The Little Geeni

In the world of wonderful business growth, Indian business channels are facing so many problems. A business house can face problems

regarding manufacturing, supply, finance, customer relationship, human resources or decision-making. On the other hand, these

companies are formulating new solutions to various business problems. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a key to many business

problems.

Two noteworthy elements of ERP system are

·    Common database and

·    Modular software design

The implementation of ERP can change the way the business is viewed. An efficient ERP platform would enable anyone to get overall

picture of business by just clicking one button without having to go through complex exercise of collecting and analyzing data from various

sub systems and then making it compatible for study.

Sometimes going for a new ERP can be a wise decision as a new ERP can boost up scale of business growth by reducing costs in effective

way. You have so many ERP software options in the market, one have to be very choosy regarding the acceptable ERP. A business house

should make a proper strategy before going for any appropriate ERP. A business house must be able to pin point problem generating

modules as well as strength points.

The second step after analyzing weak points and strength point is evaluation of the technically best-fit ERP. This can be done with the help of

the market review. The evaluation study includes cost and risks study analysis. Correct cost estimation embraces implementation charges,

hardware up gradation, and maintenance. After the cost estimation, develop a realistic and the best-suited CRM is implemented.

Implementation can be done partially or it can be a total transform of the old system to the new CRM.

A university in the Southwestern U.S. is one of best learning institutions that have taken advantage of ERP offerings from IBM by putting ERP

in practice.

The university wanted to replace their old administrative operations system, and add a Web-based interface. Their new ERP system would

have to have the capacity to handle student administration, expansion, funding and payroll, all as quickly and efficiently as possible and they

selected PeopleSoft for Higher Education software to run on IBM servers, IBM Global Services was brought in to implement software

modules and incorporate them with their existing software. As a result, the new system removes the difficulties of the older system and

increase efficiency and performance.

There is one more example of such implementation is Icreon, an Offshore Outsourcing Software Development Company in India offers two

ERP solutions to organizations across domains: Microsoft Dynamics NAV – a business management solution that integrates all facets of a

business – Planning, Finance, Materials, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Human Resources etc. and SAP Business One Solutions – an

integrated and affordable business management solution that is specifically designed for small and midsize businesses.

In the crux, I can sum up my article by giving these following tips that should be taken care, while choosing a suitable ERP solution for your

organization: 

1.    First , know what you really need in ERP software.

2.    Choose the most qualified ERP software vendor.

3.    Recognize the uniqueness of your business.

4.    Give attention to ERP software implementation.

5.    Invest in ERP software for the long-term

ERP Before, Best, Care, Choosing, Organization, Take

The Basics:

If one wants to put his/her web site online, Web hosting offers the opportunity. For making a site go online, no matter it is having large or small content one has to go onto a web server. Thus a web server is simply a larger and much more powerful computer than user’s own computer. On these servers one’s Internet content simply sits for people to access and view the information available. These web servers are stored within data centers; all what is required is simply renting some space on the server.

Why to use a web hosting service?

The first reason to choose is its affordability. The work of the web hosting companies includes looking after and updating all software required to maintain one’s site, adding security patches making sure that one’s content is safe from hackers/viruses and unwanted Spam. The first step after registration of web site’s name is hosting it with the web server. In case there comes any difficulty with the web site, full technical support is supported by the hosting company. In chases one chooses to host by own, it will cost too much on hardware, bandwidth and ongoing software updates.

What is shared web hosting?

While searching for a web host Company one will find that many are offering shared web hosting. Shared web hosting is simply a server that has a number of different web sites sitting on it simultaneously. In case of shared web hosting one will be allocated a certain amount of disk space on the server and this allows user to have a number of web sites hosted on one server. It is a very secure service even though one is sharing the server with many different companies, as no other company will have access to other’s files. There are many people having wrong opinion that using a shared service will make the web site act slowly. In case of shared web hosting the information will be displayed and downloaded equally as fast as if it where on the server on it’s own. The concept used by Web host companies is that they offer shared hosting simply to use up all the space on the server, there is no benefit to user or them having empty hard disk space.

