|  | Online Tech Data Center News | Online Tech's Press Releases and Coverage in the News | |
With 3 data centers across Southeast Michigan, Online
Technologies provides a full range of data center solutions including
colocation, dedicated servers, virtual servers, and managed services for
businesses that need professional data centers.
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| | June 17, 2009 | | Online Backup is secure and cost effective with OTVault | With OTVault, our data is securely sent to SAS 70 certified data centers with redundant fail-safe systems. We found OTVault to be a cost effective option for our disaster recovery. As bandwidth keeps getting cheaper and more accessible, IT departments can reduce costs and improve recovery times without turning to expensive DR products from the likes of Sungard, IBM, or EDS.
For example, Memsic, Inc. of Andover Massachusetts, a producer of sensor technologies, needed online backup that was cost effective and Sarbanes-Oxley compliant for their disaster recovery and they chose OTVault, Online Tech's new online data storage
product. "With OTVault, our data is securely sent to SAS 70 certified data
centers with redundant fail-safe systems. We found OTVault to be a cost
effective option for our disaster recovery ” said Cheryl Merino, a
Manager at Memsic.
Unlike other online "vaults" that require you to install special software
on all your machines, OTVault maps to a drive on your servers and
supports a plethora of protocols – which means you can use your current
backup software by simply pointing it to OTVault as the destination.
The backup storage also eliminates the costs of tapes, hardware
maintenance, offsite tape delivery and storage, and the personnel costs
to manage the tape rotations.
To celebrate the launch, Online Tech is offering an OTVault trial free for 15 days. | | |
| | May 14, 2009 | | Online Tech's President takes on Dick Beedon, Josh Linkner, and Keith Brophy in NEF Battle | Come see Mike Klein, Online Tech's President & COO, take on 3
fellow entrepreneurs including reigning champion Dick Beedon in what is
sure to be a good time for all. For two years straight, it's been
claimed that Dick Beedon has redefined “the pitch” with eccentric,
energetic performances that are yet to be matched, earning him the NEF
Battle of the Elevator Pitch trophy.
The contestant this year are all successful, experienced
entrepreneurs. Can Mike Klein out-pitch the defending champion and
bring the coveted Elevator Pitch trophy home to Online Tech? Dick is
cunning and quick on his feet, but Mike has a few tricks up his sleeve
as well. And we can't underestimate Josh and Keith - both of which are
noble competitors. | | |
| | May 11, 2009 | | Online Tech and UHY team up for a repeat performance on How to Survive a SAS-70 Audit | You Don't Need to Fight the SAS-70 Audit
Online Tech & UHY have partnered for a
seminar for CIOs and IT Directors of publicly held companies or firms
servicing publicly held companies on how to survive a SAS-70 Audit.
SAS-70 is a nationally recognized audit standard for evaluating process and security control procedures across the data center. A SAS-70 audit is done by a CPA firm and a data security expert with experience in data center and network security.
Certain types of data, by regulation, require a SAS-70 audit.
Specifically, Sarbanes-Oxley calls for testing of internal IT controls
that relate to financial reporting, even for outsourced IT functions.
HIPAA also has specific data handling controls that can be confirmed
with a SAS-70 audit report. PCI and CISP compliance can be more easily
accomplished by starting with a SAS-70 audit.
Online Tech has successfully thrived through a number of SAS-70 audits.
They recently completed an audit on all their data centers and have
assisted a number of colocation and dedicated server clients survive
their own SAS-70 audits. It’s these experiences from both the auditee
and the service provider’s perspective that has helped identify the
five key elements for not only surviving a SAS-70 audit, but thriving
as a result of the audit. Join Yan Ness, Chief Executive Officer of Online Tech and Angela McBride, Principal, UHY, LLP
in sharing with you the "auditee" and the "auditor" view of the SAS-70
audit process and tips for successfully surviving the audit.
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| | May 08, 2009 | | Join us for Ann Arbor's Chamber of Commerce Morning Edition featuring Yan Ness | Come hear Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech at the May monthly lively
morning program sponsored by the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce to keep
members up-to-date on community and business issues.
