According to a report from TorrentFreak.com, the site faced downtime due to a DDoS attack that had left it disabled for over a day’s time. The torrent-focused news site received the information from what it referred to as a “Pirate Bay insider.”

The site downtime occurs nearly a week after the Pirate Bay condemned an Anonymous-backed DDoS attack on Virgin Media. The hacking group had allegedly made the move in retaliation for Virgin complying with a court order blocking ISP access to the file sharing site.

“We do NOT encourage these actions. We believe in the open and free internets, where anyone can express their views. Even if we strongly disagree with them and even if they hate us,” The Pirate Bay stated on its website at the time.

Since its launch in 2003, The Pirate Bay has faced legal attention regarding its use as a platform to illegally share copyrighted files. In March, the BitTorrent-based site made news by announcing that it was considering moving its servers to the sky by using unmanned drones.

“We are so excited to join in the work StartEngine is doing,” said Jeffrey Papen, founder and CEO of Peak. “There is nothing more important to us than giving back to the technology community by sharing our time, knowledge and expertise. We look forward to watching the next Facebook and Google grow from accelerator and incubator programs.”

StartEngine is more than just another rapid accelerator in Los Angeles. They are an engine to help launch a hub for financing, business infrastructure, community collaboration, and exposure to the best VC’s and angels around. The goal is to create an environment of massive creativity and production, a connection between driven individuals who may not otherwise have had the chance to meet and a place where great companies and great leaders are born.

“StartEngine is excited to have Peak Hosting as one of its partners,” said Howard Marks, co-chair of StartEngine. “They will help our startups scale fast and reliably.”

About Peak Hosting

Founded in 2001, Peak Hosting has built 15 of the largest Internet properties in the world. No other service provider has designed, built or scaled larger and well-known Internet giants. Our team of engineers, who average over 14 years in the industry, can design and build any IT network solution. As part of our Operations-as-a-Service, Peak Total Operations™ (PTO) delivers the experts in operating system management, application support, networking, security, database administration, monitoring & alerting, automation tools, performance trend analysis, and virtualization expertise so companies can focus on their individual product without needing the specific skill-sets to implement “the plumbing” around their goals.

About StartEngine

StartEngine is a rapid accelerator focused on helping Los Angeles-based technology startups build a solid foundation for success in 90 days. Created by Howard Marks, co-founder of Activision, and Paul Kessler, one of the most prolific investors in Los Angeles, Start Engine will provide local startups with the essential resources and counsel they need to become successful, self-directed businesses. Start Engine offers a team of mentors who have proven themselves as successful entrepreneurs – not professional investors – ensuring that its startups are guided by the right people for the right reasons. Early-stage companies in the web, mobile and ecommerce space are encouraged to apply for the program which completes four cycles per year, culminating in Demo Days that are attended by the region’s top angel investors and VCs.

Hosting Space

The amount of hosting space, others wise known as bandwidth, you have is critical to how your site will run. You want your visitors to have a seamless experience from the moment they step onto your site until the second they bounce back off.

According to Networksolutions.com, “Bandwidth is the amount of data exchanged or transferred in and out of your Web server, usually measured by a monthly allotment. Bandwidth increases when large files are requested and when your visitor traffic increases.” Some hosting sites will offer minimal bandwidth for basic packages or claim to offer unlimited though isn’t actually.

• Cost vs. feature: This is a very important aspect of your website, and one worth paying for.  SearchEngineJournal.com suggests that 5GB should be enough for a medium-sized site receiving moderate amounts of traffic.  If the site offers an unlimited option, be sure to read the fine print before.

Servers

The server is where your site information is stored. When signing up with a web host they will likely have a server type that comes with the sale price or basic plan. However, there are advantages to looking at your other options, as well.

While shared servers may be inexpensive, they are also just what they seem: shared. This means that you are splitting space with millions of other websites, potentially worldwide, trying to load information and handle traffic at the same time that you are. This can affect your up time and customer experience.

On the other hand, a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is the middle ground between springing for an expensive dedicated server and risking down time with a shared one. Get access root access while still sharing some resources.

• Cost vs. feature: For an ecommerce site, you can get away with paying for the middle of the road option, a VPS. If you are maintaining a small site, however, you can squeak by with a shared server.

IP Address

What is more important than a well-designed website? Your SEO capabilities. If Google can’t find you, your site risks losing traffic and authority. Though the bulk of your SEO will come from what you do with the site, there are aspects of the backend that can affect your efforts down the line.