Why good hosting is required?

If one has developed a web site for business opportunity or to sell merchandise online what all is needed is reliability as downtime costs much money. Therefore less downtime means the better chance of making money by the user. One is required to compile a whole list of questions to ask the web host company when it comes to hosting his/her site. It is necessary to have a guaranteed response time if any problem occurs with the site or if it goes offline. One needs to have 24-hour access to his/her files with 24-hour support if the site is in business of selling products online, as most of the sales could be made in the evening or nighttime. Thus it is very important to have support all time for any issues that could arise. Not only that to check the effectiveness of site it is also important to look for Statistics i.e. how many unique hits (people visiting one’s site) one is getting so that one can see the trend of people just visiting to those who are buying. Thus one should check in advance the stats offered by different companies as some web host companies offer very substantial stats while others can be less informative, so one should always ask for a demonstration before finalizing any host.

Mouth publicity is a great way to hear as to who are a good host and a bad host. One should ask his/her colleague or who is already taking the experience of that host. There are several good as well as bad hosts in the market, therefore one should ask the questions and make sure that he/she is confident with the replies before signing up.

Will hosting in own country or another, effects the web site?

It is quite interesting to know if the company is providing 24 hour support to allow for time differences, then one should have the same level service as if the web host company was based just down the road. Thus it makes no difference if the host is of same country or of another. There are many people thinking hosting their website outside of their registered country will lead to losing their domain identity, which is totally wrong example if one is based in Ireland and is having a computer website it would be something like www.computerparts.ie The. I.e. is the identity of Ireland but if one wants his site hosted in the US then he/she would still keep the. I.e., and there is no need to change to. Com. Thus the great thing about web hosting is that the world is oyster and one can shop online globally until one is satisfied with the service.

Domains and Hosting Affordable, Cheap, Choosing, Domains and Hosting, Tips, Webhosting

The importance of having a backup copy of important computer files is obvious, since any hard drive can become the victim of a disaster at a moment’s notice. While the type of disaster is unforeseeable, the way to recover from it is quite predictable. Backing up should be part of the computing process in the maintenance category. The first step in this process is to develop your data backup strategy. The strategy comes from a balance between the importance of your computer files and the amount of space it will require. Once those factors are determined, add in how often a backup is required and whether it should be of chosen files, changes or copies of entire file systems.

Who, What, When, Where, How

When starting to plan your data backup strategy, begin by thinking about the situation that will result from a computer disaster. What will you need to rebuild your files? What files and systems will need to be rebuilt? How quickly will you need to be back on your feet? Will a loss of information affect other people? Can some of your files be kept in hard copy without harm? The answers to these questions will depend on whether you are making technical decisions for a mid-sized company, a home computer network supporting a small business and a college student, or a single home computer used for keeping the family budget and general paperwork.

Sensitive data that is important to your daily functioning and changes often should be backed up daily in a safe way that will be easy to reconstruct. If this data is large in size, as it would be if kept in a relational database, then compression is a possibility. Your data backup strategy has to take this into consideration. If your data includes credit card or social security information about a number of your employees or customers, then security is important.

It is simple to make daily copies of important files, but your data backup strategy has to take into consideration the storage of those sensitive files. The recovery aspect of your data backup strategy has to consider whether and how to contact those whose information has been compromised. That means that if the computer disaster is a hacking incident, the recovery is different than if the problem had been a fire. When planning your data backup strategy, remember to concentrate on the individual needs of your data and not just the technical bells and whistles.

Backup Backup, Choosing, Data, Strategy

Only a few years back, you could be a successful entrepreneur without the need of a website. And the reason for this was very simple, before the nineties there was no Internet! With the introduction of the Internet, things changed drastically. And nowadays, it is impossible to even think of a globally successful enterprise that does not have an online presence. But what is more important is the fact, that just the presence of a visually appealing, information rich and well crafted website is not enough to get your company noticed on the internet. It has to be correctly marketed online through certain procedures so that it is prominently indexed by search engines. This is the primary reason why SEO or Search Engine Optimization has become such an important key to Internet business success. 

