Fasthosts offers virtual server range

Fasthosts has introduced a range of virtual servers, based on Microsoft Hyper-V, that allows customers to configure a server by choosing capacity, processor power and control settings that meet changing business needs.

The Gloucester-based hosting company said that it was following up on increasing demand for virtual servers. Its recent survey of 500 UK firms found that over one third a third of UK firms expect to be using a virtual server within the coming year.

Fasthosts customers will be able to select from a range of suggested configurations or be able to design a virtual server by choosing capacity, processor power and control settings to order. Customers are also free to modify these at any point in time. Fasthosts said that by re-adjusting their server requirements, the users would only pay for the resources they actually need.

Unusually, the service is going to be based on Microsoft's Hyper-V despite VMware's pre-eminence in the virtualisation space.

Fasthosts Virtual Servers offer the latest Windows 2008 RS operating system and resource monitoring. The service will cost from £29.32 per month per server.

Steve Holford, Fasthosts' chief marketing officer said "We looked at a number of virtualisation technologies including VMware, but we decided to further progress our partnership with Microsoft and work with them using Hyper-V technology. We have worked with Microsoft, understanding the roadmap and foresee excellent benefits for our customers. Hyper-V is a great fit for maximising on our investments into network infrastructure and connectivity."

According to Holford the service will particularly useful for companies who are looking to work on dedicated projects and feel encumbered by their companies' existing IT infrastructures.

"Our research has found that the lion's share of business users tend to be shared hosting users that seek additional power and capacity at low cost. Firms can often be wary to commit to dedicated server resources. It is likely that attractive commercial offerings for virtual technology, such as our new packages, will lead more users to turn their backs on maintaining often inflexible in-house hardware"