Your IP address is said to be tied to how Google ranks your website. Considered a controversial topic in the SEO world, some believe that a shared IP address will negatively affect your SEO performance. However, SEORoundTable.com quotes Google’s Director of Technology as saying, “Google handles virtually hosted domains and their links just the same as domains on unique IP addresses. If your ISP does virtual hosting correctly, you’ll never see a difference between the two cases.”

• Cost vs. feature: Don’t bother spending more on a dedicated IP address. There is no conclusive evidence that a unique IP address bodes better for SEO than shared.

When choosing a web hosting provider, don’t be fooled by low prices and “basic” plans. Be sure to know what your website will need to run properly before jumping on what seems like a good deal.

Bio: Jessica Sanders is an avid small business writer touching on topics that range from social media to business management. She is a professional blogger and web content writer for ResourceNation.com.

According to Steve Watts, co-founder of the tokenless two factor authentication specialist, the problem with cloud computing is that the security mechanisms required to secure data as it flows into the cloud – and, perhaps more importantly, when it flows out from the cloud – are both cumbersome and difficult to change.

“Encryption technology is now relatively easy to deploy and maintain, but authenticating users tends to be viewed as dependant on a hardware token that must be carried around by the user. And no token invariably means no access. Add in the fact that solving problems takes a finite period of time, and the convenience of the cloud rapidly becomes an inconvenience,” he said.

“I think it speaks volumes that IT practitioners are concerned that governance and regulatory concerns are holding them back from storing their company data in a cloud environment, although it is interesting to see that 16pc are going down this cost-effective route with stringent contracts and solid service level agreements in place,” he said.

What many of these senior IT security professionals are almost certainly unaware of, he went on to say, is that tokenless 2FA – using a mobile phone as the authentication medium – is very easy to deploy, and even easier to use.

Tokenless 2FA, he says, turns any mobile phone – even a budget or legacy handset – into an authenticator, since it uses text message channels to confirm that the user is who they claim to be.

Furthermore, he adds, since most people tote their mobiles around with them everywhere – even around the home – they will almost never be in the situation of being unable to authenticate themselves using their mobile.

Watts explained that SecurEnvoy’s SecurAccess software – which supports tokenless 2FA using a mobile phone – integrates closely with Microsoft Active Directory, Novell E-Directory, Sun Directory Server and OpenLDAP technologies, making it very easy to install and deploy, and with no additional database being required.

“The bottom line here is that tokenless 2FA technology is every bit as secure as a hardware token-based system, but it is vastly more convenient to install and maintain. It is ideal for use with cloud and use,” he said.

“Factor in the additional advantage that the system can be changed on the fly if needed – which is something you cannot easily do a hardware token-based platform – and it’s no wonder that we are finding businesses using our 2FA technology to secure their cloud logins,” he added.

“That’s why we were surprised to hear about the results of the Wisegate research results on cloud computing. Clearly the message about the advantages of tokenless 2FA technology still needs to get out.”

For more on SecurEnvoy: www.securenvoy.com

For more on the Wisegate research: http://bit.ly/IKXSUv

For further information please contact Yvonne Eskenzi on 0207 1832 832 or email Yvonne@eskenzipr.com

Since releasing the first version of the iPhone in 2007, Apple has pretty much stayed true to its original design, producing later versions of the iPhone with the original 3.5 inch screen size.

However, the latest move could indicate that Apple is looking to further compete with other smartphone manufacturers who offer larger displays. The Samsung Galaxy S2, often cited as an iPhone rival has a screen size that measures in at 4.3 inches.

Work on the larger screen sizes will start within the coming month, according to the Wall Street Journal’s report.

The last release of the popular Apple smartphone occurred in October when the Cupertino, California-based company revealed the iPhone 4s, notable for introducing the A.I. voice feature known as Siri.

Meanwhile, Apple could be set to introduce its biggest product in quite some time. According to a report from China Daily last week, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou indicated that Apple was moving ahead with plans to create an HD Apple television. Foxconn is Apple’s largest manufacturer for devices including the iPhone and iPad.

Aside from colocation, the hosting provider’s offerings include VoIP, SEO, managed services, security and more.

“If we are not prepared to immediately meet client demands for server space, then we are not staying committed to our mission of providing the highest level of customer service,” commented Business Development Director at Colocation America Albert Ahdoot in a press release.

