted services deployments and future offerings at HSP Central.