Yan Ness talks about how data centers are really banks
for data. Some people still keep their money stored under a mattress,
but most keep it in a bank.” Where do you “bank” your data? Yan will
give an overview of how companies can protect their digital assets with
outsourced data centers.
Please pre-register by noon on Tuesday, May 19th.
$25 Chamber members / $35 Prospective members
Questions? Contact Barbara Davenport at 734.214.0104.
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| | April 27, 2009 | | Lack of Backup Data is one of the Single Biggest Risks for Businesses | (Ann Arbor, MI – April 27, 2009) Dynamic Edge announced today that they have selected Online Tech as their offsite backup partner for their Fixed IT managed service program for small and mid-size businesses.
Dynamic Edge has already begun offering clients the new offsite backup services exclusively to Online Tech's SAS 70 audited Michigan data centers.
"Having the ability to electronically backup data to an offsite, secure data center fills a growing need in the market" states Bruce McCully, CEO of Dynamic Edge. As part of Dynamic Edge's Fixed IT solution, Dynamic Edge is able to securely send client's data over the Internet to one of Online Tech's data centers. The client's data is then backed up at a separate physical location (offsite backup) that can be recovered in the case of a disaster.
The lack of backup data is one of the single biggest risks for businesses when a disaster strikes. A 2006 Gartner study suggests that 40% of businesses that lose their data go out of business within 5 years of the loss. That's because more and more businesses are critically dependent on their data and software for their fundamental operations.
The partnership between Dynamic Edge and Online Tech began at a retreat for the leaders of "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch." The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch Awards are presented each year to high-performing, second-stage companies in the state of Michigan.
At the recent offsite retreat, Yan Ness, CEO for Online Tech and Bruce McCully, CEO of Dynamic Edge, were comparing notes and found an interesting synergy between their businesses that led to the partner agreement. While Online Tech focuses on outsourced outsourced IT located at the customer's premises.
data centers, where all of the heavy computing is done, Dynamic Edge focuses on
About Dynamic Edge
Dynamic Edge (www.dynedge.com) cuts IT and computer support costs as much as 46% while simultaneously eliminating recurring computer problems, downtime and the threat of data loss. As a full service IT consulting company, Dynamic Edge also provides server administration, network engineering, custom programming and specialized financial reporting.
About Online Tech
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS-70 secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to insure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe. | | |
| | April 23, 2009 | | New Colocation Rack and Stack Service Simplifies Colocation Move-In |
(Ann Arbor, MI – April 23, 2009) Online Tech announced a new colocation service to simplify its client’s data center move experience. Online Tech’s Rack&Stack™ is a turnkey colocation installation service designed to eliminate the hassle of moving servers into the colocation data center.
For a single fixed price, Online Tech will design the entire colocation rack layout, install the servers, wire the rack and power up the equipment. Deliverables include a documented colocation rack layout - including Visio documentation and digital pictures of the racks - to simplify ongoing support.
Online Tech continues to expand their focus on the national stage, leveraging the natural advantages of Michigan data centers to clients across the country. The cooler weather and low frequency of natural disasters makes Michigan an ideal location for data centers.
Colorbök was one of the first clients to take advantage of the colocation Rack&Stack service to move into Online Tech’s data center. “Keeping our core infrastructure available and operating is critical to our operations. Our upcoming colocation move of our servers made me very nervous” said Scott Genereaux, Director of Information Technology of Colorbök. “Online Tech assisted with the upfront planning and helped make our move a seamless, simple process. They laid out the entire rack and wiring before the move, installed all of the equipment, and finished with a rack that was much better laid out, wired, and documented than we had before the move. The folks we dealt with were professional, knowledgeable, and helped make this a successful infrastructure move.”
“As we expand our reach into the national colocation market, it has become more important to deliver turnkey, hassle free services to our clients” said Mike Klein, President of Online Tech. “With the new colocation Rack&Stack service, our clients never have to set a foot in the data center. They ship the servers to our data center and we take care of the rest.”
Rack&Stack complements a set of solutions that Online Tech already offers its clients for a complete turnkey colocation experience. These tools allow clients to install, manage and monitor their colocated servers without physically entering the data center.
