Hosting Centre
Our shared and reseller web servers are hosted here in the UK at the Centro datacentre facility in Hemel Hempstead, located just outside London.
Conveniently close to the M1 and M25, the Centro facility is set within a secure private 50,000 sq ft compound and has 3MVA of HV power through redundant connections, and multiple fibre providers on-site. The facility has been fitted out to the highest specification, with all infrastructure installed with a minimum of N+1 redundancy, and certain key elements at 2N. A state-of-the-art IP CCTV system and access control system form part of the comprehensive security arrangements, including man-traps, interlocked doors, and biometric iris scanners.
This facility provides unsurpassed levels of security along with physical measures to protect the safety and reliability of services. State of the art fire suppression systems, based upon Very Early Smoke Detection Alarms to sense heat and smoke before you can even smell it.
Accessibility and reliability is key throughout, with raised flooring, scalable power expansion, and of course the facility is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year by experienced staff.
As part of an extensive Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule at the Centro datacentre facility, start tests on the generators are run every two weeks.
These generators provide stand-by power in the unlikely event of a utility outage on both HV supplies to the datacentre. Enough diesel is stored on-site to run the entire facility for around 4 days, and there are fuel resupply agreements with multiple fuel providers to ensure the centre can continue operating from generator power even in the case of a prolonged outage.
During this start test, the outside temperature was around -1C, and both generators started, synced and closed their breakers on to the main switchgear in 18 seconds, well within normal operating tolerances (battery supplies for the UPS system last around 10 minutes before the generators kick in). Footage taken from CCTV.
The generators are constantly heated and their starter batteries kept fully charged to ensure they are available as quickly as possible to provide backup power to the facility.
More info...
UPS Power Backup
Data Backups
Server Software
Apache Web Server 2.2.11
MySQL Database Server 5.x
ProFTPD FTP Server 1.2.x
Exim Mail (MTA) 4.x
PHP 5.2.8
Zend Optimizer 3.3.3
CURL Support 7.15.x
GD Library 2.x +
Glibc 2.3.x
CPanel/WHM 11 (updated daily)
Network Monitoring
All these factors combine to make simplewebhosting.co.uk one of the best performing and most reliable web hosting companies available in the industry.
Self healing
Our main transit providers have Points of Presence in all major European destinations, providing excellent connectivity to Europe and beyond. We have selected respected, reliable and diverse providers to ensure we have multiple routes to all global locations whilst still making use of the best path possible via peering agreements.
Expanding
Full Centro Specificaton
- Dual dedicated 11,000V (HV) connections via diverse feeders in private ducts and with private HV substation
- N+1 diesel stand-by generators with continuous fuel arrangement
- N+1 diverse UPS systems
- N+1 high efficiency packaged chillers with 2N inverter driven high efficiency chilled water pump sets
- Dual fibre entry through dedicated private ducts •Resilient (diverse) dark fibre connectivity to London
- Dedicated Mechanical & Engineering corridors away from IT equipment •Biometric iris scan man-trap to gain access to data floor area
- On-site human security presence 24x7
- Proximity access locks on all external and internal doors
- Interlocked man-traps on front entrance and goods in area
- Perimeter fence with rota spikes, anti-ram raid barriers, blast-proof windows and steel security doors
- External and internal digital IP ICCTV system with digitally controlled motion sensors and flood lighting
- VESA (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus) and FM200 fire suppression systems
- Dual diverse power feeds to all racks