We all know the importance of search engine rankings these days. Therefore, choosing a SEO friendly domain name means that you have started on the right note in the virtual world. One of the crucial roles in search engine rankings is played by domain names related to keywords that focus on your business and website. It definitely goes a long way in attracting target audience, getting increased conversions and generating business.

The process of choosing the right domain name needs careful considerations and deliberations, when you are thinking of starting a new website. And this is especially important if search engine optimization is going to be the main tool for directing traffic to your website. A SEO friendly domain name is one of the key factors that contribute to the success of the website. Therefore, you have to keep in mind the objective of your website and accordingly choose targeted keywords that you are planning to use to get top search engine rankings for your site. Inserting the main keywords of your business into the URL is a good idea. This is because not only is your website theme kept same throughout but Google, too, looks favorably on it.

Now, let us see what the different factors are that can be adopted to make a SEO friendly domain name.

Keywords in the Domain Name
Keywords play the role of a catalyst in a domain name. Though the keywords themselves do not constitute the entire process of SEO but they definitely contribute in making the entire procedure happen at a much faster rate.

Stick with the “.com”
The top level domain or TLD remains the most popular extension for a domain name. A .com domain definitely allows credibility boost. It is the most widely accepted extension. Of course, we can’t neglect that there are a lot of successful websites that end with a “.net”, “.uk”, or a “.biz”, but at the same time a .com extension by far is the most recalled one. If your business happens to be a new one, do you really want your customers to forget all about you just because they recalled to type in a “.com” instead of your “.edu”, and as a result couldn’t go back to your site! However, there are certain exceptions to this rule, especially if your business is geographically constrained and targets only local customers, in that case a “.au” will work as well.

Shorter and Catchier

It is best to have a domain name that is short and catchy. It is easier for visitors to recall and remember these. And you definitely don’t want a website that loses out on traffic because the domain name is too long, tricky or complicated to remember. Short names can also be typed more easily. Ensure that your domain name is easy to remember and easy to type.

No Hyphens or Numbers
Use of hyphenated or numbered domain names should be avoided. This is because it creates complications. Most often than not such domain names are forgotten easily, because it can’t be recalled where exactly the hyphen or the number has to be placed. You may end up losing your customers to other similar named websites, who do not use a hyphen or a number. And more often than not, hyphenated domain names sound like cheap substitutes of the real thing.

Type-In Traffic
This is when someone simply arrives at a particular website by just typing what they are searching for in their URL bar, and add a “.com” at the end. And a lot of people actually do that! Therefore, if you can choose a domain name that has an exact match keyword then you have better chances of receiving traffic. Also these kinds of domain names have better SEO benefits going for them.

Choosing a domain name that is SEO friendly can work wonders for your business by attracting lots of visitors to your website. With a heavy inflow of traffic, there are better chances of increases in conversion. All this definitely contributes in making your business a success.

SEO Choosing, Domain, Friendly, Name, Spider, Traffic

Choosing Your First Linux Web Host

Choosing your first Web host is an important decision. You will, hopefully, have a long relationship with whatever host you choose. To make a decision, first you need to decide that what you need and then visit the sites of several hosting providers and evaluate what they are offering in regarding your requirements. If you choose wisely you should get good value for your money, consistency and prompt well-informed support. Get a Good Linux Web Host at OnSmart.net

Linux and its predecessor UNIX and Windows 2000 and its close relate Windows NT are types of operating systems that web servers use to do its operations.

In most of the cases Linux Web Hosting Account is recommended because Linux is considered as more reliable, stable and more universally compatible with any operating system. This is due to the functionality and speed of the Linux operating platform. Without any doubt, Linux is far more stable than Windows in a shared-server, or multi-user environment. Get a Good Linux Web Host at OnSmart.net (http://www.onsmart.net )

On the other hand, if you know that you will be using Microsoft applications extensively, or you plan on developing extensively using FrontPage, especially FrontPage 2002, MS SQL, ASP.NET or if you are looking for E-commerce add- ons or you will be using high-end databases then Windows/NT Hosting is the right choice for you. But if you are looking for universal compatibility regardless of the operating system the end user has, Linux has the ability to run a much wider variety of custom scripts and programs than Windows 2000/NT, and it offers easier, lower-cost set-up for advanced applications such as CGI scripts, databases.