About Online Tech
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS-70 secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to insure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe. | | |
| | April 16, 2009 | | Crain's Detroit Business Coverage of Online Tech's Growth Through the Current Economic Downturn |
By Tom Henderson, April 5, 2009; Reprinted from Crains Detroit Business
Online Tech Inc., an Ann Arbor-based provider of data storage
and file backup for disaster recovery, sees the current economic
downturn as an opportunity to continue growing its business at a
double-digit rate.
As other companies deal with budget problems
by cutting their IT staffs or putting expansion plans on hold, Online
Tech wants to use its beefed-up marketing and sales staff to take
advantage of the opportunity.
“In the fourth quarter, we
started getting a lot of people coming to us, saying they were putting
their IT plans on hold,” said CEO Yan Ness, who in 2003 led a group of
investors to buy the company, then known as Online Technologies Corp.
The
company, which changed its name this month, was founded in 1994 as one
of the state's first Internet service providers but has morphed into a
provider of off-site data storage services.
“It costs $1,000
to $1,500 per square foot to build a data center, so that becomes an
easy project to delay or stop,” said President and COO Mike Klein, a
finalist in 2000 for Crain's Entrepreneur of the Year after the sale of Ann Arbor-based Steeplechase Software, a company that grew out of an MBA project at the University of Michigan.
Klein
grew the company, which used PC-based systems to run factory floor
operations, to $10 million in revenue before selling it.
Online Tech has had strong growth almost from the time Ness led the acquisition.
In 2005, the company was named by the Edward Lowe Foundation as one of 50 small companies in Michigan to watch. And the company won Fast Track awards from Ann Arbor Spark, an economic-development organization, in 2006, 2007 and 2008 for its consistent growth of 30 percent or more.
Last
year, the company again grew revenue by about 30 percent, to almost $4
million, and hired 10 staffers, many of them in marketing and sales, to
bring employment to 16, plus six contractors.
Ness said the company expects to grow revenue about 15 percent this year and add another four to six employees.
Klein said they decided to shorten the company name to help marketing efforts.
As
Online Technologies Corp., it tried to brand itself as OTC but, said
Klein, “OTC sounds like over the over the counter ... over-the-counter
stocks, over-the-counter drugs. Building a brand around that was hard
to do.”
The company has revamped its Web site and switched to a new logo. It has 280 customers, 90 percent of them in Michigan.
It
targets small to midsize companies with $50 million to $2 billion in
revenue. Most have a focus on financial institutions,
software-as-a-service companies and biotech companies that tend to
generate vast amounts of data as they do genomic research.
“They are the first hosting source we ever talk about with our clients,” said Rich Sheridan, CEO of Ann Arbor-based Menlo Innovations L.L.C., which designs custom software for area firms.
“What
I like is their approachability. Everyone wants to believe hosting is
cut and dried and cookie-cutter, but it's not. It's nice to sit down
with their team and work out the right strategy to handle security and
scalability.”
For the short term, Ness and Klein plan to grow the business primarily in state.
“We want to own Michigan. Then we'll own the Midwest and go from there,” Ness said.
The
company plans to grow both organically and through acquisitions. Klein
said he hoped to buy another Michigan or Midwest data-storage company
of Online's size or smaller in the next year.
Longer term,
Ness and Klein hope the increasing cost of energy will help them lure
customers from warmer states. Two longtime trends expected to continue
for network servers is that they grow ever more powerful and continue
to shrink in size.
That requires more and more energy to keep them cooled.
“Forty
percent of your energy costs are from removing heat. It's like waste.
It's like scrap metal on a floor,” said Ness. “One thing about Michigan
that helps us is it's cold here for a long time. It costs less to cool
here. We even use outside air to cool our data centers.”
He said cooling issues can also help Online capture more local business.
For
example, customers who built large data centers eight or 10 years ago
thinking they had a 20-year life might find themselves butting up
against their cooling limits as new servers generate more heat.
Another
factor in growth plans are national industry marketing studies that
show data-storage demand increased by 14 percent last year while supply
was up only 6 percent, figures that are expected to remain stable the
next three years.
Online has plenty of excess capacity to
handle demand, with three hosting sites — a 10,000-square-foot facility
in Avis Farms, south of Ann Arbor; a 10,000-square-foot facility in
downtown Ann Arbor; and a 32,000-square-foot facility in Flint it
bought from Gentech L.L.C. in 2006.
