Netcetera

The Isle of Man's leading provider of data centre and hosting services

From the initial start up, with just one server in 1996, Netcetera has grown to become one of the world’s leading hosting service providers. Today, customers range from smaller one-and two-person operations to complex NHS agencies to global e-business enterprises in more than 60 countries.

Such was Netcetera’s expansion that by the year 2000, the company had opened four data centres in London's Docklands. Then, in 2006 the company announced it was investing £10m to construct a new data centre, The Dataport, located in the Isle of Man’s Freeport. It was fully functional by March 2007 and before long, its first server room was filled. A year later, further expansion is imminent with the construction of a second server room about to commence.

As acknowledgment of this impressive track record, Netcetera has scooped several accolades in recent years: the company has also been listed for three years running in Deloitte’s 50 Fastest Growing Technology Companies. It is rated the number one UK shared web hosting provider for January 2008 by Webhost Directory. In February 2008, internet research specialist, Netcraft, named Netcetera as the most reliable web host in Britain and sixth worldwide in the global league table.

Isle of Man

Netcetera’s success is in part down to its location on the Isle of Man, a low tax jurisdiction that is extremely friendly to e-business. The government boasts that the Island gives its residents and businesses the ‘freedom to flourish’ and does what it can to make this happen with several incentives.

For example, internet-based companies could realise tax savings of up to 47.5% of total profit. There is also a range of grants available. The government prides itself on being flexible and responsive to the needs of business and this experience is borne out across many industries on the Island.

Putting its money where its mouth is, the 2008 budget includes an eight-million pound boost to the e-commerce fund over the next two years.

Telecommunications Infrastructure

The Isle of Man has a world-class telecommunications infrastructure and has become a centre of excellence for IT in recent years. In this IT hub, there are also the skill sets to match most IT requirements.

With the new E-LLAN owned and managed sub-sea cable now on stream along with the BT and C&W owned cables; the island is served by three fully independent, resilient, Dense Wave Division Multiplexed (DWDM) SDH rings ensuring the Isle of Man has high capacity reliable communications. The Netcetera network takes advantage of all of the above fibres to connect The Dataport to major peering points and Tier 1 transit providers resiliently across all 3 routes.

Security is a key consideration for a web hosting company and that comes in abundance on an Island with low crime and borders that are defined by the sea.

The Dataport: secure hosting offshore

The Dataport is Netcetera’s first offshore data centre and is the largest facility of its kind on the Island. It has a total capacity of 16,824 square feet, the equivalent of over 700 racks.

Dave Boswell, Netcetera's chief operating officer explains:

"Hosting in The Dataport means you get unparalleled value for money, the most advanced technology available anywhere and the world’s most attractive low-tax incentives."

The standard of security at The Dataport is second to none. That it's housed in a building that was previously used to manufacture industrial diamonds says a lot about The Dataport's physical security arrangements. In fact, the entire Freeport zone is a fenced site and access can only be gained via a barrier controlled from a manned security lodge. Visitors must pre-warn of arrival and provide acceptable photo identification, before gaining admittance.

While physical security is important, it would be rendered redundant if not for Netcetera's provision of the world's most advanced IT security measures. Netcetera partners with global technology and IT security brands and offers specialist management services so that customers can focus on their core business and never have to worry about security risks.

The Netcetera Network

The Netcetera network between the Isle of Man and London provides high availability and high capacity. It protects against fibre, provider and equipment failure by providing:

• a fully gigabit switched network
• seven separate backbone providers
• redundant routers and fibre coming in at multiple points to the building
• four resilient and redundant London based data centres

Co-location in the Dataport provides:

• full flexibility, using specific corporate standards, or Netcetera can design and build the network
• practically unlimited expandable computer room space
• the option to re-purpose or dispose of valuable office space currently tied up in computer rooms
• 24 hour access 365 days a year, redundant diesel generators and a telephone reboot service.

Data Centre Infrastructure

This data centre features an exceptionally highly specified infrastructure which at its core incorporates 2(N+1) power, generator and UPS. Redundant cooling and fire protection and suppression systems, specialised heat and smoke sensors, raised flooring, scalable power for future expansion, 24x7 technical support 365 days a year.

Netcetera data centre services

• IT Infrastructure Co-location
• Disaster Recovery
• Network and Security services
• Dedicated server hosting
• E-Commerce Solutions
• Managed Web Hosting and E-Mail
• Global Domain Name Registration