Under Linux web hosting operating system, there is, database, server software and gathering of coding. Linux is the most preferred and demanded operating system because of its features and vigorous environment and it is the next best alternative to Microsoft and UNIX operating system. Linux is widely used and chosen worldwide due to its permanent network and server operating system. Linux operating system and APACHE web server, MYSQL database, PHP server coding applications are clustered under one roof that is Linux web hosting and for this, it is also known as LAMP server. The most reliable web hosting under web based applications is the Linux, and Apache is grabbing the market of Microsoft servers according to a survey over million of sites. Get a Good Linux Web Host at OnSmart.net

Advantages of Choosing Linux Based Web Host

Following are the advantages of using Linux based web server compared to Windows based web server:

1. Stable:

Linux/Unix operating systems has traditionally been believed to be very stable and robust. A web site housed on a Linux operating system will have very high up-time (of the order of 99.9%). Of course, other factors such as power supply, network admin skills, and network load etc. also matter when it comes to maintaining the system uptime.

2. Low cost of ownership:

The Linux OS comes free of cost (or at very insignificant cost, usually cost of distribution). Also, it has full fledged server, and desk top applications that comes free along with the OS. These server applications (such as FTP, Web Server, DNS Server, File Server etc.) being free, are also very stable.

3. Ease of use:

When it comes to web hosting, it is easy to host on Linux web servers. The process of uploading and hosting is almost same for both Linux and Windows web servers. If you want to use a Windows based tool such as Front Page for uploading a web site on to a Linux based web server, make sure that the Front Page extensions are enabled. This is only required if you are uploading using HTTP feature of Front Page. Front Page also makes it possible to upload a web site using FTP. Note that if you select “Front Page Extensions” during web site design, you must enable Front Page extensions on a Linux web server also.
You can use almost all types of file extensions or scripts when using Linux web server. Commonly, the following extensions are supported: .cgi, .html, .htm, .pl, .php, .shtml, .xml, and others. Basically it means that you can host web sites that use different types of server side scripts including .cgi, .pl, .php, and .asp with plug-in. Get a Good Linux Web Host at OnSmart.net

4. Easy to move between hosts:

A web site designed to be hosted on a Linux based web server can be hosted on a Windows web server easily, where as the reverse is not always true.

Most widely used: Linux/Unix based web hosting is most widely used compared to Windows based web hosting.

5. Scalability:

A web site is dynamic. Usually, a web site starts with a few pages of html and grows over a period of time to suit the customer’s requirements. It is preferable to design a web site keeping these requirements in mind. A web site designed for compatibility with a Linux/Unix based web server meets the scalability requirement easily without making any site wide design changes.

On the downside, Linux based web server is not fully compatible with Microsoft technologies. If you are using any specialized applications or VB for development of your web site, it is preferable to host with a Windows based web server.

About Author :

OnSmart.net offers Premium Reseller Hosting, Web Hosting, and Dedicated Server solutions with 24/7 Support and 99.9% Uptime at an affordable price. OnSmart.net is a Established Hosting Company with an established customer base, that specializes in Linux-based web hosting. OnSmart.net provides budget, shared, advanced and other types of web hosting services to a wide range of clients ranging from small business to individuals

Linux Choosing, First, Host, Linux

I recently had the opportunity to develop a small online booking system. This time round I was determined to make use of some development framework. Not for me the slow slog of writing all my code from scratch – surely we have moved beyond that now in web development?

The big question was – which framework to use? Since the advent of Ruby on Rails, development frameworks have become quite the flavour d’jour and there are now, well, maybe not thousands of them, but quite a few! The last time I heard there are about 80 development frameworks out there. I am not 100% user of this number, it could be a bit higher, it could be a bit more conservative (on this site you can find about 40 PHP frameworks listed – http://www.phpwact.org/php/mvc_frameworks). The point is, the web developer is now really spoilt for choice. Which is a problem in itself, since having too much choice can leave you dithering between different options.