Southfield-based Secure-24 Inc.,
another firm that provides data storage and disaster recovery in
addition to managing local area networks and providing a full-range of
outsourced IT services, also has seen a boost as a result of the
economy.
“We're seeing the same effect from clients who are
reducing their staffs,” said COO Volker Straub. “Companies are deciding
they don't want to manage an IT staff, they'd rather manage an IT
contract with a vendor. We are seeing that a lot.”
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| | April 07, 2009 | | "How to Survive (and Thrive with) a SAS 70 Audit" | (ANN ARBOR, MI -April 7, 2009) Online Tech & UHY LLP have partnered with Automation Alley for a seminar exclusively for CIOs and IT Directors of publicly held companies or firms servicing public companies on how to survive a SAS 70 Audit.
SAS 70 is a nationally recognized audit standard for evaluating process and security control procedures throughout the data center. A SAS 70 audit is done by a CPA firm and a data security expert with experience in data center and network security.
Certain types of data, by regulation, require a SAS 70 audit. Specifically, Sarbanes-Oxley calls for testing of internal IT controls that relate to financial reporting, even for outsourced IT functions. HIPAA also has specific data handling controls that can be confirmed with a SAS-70 audit report. PCI and CISP compliance can be more easily accomplished by starting with a SAS-70 audit.
Online Tech has successfully thrived through a number of SAS 70 audits. They recently completed an audit on all their data centers and have assisted a number of colocation and dedicated server clients survive their own SAS 70 audits. It’s these experiences from both the auditee and the service provider’s perspective that has helped identify the five key elements for not only surviving a SAS 70 audit, but thriving as a result of the audit.
Join Yan Ness, Chief Executive Officer of Online Tech and Angela McBride, Principal, UHY, LLP in sharing with you the "auditee" and the "auditor" views of the SAS 70 audit process and tips for successfully surviving the audit.
Event: How to Survive and Thrive with a SAS 70 Audit
Presenters: Yan Ness, Chief Executive Officer of Online Tech and Angela McBride, Principal, UHY LLP
Agenda:
Presenters will share the "auditee" and the "auditor" view of the SAS 70 audit process and tips for successfully surviving the audit.
Location: Automation Alley- The Boardroom
Date & Time: April 21, 2009 from 9am to 10am
Cost: FREE
Reservations required due to limited seating. Please RSVP by April 20th.
3 Easy ways to register:
Call Online Tech at 734-213-2020 x12
Email us at SASseminar@onlinetech.com
Register via Online Tech’s website at www.onlinetech.com
About Online Tech
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS 70 secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to ensure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe.
About UHY LLP
UHY LLP provides audit and attest services, including SAS 70 audits, to a wide range of public, private, not-for-profit, and government agencies through offices across the United States. UHY LLP operates as the attest firm in an alternative practice structure with UHY Advisors, Inc., the 15th
largest professional services firm in the United States, as ranked by Accounting Today, and the 6th largest accounting firm in Southeast Michigan, as ranked by Crain’s Detroit Business. For additional information, please visit UHY LLP's website at www.uhyllp-us.com. | | |
| | April 02, 2009 | | Michigan’s Largest Data Center Operator Marks a Significant Milestone | 
ANN ARBOR, MI – March 31, 2009- Online Tech, Inc., Michigan’s largest network of Data Centers, is celebrating 15 years in the IT outsourcing industry. Formed on April 1,1994, Online Tech is one of the longest lasting Internet companies in the Great Lakes market.
Online Tech Inc. was incorporated as Online Technologies Corp. (OTC) as one of Michigan's first Internet Service Providers (ISP). In July, 2003, OTC was acquired by new owners who made significant investments in the data center and network infrastructure and Online Tech has grown to become Michigan's largest managed data center operator.
Since then, Online Tech’s management team
has deftly positioned the company to win in Colocation, Dedicated Server Hosting and the Managed Data Center markets.
Online Tech has received numerous awards, and has a growing client list-customer testimonials. Online Tech provided continuous service during the power black-out of 2003, even deploying new customers during the outage.
