Diagram, a Chicago-based leader in enterprise .NET CMS development and hosting, announced on March 3rd the release of a new hosting service targeting the dedicated Linux server market. Branded as "Vanilla Hosting", this offering seeks to provide an alternative to the Cloud-based, configuration-intensive hosting options currently abundant in the marketplace with three simple, enterprise-ready, dedicated server options. A departure from Diagram's traditional Windows hosting, this offering is meant to service the needs of application developers, big data processors, design agencies and other technology clients with a need for a robust Linux foundation.
As Jim Tremmel, Director of Business Development states, “We are taking our experience in enterprise Windows hosting solutions and spreading our knowledge and core values over to the Linux space. There is a need for a Linux dedicated web host who understands what an enterprise level client needs in server, support, hardware, bandwidth and power requirements.”
Diagram has partnered with San Jose, CA based Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, to provide the base servers for Vanilla. With RAM configurations ranging from 16GB to 64GB and each server equipped with cPanel/WHM to allow clients full control over their server, the servers are meant for enterprise use and high-performance applications.
CEO and co-founder Bill Casey states, "Vanilla is a new type of hosting for Diagram, but it's a traditional model that has been overshadowed by the Cloud. While there is definitely a big place in the industry for inexpensive cloud hosting, there is also a signification portion of the market that still needs a competitively priced, dedicated Linux platform to meet their needs. Vanilla is designed for that market."
As for the name Vanilla, Casey adds, "The name Vanilla is meant to reflect the essential basic elements of a solid, no-frills server foundation, just like vanilla ice cream is the basis of a great sundae… You can add whatever you want to make it your own creation, but it all starts with the quality of that simple, delicious vanilla base."
Diagram's history in hosting has primarily been a fully managed model with close client partnerships, many of whose sites were also developed by Diagram. Vanilla seeks to retain the partnership model while giving the client much greater control and flexibility over their environment for their own development purposes. Casey states, "We came from development roots and we understand the important role hosting plays in the development and application management process. Our goal is to bring this knowledge and experience of supportive and responsive hosting to what is often seen as an impersonal, commodity hosting market that doesn't understand the needs of the client."