This article is therefore about how I made my choice, which was CakePHP, and which factors I took into consideration.

Obviously and certainly I will get bombarded with “Why don’t you try X framework, it is really much simpler to use…” type responses. That is quite OK, to each his own! But this is the choice I made and I am sticking to it. Frankly, the idea of going through another learning curve gives me the heeby-jeeby’s….

I found that the selection criteria were not independent. In other words, once I’ve ruled out some frameworks due to some specific criteria, other factors came into play. It was therefore more a process of elimination than judging all the frameworks off a predefined set of criteria.

The first major selection point was: Ruby on Rails or not.

Obviously there is the attraction of using a brand new, hip, buzz-word hyped framework. You can’t go wrong with something that is getting so much attention… or can you?

Let’s look at some of the selection criteria that filtered out Ruby on Rails”

1. Ease of installation and ability to run on shared hosting

The problem is that most of my clients make use of a shared hosting environment. Can Ruby on Rails run on common-or garden variety type shared hosting? The answer was, I soon discovered – no. One needs to either have access your own private servers or run on a shared hosting environment that has Ruby on Rails pre-installed. Admittedly, there are a couple of them now starting up. A comprehensive list of hosting providers that offer Ruby On Rails hosting can be found on the RoR Wiki – http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/RailsWebHosts.

2. Minimize the learning curve

Even though I knew that any new framework will involve a steep learning curve, I really didn’t have the guts to go through TWO learning curves – one for the language itself and one for the framework. I might still have been prepared to go through the learning curve though if it wasn’t for the fact that RoR requires special hosting.

So basically the decision was: Not RoR. And based on criterion 2, I decided to stick to a PHP framework, and not go for something else based on Perl or something else since I’ve been developing in PHP for the past two, almost three years. Having said this, it is all very well to say that CakePHP allows you to use your PHP skills – because it is an object oriented framework/MVC based framework it has its own rich language infrastructure. You still need to learn the CakePHP terminology and the learning curve is pretty steep!

3. Ability to run on PHP 4

Although PHP 5 offers more object oriented features, once again, not all shared hosts offer PHP 5 out of the box. I decided that I wanted to stick to a framework that will offer backwards compatibility and enable me to run on most of the servers that I, as well as my clients, host on.

My further criteria came down to:

4. Must have good documentation

Under good documentation I count the following:

- User manual

- Examples and code snippets

- Screen casts and videos – although I do not see these as essential

5. Good support by the user community

This, in combination with formal documentation is absolutely essential. All of these frameworks are pretty young and the documentation is also constantly evolving. Some documentation might be patchy in details. This is where the user support in terms of the community comes in. How active are the forums? Is there a bug tracker? Any other informal tutorials, write-ups, comments, blogs and other support?

6. Regular upgrades and bug fixes

..but not so close to each other that the software becomes unstable and unusable. Backward compatibility is also important.

Version number of the software can be used to indicate maturity.

Working off the following list (http://www.phpit.net/article/ten-different-php-frameworks/) one can see that the list has narrowed down to the following frameworks:

- CakePHP

- Seagull Framework

- WACT – ‘disqualified’ since the latest version now requires PHP 5

- Zoop

- CodeIgniter

The next step was a bit less scientific – but still fitted in with point 5 – how well is this Framework regarded? How much support does it generate in the ‘community’.

I scouted through forums and followed links and surfed the net and tried to get a general feel – and overall, CakePHP did seem to come out tops. A similar check that one can do is the following – do a Google search for each of the frameworks and see how many results are returned. This will give you a good idea of the general support, number of tutorials, number of forum posts and general ‘talked about’ factor for the specific framework. The results for this exercise can be seen here: http://www.tm4y.co.za/cakephp/ruby-on-rails-popularity-for-web-development.html

In summary therefore, the support for Ruby on Rails and the amount of information available for it is astounding and you will probably not go wrong if you decide to go this route. But if you want to stick with a PHP framework – CakePHP seems to be the route to go!

php Choosing, Development, Framework