Online Tech’s industrial class data centers and network are SAS -70 audited- offering secure, scalable and reliable infrastructure required for demanding high availability hosting and industrial-strength disaster recovery.
About Online Tech
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS-70 secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to insure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe. | | |
| | March 24, 2009 | | Protecting the Perimeter: A Public-Private Sector Discussion on Cyber Security | Yan Ness - CEO of Online Tech will join Brigadier General Michael Kaiser, Ken Theis - CIO for the State of Michigan, Michael Hickey- VP of Verizon, and Eric Cosman from Dow Chemical along with other IT experts for a series of round table discussions:
"Protecting the Perimeter: A Public-Private Sector Discussion on Cyber Security"
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Four Points by Sheraton, 3200 Boardwalk, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
7:30 AM - 12:00 PM
As CEO of the largest managed data center operator in Michigan, Yan will offer unique insight into the private sector perspective on cyber security.
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| | March 24, 2009 | | Netstar Adds Data Center Services to Its Product Line |
BlOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan – March 23, 2009 Netstar Corporation, a full service computer solutions provider, announced today their agreement with Online Tech Inc. to add Online Tech’s colocation and data center services to its set of technology solutions.
Online Tech, Michigan’s largest independent data center operator, has been looking to expand it’s reach on the national level with full service providers that need to integrate outsourced data center capabilities into their solutions. As Online Tech and Netstar worked together over the last year to deliver a number of successful customer installations, a reseller partnership became obvious.
“With IT trends driving outsourcing applications and infrastructure to more cost effective providers, we saw a natural partnership between Netstar and Online Tech.” said Mike Klein, President of Online Tech. “Netstar has a staff of full-time technical engineers that are dedicated to delivering outsourced IT solutions to enterprises across the country. Offering data center colocation to their hardware and software mix is a logical extension towards offering a complete outsourced solution.”
Colocation
is the commonly used term for outsourcing data center functions to a multi-tenant data center operator like Online Tech. Colocation can offer significant cost savings over in- house data centers because the infrastructure costs, IT expertise, and capital expenses can be amortized over hundreds of clients.
“As our customers are looking for more complete outsourced solution, partnering with a top-tier data center operator like Online Tech made strategic sense to us” said Jim Marx,Vice President of Netstar. “We can offer an electronic backup, colocation and disaster recovery solutions to our clients without any significant capital investments required for the data center upgrades.”
Both Netstar and Online Tech have been in business for 15 years, based in Michigan and both companies have a national business footprint. The new partnership allows both companies to help clients integrate the most effective solution for their company’s server systems, software, storage, networking, peripherals and data center services such as colocation, and disaster recovery needed to safely manage and share information now and in the future.
About Netstar Corporation
Netstar Corporation provides the proper mix of client and server systems, software, storage, networking, peripherals and services you'll need to manage and share information. Netsar solutions are built around products from featured partners including: Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Corporation, VERITAS, and Online Tech.
About Online Tech, Inc.
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS-70 audited, secure reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to insure their servers are always safe, always on, and always online. | | |
| | March 12, 2009 | | Managed Data Center Operator Raises the Bar at All of Its Data Centers | (Ann Arbor, MI – March 11, 2009) Online Tech announced today that it has successfully completed its SAS 70 (Statement on Auditing Standards number 70) audit for all three of its Michigan Data Centers. SAS 70 for IT Data Centers is similar to ISO 9000 standards for manufacturing enterprises or Sarbanes-Oxley requirements for publicly traded companies. SAS 70 is a nationally recognized audit standard for evaluating process and security control procedures across the data center.
Online Tech is unique in Michigan in that all three of its data centers have successfully completed a SAS 70 audit.
The independent auditing firm UHY, LLP examined the centers closely, specifically examining control objectives in the areas of organizational structure, governance and administration, physical and environmental controls, physical and network security, and system availability and performance.
Online Tech invested significant time and resources into the SAS 70 audit process to ensure the security, controls, and processes in each of our data centers are closely followed and monitored. “As our client base has expanded to include more publicly held companies and their service providers, we saw the demand to have our data centers undergo a SAS 70 audit” said Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. “The audit enhances our ability to support companies facing Sarbanes Oxley requirements when they outsource their data centers through colocation or dedicated server hosting.”
