In this issue:

• Concentric Cloud Computing: New Managed Server
• Customer Profile—Widelity Uses Concentric Professional Services to Create a Reseller Portal and Ecommerce Tool
• CMS is All the Buzz– Why You Should Use One
• Microsoft^® Hosted Exchange – Productivity on Steroids
• Secure, Encrypted Business Instant Messaging – In Beta Now
• Unleash Your Communications

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Concentric Cloud Computing: New Managed Server

Concentric Managed Server is a fault-tolerant, high availability, cloud computing infrastructure. Key benefits include:

• On-demand processing power and bandwidth
• High-availability , fast failover and redundancies
• Lower total cost-of-ownership
• No hardware obsolescence
• Fully managed - no data center visits
• Concentric Managed Server customers get full control of their Linux or Windows servers with administrative-level access: Install and run your own applications, i.e., Apache (web server), IIS (web server), Sendmail (mail server), Exchange (mail server), MySQL (database server), or MS SQL (database server)
• Host and manage your own Internet web sites, Intranets, and extranets (as many as you want)
• Control all your files and processes on the server

Concentric Managed Server is ideal for mission-critical applications, hosting custom web sites, and setting up a business continuity/disaster recovery solution that scales easily - without having to replicate the entire production environment.

Get started today - affordable, enterprise-class features and functionality without large, up-front capital expenses for hardware, software and IT infrastructure resources. Call us today at 866-500-9696 to find out how the Concentric Managed Server can serve the needs of your business.

Profile—Widelity Uses Concentric Professional Services to Create a Reseller Portal and an Ecommerce Tool

Widelity deploys mission-critical IT solutions and provides design, deployment, and operation services for communication networks, as well as integrated applications that improve productivity. Its client, Nextlink^™ Wireless is a provider of broadband services to both wireless and wire-line communications service markets. The company engaged Widelity to develop two critical online assets—its reseller portal and an ecommerce tool called LMDSXchange.

Nextlink had been using email, faxes and a WIKI to communicate with resellers but a fast-changing market required a more flexible, dedicated solution. The new reseller site had to be reliable, secure, manageable, and highly cost effective. Nextlink’s LMDSXchange (www.LMDSXchange.com) facilitated online transactions between LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Services) providers and potential licensors. The Web site manages a one-stop-shop for service providers and vendors for the 28GHz spectrum. Like the reseller portal, the new LMDSXchange had to be reliable, secure, and affordable. For both projects, maintenance would be initially outsourced but had to be simple enough to eventually be managed internally.

Widelity determined it needed a Web solution that would deliver Nextlink’s short-term go-to-market strategy and still meet long-term security and manageability business requirements. The LMDSXchange had to meet specific ecommerce requirements, collect information for FCC filings, and provide dynamic prequalification tools and services to verify potential LMDS point-to-point links. As a nationwide one-stop-shop for LMDS spectrum, it required the development of extensive services for a variety of organizations. In addition to scalability and reliability, the sites had to expand as the company and its market grew. The ultimate platform and service provider had to meet a complex, phased implementation strategy.

After extensive review of Web service providers, Widelity selected Concentric^® for the reseller and LMDSXchange sites because of its reputation, experienced development staff, and proven reliability and security of its platforms. Concentric’s Professional Web Services are specifically designed for small and medium businesses requiring a turnkey solution for building and maintaining a strong Web presence.

Widelity and Concentric then set about creating a custom portal that effectively show-cased Nextlink’s reseller program and successfully gave partners instant access to critical data such as collateral, training modules, invoices, and contracts. Working closely with Widelity and Nextlink, Concentric recommended numerous strategic and technical improvements that enhanced the user experience and kept the project on track and within budget. Proposing a platform based on the MODx Content Management Framework, Concentric provided a balanced suite of capabilities that included a Web application builder, a development environment, and a content management system. MODx is particularly adaptable to large sites that grow as needs expand with templates that are easy to create. In addition, its interface and management tools made the site easy to maintain and adapt over time.

“We have very high standards in delivering value and expertise to our clients,” said Michael Lasky, principal at Widelity. “Concentric met all our requirements and allowed us to quickly and affordably create a secure, reliable, and easy-to-manage Web presence for Nextlink in less than two week.”

Get your free no-obligation quote from Concentric Professional Web Services today. Whether you need help to design, deploy, and manage an ecommerce web site, or require custom CGI scripting, Professional Services can help. Call (866) 500-9696 or Request a Callback. The company’s proven experience spans a decade of services that let clients focus on their core competency. By leveraging Concentric’s Professional Web Services, SMBs gain the security and reliability needed to maintain a competitive advantage.

CMS is All the Buzz– Why You Should Use One

Tired of updating your static web pages writing HTML code in numerous places just to modify your web site content? Are you fed up with calling the “Web Guys” to make simple modifications? Stuck using out-dated software such as FrontPage^® Maybe it’s time to consider migrating to a Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a web-based application in which your web site resides. You can use a CMS to edit, create, manage, and publish content in a consistently organized fashion. This makes it easy to manage your web site and does not require any third party software.

After testing CMS options, Concentric Professional Services has found the perfect CMS solution. It’s called MODx. It’s flexible, easy-to-use, and user friendly. This type of CMS requires no knowledge of HTML, PHP, or other complicated computer language. MODx is simple, straight forward, and it works very well.

MODx allows you to create standard based XHTML/CSS web sites. This means that your web site will be accessible, lightweight, and most importantly, search-engine friendly. MODx has features such as self-updating navigation and site maps. Want to add a new page to your web site? With static sites, this can be a challenge; you need to make changes to every single page of your site so the new page is included in the navigation structure.

