SoftData Internet Hosting Blog

We are now upgrading all servers with PHP/5.2.9 and the latest stable version of mysql 5

Starting today we are also upgrading our plesk control panels to the latest stable version of 9.2

This is being done 1 server at a time.

Enhanced Interface —  Plesk Panel 9.2 boasts a completely redone user interface designed to help users navigate and perform tasks quicker and easier. The most popular and important actions are available right away on the user Home Page. Navigating through Plesk is faster than ever now due to ability to select Resellers, Clients, Domains and Mail User levels via pathbar. Parallels Plesk Panel 9.2 is presented in a brand-new clear and nice Vista visual theme that combines the best elements of the most popular Parallels Plesk Panel interface skins.

Postfix Support — Postfix mail server is available to all Parallels Plesk Panel for Linux/Unix users. The long-awaited support of the immensely popular alternative to Qmail allows Parallels Plesk Panel administrators to improve the stability, security and performance of all mail-related tasks. Switching from Qmail to Postfix is quick, effortless and transparent both to the administrator and end-users.

Greylisting — Greylisting reduces the amount of unsolicited e-mail (SPAM) delivered to e-mail addresses by capitalizing on spammers’ reluctance to configure their mail servers properly. Since most spammers do not retry sending email, the greylisting initially refuses all mail from unknown sources and accepts them on a later retry. This technology can cut spam as much as 95% of spam.

We now offer special monitoring services for those with mission critical web sites:

URL Monitoring

HOW IT WORKS

Retrieve a selected URL, checking for multiple strings of text within the page to ensure your site’s availability and to ensure that content has not been changed without authorization.

The given content cannot span over a line break and cannot be more than 5 consecutive words. We ask that you please provide us with static content as dynamic content cannot be used for this type of monitor. Also, the monitoring device will search for the given content in all parts of the source code; header, footer and body. Please keep this in mind when specifying a content check.

We strongly recommend NOT searching for the content “OK” with this type of monitor.

Please provide us with a working URL and a content string of up to five words within the page that should be verified.

Example:
https://example.com/loginpage.com
(Check for content: Welcome to the Login Page)

IMPORTANT – Before monitoring is enabled, we ask that you provide us with detailed emergency instructions as to how you would like us to respond to an outage or failure. Also, please provide a list of primary and secondary emergency contacts in case of such an event. These contacts will be recipients for any Rackwatch related ticket notifications. We must have the contacts and emergency instructions on file before any monitors are deployed.

To assist you in writing these, here are some questions you can answer:

1. Would you like us to troubleshoot the issue or just notify you?

2. Would you like us to work on it for a certain amount of time before we do contact you?

3. Specific troubleshooting instructions (such as custom scripts or what to do for a specific error)

4. A set of primary and secondary contact numbers. Emails will be created when a ticket is created, please ensure that the email you want to be contacted on are listed as technical contacts for the account.

URL Synthetic Transaction Monitoring. £40.00 per month each (5-steps or less).

A script of up to five steps through your website that simulates how a typical user interaction transpires. These scripts are repeated every ten minutes and triggers an alert if any of these five steps cannot be completed. For example, if a customer goes to a website but cannot complete the process of adding a product to the site’s shopping cart, this would trigger an alert. URL Synthetic Transaction Monitoring gives you the piece of mind that your website is functioning properly at all times.

The Gloucester Tall ships Festival takes place on Friday 29th – Sunday 31st May 2009 at Gloucester Docks. SoftData Internet Ltd are running a photo competition that is open to all and free to enter.

Full details on http://www.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/Win-Prizes-for-your-Tall-Ships-Photos.pdf 

Why not win prozes with your photos ?

We install free wordpress blogs with several themes we have written on every hosting pack. The technology has improved so much that now, you can set up a whole web site that you can maintain yourself. Here are a few examples:

http://www.gloucesterghostwalks.co.uk/

http://www.talented-force.com/

http://www.gloucesterlawcentre.co.uk/

When a .uk domain is registered, there is an option for non trading individuals to have their address details omitted from a public lookup.

Only domain name holders that are non-trading individuals can opt-out of having their address details published. In other words, if you do not use or plan to use your domain name for business, trade or professional transactions you will be entitled to opt-out of having your address displayed.

Sadly, we are seing more and more domains using this illegally, in particular, so called web design companies who really do know better.

By registering a domain name ending in .uk (with some very limited exceptions), you enter into a contract of registration with us (Nominet UK) on the following conditions, which includes conditions limiting our liability and relating to our use of your personal information. This contract is just for the domain name and separate to any arrangement you may have with any other organisation for providing internet services.

In other words registering a domain like this breaks your contract with Nominet.

We continue to have queries about upgrading to version 9 of Plesk.

Unfortunately there are still many unresolved security issues, so for the moment we will not be upgrading our servers. As soon as a stable version is released we wil upgrad.

SoftData Internet Ltd are of course full members of nominet, and are capable of registering .uk domains on our own TAG. Nominet are changing some of the ways in which registrars like ourselves register a new domain.

The requirement to supply a registrant billing contact for new domain name registrations has been removed.

We have reduced the number of telephone numbers associated with a contact to two landline and two mobile numbers. We have also removed the fax number. This applies to all contacts for both registrar and registrant accounts. This change only affected a small number of registrars who have been contacted to clarify their correct numbers.

Any new registrations made with more than the allowed number of telephone numbers will be rejected.

There have been some changes to the welcome email that we send out. When a new account and a new account contact is created we send a welcome email giving account login details. We have shortened and simplified this message and for registrant versions greater emphasis is given to their registrar’s details and if applicable the registrar custom message.

On 5 May 2009 we will be introducing a new function that will allow registrars to lock a domain name that they suspect is involved in phishing activity.

The phishing lock removes the domain name from the zone file and prevents any further changes being made such as registrar changes or nameserver modifications.

The phishing lock can be activated using EPP or the automaton. There is also an unlock operation to remove the phishing lock.
All this information is available on the official Nominet site

We are frequently asked if we can provide Password Protected Folders with our web hosting . The answer is , yes, it is there by default in your control panel.

You can password protect any folder, and add as many different users as you want.

SoftData Internet Ltd are now offering 4 months free hosting to any company that orders a hosting contract with us.

3000 Mb (3 Gig ) fast web space
unlimited bandwidth
www.yourowndomain.co.uk included free
unlimited pop3 boxes with spam filtering
Auto Responders
Full Daily Backup
Custom Error Pages
Email Forwarding
24/7 FTP access
Full Statistics – Webalizer web statistics or AWstats
Secure Control Panel
Unlimited Sub Domains
Secure https:// areas
cgi-bin , php , MySql , Perl , Front Page Extensions included
Free Wordpress Blog configured for you.

With the news this week that another company moving their support to another country ( see news here ) we are happy to re assure our customers that SoftData Internet Ltd continue to base all our services locally in the UK

You can phone us on 01452-552799 or raise a ticket on our support site