The benefits that SAS 70 audited data centers provide include:
- Assurance that the internal controls within the data center are in place, are suitably designed, and are operating effectively,
- Assurance that physical access, IT infrastructure, data and network are secured against certain threats,
- Assurance that the data center’s control policies and procedures have been evaluated and reviewed by an independent third party, and
- Confidence that colocating with a data center operator that has undergone a SAS 70 audit provides clients the ability to assure their own customers that their data and information is secure, helping them keep, attract, and build their business.
By completing the SAS 70 audit process, Online Tech’s clients have assurance that each of its data centers consistently demonstrates the same high standard of security and control.
About Online Tech Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its SAS-70 secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting
and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to ensure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe. | | |
| | March 06, 2009 | | Online Tech and npServ™ Combine Resources to Provide Nonprofit Community in Southeast Michigan with Effective and Affordable IT Solutions | Ann Arbor, Michigan- February 27, 2009
The current state of the economy presents many challenges for nonprofits. Like for profit companies, nonprofits need to stretch their resources to do more with less.?
At the same time, societal demand upon the nonprofit community has increased. All too often nonprofits do not have the funding or the equipment needed to operate effectively in a technology-driven business landscape. Many do not have access to the internet, tech support, and basic office functions such as email, shared files, secure data backup and remote access.
NEW is removing the technology hurdle for nonprofits with npServ™, a shared IT services program that enables nonprofits to cut costs, positively impact their business and stay focused on their missions.
Online Tech, the premier Managed Data Center Operator in Michigan, made a generous grant to allow NEW to leverage Online Tech’s data center services through npServ for the benefit of nonprofit clients in Michigan. These services include e-mail, data backup, and web site hosting through donated dedicated servers and network storage.
An example of how the program works is well-illustrated by a recent success story in NEW's I.T. program, npServ, A Detroit non-profit called and said they had been without email for a week and had no access to their server.
It was near impossible for them to continue to serve their community without being able to access documents and their email. This organization serves a large minority community through services including HIV/AIDs testing, a daycare, and domestic violence project.
“As we started troubleshooting and eventually added them to our Linux thin client program, we learned that data security was a sensitive issue for the organization. Not only was there data that needed to be HIPPA compliant, but like many nonprofits, there was staff turnover creating an increasingly difficult challenge in maintaining institutional memory” says Linh Song, Director of npServ™
Installing a fileserver with different permissions was a first step for the organization. But more importantly, Online Tech needed to make sure their critical data was saved and secure offsite. As a partner of the program, Online Tech was able to make sure they were setup in one of their three Michigan secure datacenters that are also HIPPA Compliant. Online Tech has a growing list of clients that are required to store their data at specially approved, HIPPA compliant datacenters.
The success part of the story is that this organization is now empowered to understand that there are organizations like NEW and Online Tech who are available and supportive of nonprofit needs. “Like so many nonprofits, we were always struggling with information technology, working with a patchwork of donated hardware and printers. The npServ™ system has helped us advance our technologies in a way we could have never done on our own. This is a great example of how shared services can make a big impact, and ultimately help nonprofits fulfill their missions more efficiently,” says Jimena Loveluck of HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC).
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| | February 13, 2009 | | Join CFO Bob Palmerton and Mike Chatas for spirited discussions | Founded in 2007 by Online Tech’s CFO, Robert Palmerton, the Financial Executives Group’s goal is to bring together CFOs, Controllers and other financial “heads” of local companies to:
- share ideas
- network
- discuss important and timely topics facing financial executives
- risk management
- business continuity
- financial reporting standards
- local taxes
- local financing
On average, each event has 20 attendees per meeting and it’s been a great way for finance professionals to keep abreast of the latest issues and trends and to bounce ideas off each other.
The next Financial Executive's Breakfast Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 26th at 8:00 a.m. at Ann Arbor SPARK, 330 E. Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.
Mike Chatas, President of United Structured Finance Company (USFC), a division of United Bancorp, will discuss the current bank lending environment and the opportunities that USFC is finding in completing transactions to help business grow and thrive in today’s environment. USFC offers boutique-style financing solutions for small business lending, is the number-one SBA lender in Washtenaw County, and expects to further its efforts to help our region following an infusion of $20 million in TARP funds.
