System Requirements for the Company:
1. The system should be able to handle a moderate amount of web traffic and user activity.
2. The system should have high uptime and reliability to ensure minimal downtime and a seamless user experience.
3. The company may require scalability options to accommodate future growth and increasing demands.
4. The system should have adequate security measures to protect sensitive user data.
5. The company may need technical support and expertise in managing and maintaining the system.
Advantages and Disadvantages of each Potential Solution:
1. Hosting the system on the company’s own servers:
- Advantages:
- Full control over hardware, software, and configurations.
- Potential cost savings in the long run.
- Disadvantages:
- High initial investment in purchasing and setting up servers.
- Requires technical expertise to manage and maintain servers.
- Limited scalability options.
2. Contracting with a hosting company for a virtual server:
- Advantages:
- Easy setup and minimal upfront costs.
- Scalability options to handle increased traffic.
- The hosting company takes care of server maintenance and security.
- Disadvantages:
- Limited control over server configurations.
- Possible reliance on the hosting company's support and uptime.
3. Going to Amazon’s cloud (Amazon Web Services - AWS):
- Advantages:
- Highly scalable infrastructure to handle varying workloads.
- Various service options (compute power, storage, databases, etc.) to suit specific needs.
- Reliable and secure cloud environment.
- Easy integration with other AWS services.
- Disadvantages:
- Ongoing costs for utilizing AWS services.
- Requires understanding and knowledge of AWS offerings.
Recommendation:
For this small start-up company, I recommend contracting with a hosting company for a virtual server. This solution offers several advantages that align well with the company's requirements:
1. Cost-effectiveness: Hosting with a reputable hosting provider will eliminate the need for significant upfront investments in hardware and infrastructure.
2. Scalability: As a start-up, the company may experience fluctuating web traffic and user activity. Contracting with a hosting company will provide flexibility to scale resources up or down based on demand.
3. Expert support and maintenance: Leveraging a hosting company's support services will provide technical expertise and ensure the system's reliability, security, and uptime.
4. Reduced complexity: This solution will allow the company to focus on its core business operations without the need to manage and maintain servers.
While hosting on the company's own servers offers control, it may not be feasible for a small start-up due to the high costs and limited scalability options. Amazon's cloud, though highly scalable and reliable, may involve a steeper learning curve and ongoing costs that may not align with the budget constraints of a small start-up. Hence, contracting with a hosting company strikes a good balance between cost-effectiveness, scalability, and support for this small start-up company.
Using the Internet and any other appropriate sources, conduct further research into each of the following hosting solutions for Internet deployment:
Host the system on the company’s own servers;
Contract with a hosting company for a virtual server;
Go to Amazon’s cloud.
Using any application and format of your choice, draft a proposal in which you:
Briefly describe the system requirements of the company;
List the advantages and disadvantages of each potential solution.
Recommend which solution you believe would be most appropriate for this small start-up company. Make sure that you justify your recommendation.
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