However, if you use MODx you simply login to the manager interface, create a new document, put in your content, and save your changes. MODx does the rest for you. It updates your site map, the navigation on every page, and the content you entered is wrapped in your web site’s template. It’s so simple. And, unlike third party software, you aren’t tied to a specific computer. MODx is completely web based, so you can manage your web site anywhere you have an Internet connection. You can even publish content on your web site while you’re at the game. Call Professional Services at 866-500-8696 and let us show you how you can get your site moved over to a CMS today.

Check out the Professional Services portfolio, - built in MODx

Microsoft^® Hosted Exchange – Productivity on Steroids

Just for Starters, Easily Schedule Team Meetings. Wish meetings were easier to schedule? Wish you had anywhere, anytime, access to your calendar, email, and contacts even when you are away from your computer? Get all of this and more with Microsoft^® Hosted Exchange from Concentric, which can be easily and affordably added to your existing account.

Microsoft Exchange has been used in large organizations for years because of its business-class mail and productivity enhancing features such as:

• The ability for your employees to schedule meetings, events, and resources by viewing everyone else’s current schedule and commitments
• Outlook^® Web Access where your Outlook email, calendars, contacts, and more are synchronized with the server and available securely through any web browser
• Support for shared address lists that all of your employees can view and edit, regardless of location
• BlackBerry^® and Microsoft^® ActiveSync^® mobile solutions that enable your employees to access not just mail, but calendars, contacts, and tasks wherever they are.

Concentric basic email services do not offer these capabilities; but Concentric Hosted Microsoft Exchange does. Best of all, you do not have to commit any technical resources to run an Exchange server, which means you can focus on your core business while our experts handle administration and support.

Because it is a hosted solution, your employees will benefit from advanced information sharing and teamwork features wherever they work – at the office, at home, at a client site, or on the road. The service is priced at just $9.95/user/month with no upfront investment or on-going maintenance or upgrade fees. Included in the service is a Microsoft^® Outlook^® 2007 or Entourage software license for every user to unleash the full messaging potential of business-class email.

Is your email truly enabling your business to be more productive and efficient every day? With a business-class e-mail solution from Concentric it can. Enable Hosted Microsoft Exchange through the Concentric Help Center | Contact Customer Care inside the Gateway or call our sales team at 866-500-9696 and they can enable it on your account for you. Find out more about Concentric Hosted Microsoft Exchange at http://www.concentric.com/hosted_exchange.php.

Secure, Encrypted Business Instant Messaging – Now in Beta

Communicate more efficiently using real-time secure Business Messenger. Unlike public chat services, Business Messenger communication can be restricted to the people in your organization keeping your organization secure and private. And, all communications are SSL encrypted giving you security comparable to online banking.

Whether you are at the office or on the go, there are a variety of ways to stay connected with Business Messenger. Access Business Messenger securely from any web browser or download and install the easy-to-use Business Messenger chat client on your desktop. Need even more flexibility? Business Messenger is based on the open standard XMPP for compatibility with a wide variety of chat clients.

Features Include:

• Business class, real-time messaging
• Ability to restrict chat access to account users only for privacy and security
• SSL encrypted chat
• Customizable presence indicator
• Multi-person chat
• Secure chat rooms
• Persistent chat rooms
• Contact groups
• Contact profiles
• Web-based chat client
• Desktop chat client
• Support for XMPP compliant chat clients

Business Messenger is free during Beta. After Beta, it will be included at no additional charge for Hosted Microsoft^® Exchange or Groupware Collaborative users. For all other users, it’s just $1 per month per user.

Try the Business Messenger free during beta, by selecting Messenger | Configure from the Menu Map.

Unleash your Communications

Tied down by old, expensive phone and fax equipment? Concentric has partnered with RingCentral to help you instantly unify and intelligently manage all your phone, mobile and fax communications from just one place–the new RingCentral Hosted Business Phone Service. With plans starting as low as $9.99, you get all of the power and functionality of an enterprise phone system in one easy-to-use, affordable package.

Advanced RingCentral Call Management Features include:

• Toll Free or Local Numbers – Get an 800 or local number or transfer existing local or toll free numbers to RingCentral.
• Internet Fax - No Fax Machine Required! Send and receive faxes by email.
• Auto-Receptionist - An auto-receptionist offers multiple extensions (“Press 1 for sales, 2 for support or 3 for a company directory…”) that make any company sound larger. Forward all extensions to the same number and even a one-person business can sound big!
• Voicemail – Voicemail can be sent to email or you can call in to retrieve your messages.
• Fax from any Microsoft^® Windows^® Application – Simply click “RingCentral Fax” from the application toolbar.
• FindMe/FollowMe – When customers call, the system will try to reach you at sequential—or simultaneous—office, mobile and home numbers. Numbers can also be changed based on time of day.
• Advanced Call Screening – After identifying the call, the auto- receptionist displays the number or caller’s name. It can also ask callers to state their name.
• Secure Faxing - Outgoing faxes are transmitted over an encrypted connection, while incoming faxes are stored in a password-protected online account.
• Edit and Sign Faxes Electronically - Preview and print faxes, design custom cover sheets, annotate and sign faxes electronically.

RingCentral DigitalLine™ VoIP is a cost-effective alternative to existing landlines. This innovative service routes calls through a high-speed Internet connection using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology. RingCentral DigitalLine is a great way to leverage VoIP over an existing Internet service for up to five lines. Companies looking for Internet access combined with VoIP for five or more phone lines should consider VoIP services provided by XO.

Start your 30-Day Free Trial of RingCentral Hosted Business Phone Service Today