Please feel free to distribute this announcement to those Financial and Non-Financial Executives that you believe may have an interest.
This event is free, and please RSVP so that we can obtain a headcount for SPARK as they will provide breakfast. Register at SPARK, or call Bob Palmerton at 734-213-2020 x123, by Friday, February 20th. | | |
| | February 12, 2009 | | Online Tech exemplifies Growth of Data Center Industry in Michigan | Reprinted article by Sven Gustafson | Michigan Business Review (see link to original article below)
RELATED COVERAGE
• Online Tech's Yan Ness says Michigan is Cool.The
trend toward outsourcing the hosting and management of
business-critical IT functions is adding up to big business for
Michigan companies that operate data centers.
And Ann Arbor-based Online Tech Inc. said it added 10,000 square
feet of data center space in 2008 with a third data center along with
10 employees.
"It's one of the secrets of Michigan," said Yan Ness, Online Tech's
CEO. "Everybody's got bad news and stuff. I've always said whether
there's an upslope or a downslope, there's an opportunity.
"Right now there's a downslope in the banks and the credit markets.
Companies that basically help other companies avoid capital deployment
are acutely in demand."
For businesses, the ability to outsource the hosting of enterprise
resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) or
supply chain management software to offsite data centers adds up to
money saved on IT staffs and server banks.
Ness said data centers can cost between $1,000 and $2,000 per square foot to construct, equating to 10- to 20-year investments.
A report released in November by independent research firm Tier1
Research found that demand for multi-tenant data centers grew 14
percent in 2008, fueled by the popularity of software as a service,
online gaming and even social networking sites. Yet capacity rose by
just 6 percent, the report said.
The report also concluded that problems in the credit and financial
markets were likely to further complicate the supply side of data
centers and that demand, fueled by Internet-based applications and
services, was likely to outpace supply during the first year of an
economic recovery.
"It takes actually a pretty decent amount of capital to build these
things, which is more difficult than ever," Ness said, adding that both
Google and Microsoft have recently shelved plans to build new data
centers. "That's good we think, because that's going to drive up
demand."
Online Tech (formerly Online Technologies Corp.) has benefited as
insurance companies, banks, health care and biotech companies that are
either unwilling to build their own data centers or are out of cooling
capacity or space to do so, Ness said. The company is looking to see
its five-year annual growth rate cool slightly to around 20 percent for
2009 and hire perhaps a half-dozen new workers.
"We've been able to secure all the capital we need to grow even in
this tough time," said Ness, one of five co-owners of the company. "We
think this is a pretty good place to grow."
| | |
| | January 27, 2009 | | New Name, New Website, Same Focus On Data Centers | 
January 27, 2009 - Ann Arbor, MI - On the heels of a strong year of growth for managed data center operator Online Technologies Corporation, and its optimism for the industry in 2009, the company today announced the rebranding of its name, logo and launch of a new website.
The old name ‘Online Technologies Corporation’ or ‘OTC’, incorporated in 1994, has now been changed to Online Tech Inc. “Online Tech better reflects who we are and what we do as a managed data center operator," says Mike Klein, President of Online Tech in a recent Online Tech blog entry. “Compared to our old acronym ‘OTC’, ‘Online Tech’ can't be confused with "over-the-counter" drugs or trading.” The new name is accompanied by a new logo that better reflects the company’s focus as a managed data center operator.
Online Tech has also launched a new website (www.onlinetech.com) focused on colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed data center services. The new website is designed to be much easier to navigate and is rich with content. Visitors will be able to easily browse the company’s services, request quotes online, chat live with an Online Tech operator, and learn about new events and online specials. The website and logo were designed by Inner Circle Media of Ann Arbor MI, an Online Tech customer and partner.
Online Tech’s new name and website come at a time when the company has expanded its service footprint with an increasingly diverse portfolio of managed data center services. These services let colocation and dedicated server clients offload more of the day-to-day management of their computing infrastructure to Online Tech’s onsite trained data center experts. “There is a real trend now during this severe credit crunch to save operating expenses by outsourcing data centers through colocation and dedicated servers rather than upgrade or expand in-house facilities” says Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. "We're there to help with the entire process."
