Derek Vaughan of CheapHostingDirectory.com sent me an overview of three companies providing .NET hosting (thank you, Derek!). I decided to pass it along in case you are in the market for ASP.NET hosting (including ASP.NET 2.0 Beta 2). Here we go…
As most developers already know, ASP.NET was created to speed the development of database driven websites and online applications. The latest version of ASP.NET has been recently released in beta and promises a number of feature enhancements over previous versions.
According to Microsoft’s ASP.NET Development Center the newest version of this product is identified as ASP.NET 2.0. The site touts the product’s ability to reduce the amount of code written, more easily manage themes and skins to customize a site’s look and feel, and make web site management easier by boosting scalability, reliability and performance.
New features which are specifically mentioned for the new release include: over 50 new controls for security and navigation; built in personalization services; database caching, and standards support for both XHTML and Section 508/WCAG right out of the box.
Where to Host in Order to Test ASP.NET 2.0 Beta
Microsoft lists three North American web hosting providers who are offering the beta service right out of the gate: DiscountASP.NET, CrystalTech Web Hosting, and ORCS Web. CheapHostingDirectory.com asked each company for a short statement on why they were the best choice for ASP.NET 2.0 Beta 2 web hosting. Here’s what they had to say.
DiscountASP.NET
Mr. Takeshi Eto, VP Marketing at DiscountASP.NET describes their hosting abilities as follows:
ASP.NET Developer Community
“Because DiscountASP.NET is focused on ASP.NET Hosting, we host a large community of ASP.NET developers and .NET Usergroups. We also maintain an active Community Forum. Easy access to other ASP.NET community members is essential for learning/testing ASP.NET 2.0 Beta 2. DiscountASP.NET also hosts KBAlertz.com.
ASP.NET Hosting Focus
DiscountASP.NET is focused on Shared ASP.NET Hosting. By being focused, we are able to quickly launch new ASP.NET technology. We do not offer Unix, Cold Fusion, VPS, Dedicated Hosting services…etc. which would divert our staff resources from our core business focus.
ASP.NET Expertise
ASP.NET is not just another hosting feature. DiscountASP.NET built their own hosting automation system and control panels using ASP.NET technology. Therefore, we demonstrate our expertise in ASP.NET technology. DiscountASP.NET drives their infrastructure with ASP.NET.
Microsoft Certified Partner
DiscountASP.NET is a Microsoft Certified Partner and has Microsoft Certified Professionals as staff members (MCP, MCSE, MCDBA). We make sure our staff keeps up to date with their certifications.
Close Microsoft Partnership
As a Microsoft Certified Partner and Microsoft ASP.NET Hosting Advantage member, we work closely with Microsoft on many initiatives. That is one of the reasons why we were able to launch ASP.NET 2.0 Beta Hosting on the same day that Microsoft officially released .NET Framework 2.0 Beta 2. DiscountASP.NET also participated in the ASP.NET Starter Kit Beta Hosting Program.
Award-Winning Hoster
Our claims are backed up by the support of our hosting customers. DiscountASP.NET is proud to be voted both Product of the Year and Best Hosting Services in the asp.netPRO Magazine 2005 Readers Choice Award - whose results were released on April 25, 2005. DiscountASP.NET was voted Runner Up in the Hosting Service category in asp.netPRO Magazine 2004 Readers Choice Award. We have also won many top hosting awards from various Web Hosting Directories. We also maintain a growing list of customer testimonials on our website. Having launched our hosting services in 2003, we are proud of all our accomplishments.”
CrystalTech Web Hosting
Here’s what differentiates CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc. according to Mr. Tom Weber, a Sales and Marketing Executive with the company:
“CrystalTech has long maintained a close relationship with Microsoft and was pleased to be a part of the ASP.NET 2.0 Beta 2 hosting when asked to participate by Microsoft. CrystalTech was started by and for developers, and it has always been our desire to bring the latest technologies, like ASP.NET 2.0, to our customers quickly and affordably. Our ASP.NET 2.0 Beta Plan is free to all and you do not need to be an existing customer to participate.
We have made it easy to sign up for the plan. To apply, interested developers and web designers can visit http://www.crystaltech.com/dotnet20developer.htm where they will not only be able to sign up for the free plan but also download Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition, a free editor for .NET 2.0.”
ORCS Web, Inc.
Here’s the focus of ORCS Web, Inc. according to Brad Kingsley, the founder and president:
“ORCS Web has been hosting ASP.NET since its beta days and later did the same with Windows Server 2003. At ORCS Web, ASP.NET isn’t an afterthought, it’s a core technology. ASP.NET 2.0, the next release of ASP.NET, and provides an exciting new set of features for developers including over 45 new controls, simplified access to data, templating features, site membership features and more. In addition, a new lightweight, web focused development tool called Visual Web Developer will be released in conjunction with ASP.NET 2.0. You can learn more about these great new products here: http://www.asp.net/whidbey/.
Our goal: #1 in Service and Support. ORCS Web is a Microsoft Valued Partner and has intimate knowledge with many Microsoft technologies before they are even released to the general public. Inquiries that you send to us will reflect this and even the trickiest issue will be solved for you.
To allow for testing on this latest version of ASP.Net, we are offering promotional pricing as low as $5/month during the beta cycle! For details click the following link: http://www.orcsweb.com/aspnet2beta.aspx.”
Summary
The ASP.NET 2.0 Beta is an exciting new product release which offers many new features. Microsoft recommends three preferred web hosting vendors in North America - DiscountASP.NET, CrystalTech Web Hosting, and ORCS Web. They each offer deep experience and solid ASP.NET competencies worthy of at least a test account for the new ASP.NET 2.0 Beta.
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