What is there to know about hosting? What do you need to consider when hosting your cloud CRM solution? And why is CRM hosting in Germany so important?
Table of contents
What actually is hosting?
Hosting is about creating sufficient space for your data and keeping it available 24/7. CRM hosting in Germany therefore means creating data storage space in Germany specifically for the data of a CRM application.
Whether it' s a website or the provision of company data or applications: in most cases, your personal computer does not offer nearly enough storage space. What's more, you can't or don't want to leave it switched on all the time. If you also lack the resources to purchase and maintain your own server, you can rent one instead.
Hosting companies operate so-called data centers, facilities with large computing systems or many servers. With computers that are only there to serve the requests of other computers, hosting companies offer exactly what you may be lacking: namely storage space and computing power for your websites or business applications around the clock.
What forms of hosting are there?
There are a variety of hosting concepts. This is not only related to the type of provision, but also to different types of business models. What is right for you depends on your requirements. What storage and computing capacity do you need? What security requirements does your company have? How flexible should the hosting model be?
Dedicated server vs. shared hosting
One possible distinction is whether the server used by a hosting provider is available to you alone (this is called a dedicated server, which is only used for a specific purpose) or whether you share it with other customers. With shared hosting, the capacities of a server are divided among several users. You can imagine that a dedicated server offers the advantage that reserves are available in the event of particularly high access, which is more difficult with shared hosting. However, the use of a dedicated server only makes sense if such workloads are to be expected, as you naturally also pay for the reserve.
vServer (virtual server) vs. cloud hosting
In a way, a virtual server combines the advantages of a dedicated server and shared hosting. In principle, a particularly powerful server emulates several individual servers and can allocate its resources to the "individual" servers as required. This offers more flexibility in an emergency and lower costs.
Cloud hosting, on the other hand, combines several servers that are not located in one place. The cloud therefore has all the capacity of these servers at its disposal, providing users with far more resources than a single server could ever offer. Such a cloud can be used completely privately(private dedicated cloud) or shared, as with shared hosting (public cloud).
Root server vs. managed hosting
A hosted server room also needs to be maintained and there are different concepts here too. With a root server, you receive certain access rights from the host and manage your server capacities yourself. With managed hosting, as the name suggests, the server is managed for you, which means your provider monitors, manages and updates it.
What does hosting have to do with cloud computing?
We have already talked about cloud hosting, where several servers are interconnected.Cloud computing offers even more services than pure hosting. Not only the infrastructure ( IaaS, Infrastructure-as-a-Service) is provided, but also the platform ( PaaS, Platform-as-a-Service) and software ( SaaS, Software-as-a-Service). Web services and web applications are operated in the cloud, which users can access very flexibly via a stable internet connection.
For more details on this topic, read our blog articles "XaaS - Anything-as-a-Service" and "Is the software also available as CRM SaaS?".
What are the advantages of cloud computing or a cloud CRM solution?
Cloud computing is particularly popular due to its flexibility and manageable costs. As the providers are usually also responsible for maintenance work and updates, you are always working with the latest version of the software. Billing is usually based on a rental model per user, which includes services. This avoids hidden costs for server maintenance, for example, which often occur with other solutions. In addition, user licenses can usually be easily added or removed, so that employee changes or company growth cause fewer problems. Cloud CRM solutions including hosting also offer the same advantages.
For a comparison of cloud computing and on-premises, please also read our blog articles "Better cloud or on-prem?" and "What are the benefits of a cloud CRM system?"
What are the advantages of hosting in Germany?
With everything you have learned about hosting so far, it is important to note that the location of the hosting plays a decisive role. And that doesn't just mean the location of the hosting company, but also the location of the physical servers.
High level of security in Germany very positive
Data centers in Germany are subject to the security regulations that apply in Germany. This starts with building security and ends with fire protection. The latter in particular is extremely important, as high temperatures, short circuits or smoldering fires can occur in large data centers. 24-hour security services are also frequently deployed in Germany. By preventing long-term server failures, you ensure the security of your data.
Legal certainty & data protection as a competitive advantage
In times of wiretapping scandals and data theft, the legal basis for data protection is a factor that should not be underestimated. The EU General Data ProtectionRegulation (GDPR) regulates breaches of personal data protection in Europe and imposes heavy fines as a deterrent. In other countries, data protection is not generally and comprehensively regulated, for example in the USA. There, companies tend to rely on voluntary commitments or industry-specific regulations.
Hosting providers with locations and data centers in Germany therefore also give you security with regard to your data. At the same time, you contribute to the trustworthiness of your company if you choose a hosting provider in Germany: Because if you host and workin compliance with data protection regulations, this also conveys a high degree of security to your customers, suppliers and employees. This can be a significant competitive advantage for you.
Another plus: advantages for the Google ranking
Last but not least, CRM hosting in Germany benefits the Google ranking of websites, especially for regionally active companies. Google can usually deduce the location of the server from existing data. A location in the same country can lead to a better ranking, which means you will be found faster and more frequently by interested parties on Google. And that means you will become better known and if your products and services are convincing, you will also sell more.
Conclusion
Define requirements, find the right host for your CRM and learn to appreciate CRM hosting in Germany!
CLOUD-CRM
HOSTING IN GERMANY INCLUDED
Get started quickly without having to buy additional technology or services! Find out more about our SaaS model in the Cloud CRM brochure.