About Online Tech
Online Tech is Michigan’s premier managed data center operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its highly secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server hosting
and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to ensure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe.
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| | January 26, 2009 | | WJR's "The Internet Advisor" show celebrates its 11th Anniverary | Online Tech's CEO Yan Ness joins the hosts and special guests on The Internet Advisor's 11th anniversary show airing Saturday, January 31st from 4:15-7 PM on WJR-AM 760.
The show is streamed live on the Internet during the program and podcasts of the content of each show are also posted on the show's website.
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| | January 16, 2009 | | Online Tech Optimistic about Continued Growth in its Data Center Business | January 14, 2009 - Ann Arbor, MI - Coming off its 5th
year in a row of 30% plus annual growth, Online Technologies Corporation is enthusiastic about its data center business prospects in 2009.
Online Tech made significant investments in its managed data center business in 2008, making it one of the largest independent managed data center operators in the state of Michigan. To match its growth rate, the company added 10,000 square feet of data center space with its third data center brought on line in early 2008. Online Tech also added 10 employees to its payroll in 2008 to better support its rapidly growing customer base.
A November report by Tier1 Research found that the global multi-tenant data center market continues to grow. Demand increased 14% last year while data center supply was up only 6%. This demand/supply gap is projected to grow over the next 3 years. Despite a difficult economy, the Internet will continue to grow as a vehicle for service and application delivery, driving the demand for expanded data center space. Software as a service, managed hosting, social networking and streaming media will increase the demands for data center space and power.
The credit crunch, coupled with small and mid-size businesses’ reluctance to invest significant capital and operating expenses in private data centers, is also driving the demand for outsourced data centers and colocation. Rather than investing in the capital to build or expand an in-house data center to meet their IT needs, many companies are sharing data center space by co-locating with others in multi-tenant managed data centers.
Online Tech has seen these same trends in the State of Michigan. As companies need to cut back on IT capital intensive projects and reduce operating costs in their data centers, colocation in multi-tenant data centers can provide a solution that requires no capital investment, i.e. “Cap-Ex Free” IT, and can often reduce operating expenses by leveraging outsourced data center specialists.
In one of the states hit the hardest by the economic downturn, Online Tech is finding increased demand for its managed data center solutions. “In both periods of growth and periods of decline, there are business opportunities” said Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. “It’s when everything is flat, that I go sailing. Right now, all we see is opportunity.”
With the recent downturn in the economy, managed data center operators like Online Tech have found an unexpected wind toward their back, which they expect will make the sailing even better in 2009.
About Online Technologies Corporation
Online Tech (www.onlinetech.com) is Michigan’s premier Managed Data Center Operator. Online Tech helps companies manage their growing demand for data and computing capacity through its highly secure and reliable multi-tenant data centers. With a full range of colocation, dedicated server and managed service options, industry leaders trust Online Tech to ensure their servers are always on, always online, and always safe.
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| | January 13, 2009 | | We’ve Launched Our New Web Site! | On the heals of a spectacular year for Online Technologies Corporation, we decided to invest in a new look and feel. Our old website (www.onlinetech.net) had gotten pretty stale and out of date. It didn’t adequately explain our colocation, dedicated server hosting and managed data center service offerings, nor do a very good job of presenting the IT disaster recovery options we offer.
So if you’ve made it to this blog posting, then you’re looking at a couple of new branding pieces from us.
First you’ll notice a new logo and new company name. Online Tech now replaces “Online Technologies Corporation” or as we often called ourselves, “OTC”. We feel Online Tech better reflects who we are and what we do as a managed data center operator and can't be confused with "over-the-counter" drugs or trading.The second thing you’ll see is our entirely new website (www.onlinetech.com) which has the new look and feel, and (we hope) is much easier to navigate and understand what we do.
We have some clean up left to do, but felt that the new web site is so much cleaner & easier to navigate than our old site – that we decided to launch it ahead of schedule – and clean up the few remaining items over the next week or two.
So, with that said – Welcome to the New Online Tech! The same team with the same focus on providing the best colocation, server hosting and data center solutions in the Midwest.So tell us what you think, we'd love to hear from you.
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