The Parallels product line gives us a two-fold benefit: we can profitably exist because our automated infrastructure runs at maximum efficiency, and we can generate new revenue by launching new services from an established platform. The performance of our infrastructure is stellar, which has enabled us to spend more time on our relationships with our customer, vendors, and our staff.
Ross Brouse
CEO - Solar VPS
How We Got Started
Solar VPS was formed in early 2005 to provide business users with cost-effective, efficient and sustainable hosting solutions. We began as a managed Windows Virtual Private Server business and partnered with Parallels ( then SWsoft ) to offer its newly released Windows Virtuozzo to customers. By adding the managed services aspect, we were able to create higher customer retention as well as maximizing revenue.
Not only did Parallels provide an optimal solution for client service offerings, but it also enabled us to virtualize our office file servers and managment systems. This allowed for lower power consumption, lower capital expenditures and increased manageability. Use of virtualization software and VPN connectivity allowed us to build a truly virtualized office and data facility network.Communication was spot-on with every member of our team and with our customers. Knowing what was going on and being able to handle any problem became truly functional through our virtual infrastructure.
How We Automated
In early 2006, we purchased the Parallels Business Automation ( then HSPcomplete ) Virtuozzo management and billing software from Parallels ( then SWsoft ). Parallels Business Automation, or PBA for short, allowed us to provide clients with a fully integrated web store/sign up process, payment and billing system, order delivery platform and system management center.
VPS hardware nodes are deployed with Virtuozzo and are connected with PBA. As clients make purchases through our online store, orders are queued in PBA, fraud checked and then with the click of a button, are automatically built, assigned ip address and installed using PBAs integration with Virtuozzo templates. Finally, clients are emailed a welcome letter that contains all relevant information for connecting to and managing their VPS subscription.
The Parallels Automation process has allowed us to provision orders quickly and easily. Since adopting PBA, automation has become a crucial aspect of Solar VPS. Our service offerings, our customer support and our infrastructure managment depends on our commitment to automation. We've become a more customer-centric company as a result of our integration with automation systems and processes, which has resulted in a higher level of customer service and support.
How We Optimized
Solar VPS lives the Parallels "Optimized Computing" vision. We have created a truly virtual infrastructure from our client offerings, our data facilities and our management offices. We work very closely with Parallels to provide the hightest possible service and support to our customers. We are backed by 24/7/365 support from our Parallels Platinum Partner support contracts and our dedicated team of account managers and Parallels CRMs ( Customer Relationship Managers ).
The Solar VPS network is powered by Parallels Virtualization and Automation products including Parallels Business and System Automation, Parallels Virtuozzo Containers, Parallels Plesk Control Panel, Parallels Server and Parallels Workstation and Desktop products. All members of the Solar team are required to virtualize their working environments to maximize productivity and energy efficiency.
We've proven that the Parallels vision of "Optimized Computing" is more that just a philosophy and that it truly works. We've put these concepts of virtualization and optimization into practice and much of the success of Solar VPS success is attributed to those concepts. We look forward to our continued partnership with Parallels and to the new opportunities and efforts that our initiatives are creating for us.
How We Broadened Our Brand
In early 2008, the decision was made to change our corporate name to Solar Virtualization Technologies Group, or Solar VTG for short. The Solar VTG name more effectively reflects the "Solar" push into the SaaS ( Software as a Service ) based market. The Solar VPS brand will continue to offer the same great Virtual Private Server offerings and exceptional customer service and support we have come to be known for. In addition, new brands will be added and incorporated into our fully virtualized infrastructure.
The new Solar VTG brand exists to further our virtualization, automation, SaaS and green computing efforts through our multiple brands. Most notably, our sister company, MessageWire, forefronts this effort through its Parallels powered infrastructure for Mobile device connectivity, Hosted Exchange, Anti-Spam/Anti-virus, Sharepoint and Message Archiving services. Solar VTG and MessageWire keep a close personal relationship and exist to fully compliment all business communication and hosted services needs.
How We Are Going Green
Solar VPS is committed to promoting and adopting energy efficient measures across all areas of our business. From choosing energy efficient server components for our customer offerings to reducing power consumption in our global reaching offices, becoming "green" has never been more important to us. Most importantly, Solar VPS is partnering with other green-centric companies to educate others and promote the ideas of green computing and green living. To address our new energy conserving corporate standards, we developed a brand to symbolize our green initiaitives called "SolarGreen".
The name SolarGreen was chosen to signify our efforts to become green and stay green. While we don't claim to have all the answers to being environmentally responsible, we understand that it is important for all small businesses in the United States and across the world to do their part to save our planet. In order to do our part, we developed the iniative around 3 goals including Reducing Customer Energy Consumption, Reducing Company Energy Consumption and Supporting Green Efforts.
Get more information about SolarGreen here.
Parallels Automation and Virtualization products have empowered us to offer quick delivery hosted environments that are cost-effective and easily manageable. Most importantly, the amount of staff required to accept, check, process and provision orders is fantastically small, which creates a truly optimized order delivery system that lowers costs and maximizes profit.
Ross Brouse
CEO - Solar VPS