“By making it incredibly easy for businesses to colocate or get a dedicated server with us, we can put our effort into staying on top of the latest data center technological developments,” Ahdoot continued.

The announcement follows a move in which the company recently upgraded its data center facilities with a number of features including new monitoring systems and more. Aside from its Los Angeles location, the colocation company maintains other presences in U.S. cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. For more information regarding the matter, view a press release here (colocationamerica.com).

All businesses purchasing any business hosting package from UK2 will be entered into the prize draw to win tickets to the F1™  British Grand Prix at Silverstone. First prize is 2 tickets to the race day itself, while the runner up wins tickets to Saturday’s qualifying session. It’s one of many competitions UK2 has planned over the coming weeks so it’s worth keeping an eye on their website for future promotions.

Craig McCartney, responsible for marketing at UK2.NET, commented on the promotion: “Businesses looking for hosting are being offered similar packages by nearly everyone in the market. Our pricing helps to differentiate us from our competitors but we wanted to offer something more than just good-value hosting. We wanted to give businesses value added products which will help them to grow their online presence and increase customer engagement with their target market.”

“Through our partnership with the Marussia F1 Team and our involvement in F1 this year, we also wanted to offer our new business customers the chance to get closer to the action by giving them the opportunity to win tickets to the F1™ British GP,” Craig added.

SME’s and Start-ups need reliable and affordable solutions to help support their businesses. Hosting is one of these solutions and UK2 has done well to include these value-added products to their already attractive business offering to give these SME’s the tools they need to succeed.

Click here for more information UK2’s business hosting.

In order to become a successful affiliate marketer a strategy on how to effectively market your affiliate product is needed. The success of the program depends on how you can promote the brand to prospective clients and turn this leads into closed deals. Most programs are on a per-commission basis which means payment is made once a sale is generated through your program. There’s a potential to earn a fairly huge amount if you’re promotional strategies are working well but there’s also a chance to fail if the technique is not suited for your target market.

For those who are fairly new in the field of affiliate marketing or for individuals already engaged in this form of promotions but are looking for new advertising techniques, here are some tips on how you can land on a successful deal:

1. As an online marketer, having an e-mail list is very important. Building a list of contacts provides you with an instant audience where you can initially market the affiliate program. This is where you can put your email marketing skills to great use. Start off by sending the offers to your subscribers. If you’ve already built a good reputation about the products and services that you offer then they will definitely check out the affiliate program that you are trying to promote.
2. Make sure to do follow ups. In between email exchange, do not forget to follow up on prospective clients. Be prompt in making replies and answering their questions. The first few messages will usually includes questions about the affiliate product that you’re promoting.
3. Look at other avenues for advertising. Do not rely solely on email marketing as a way to get interested parties. Try to find other means on how more people can learn about your offer. Using PPC or Pay per Click advertisements usually provides a favorable turnout.

If you want to successfully market your affiliate program and generate sales for the company, time and a great deal of effort is needed.

About The Action Web Group

The Action Web Group offers affordable web hosting services to individuals and businesses of every budget. Aside from this, the company also offers an Affiliate Program. Visit their website and learn more about this offer.

Minecraft has been hailed for keeping things simple and fun. Initially launched in 2009 as an Alpha release for computers, the game has grown, obtaining what could be described by some as a “cult following.”

After seeing releases on top mobile platforms including Android and iOS, Minecraft officially arrived on the market’s top console device just last Wednesday: The Xbox 360. So how would it perform? Exceptionally well, according to Xbox blog MajorNelson.com. The statistics reveal that in just 24 hours, the game outperformed all other titles ever sold in the Xbox Live category of digital arcade games. By Tuesday, the same blog reported that sales had reached more than one million units sold worldwide via Xbox Live.

It’s an interesting concept: a game that starts off in the PC market, rapidly grows and draws enough interest to see its presence spread to other gaming platforms. However, it’s a model that’s been used before. More than two years after strategy game StarCraft was released on PC and Mac, developers at Blizzard Entertainment worked with Mass Media to make the popular title available for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. The result wasn’t as gleaming as Minecraft’s conversion to the Xbox 360 platform. Game control was sometimes difficult to perform and the game just lacked what StarCraft offered via its PC and MAC editions.

But Minecraft’s simple interface seems to make it suitable for a variety of gaming platforms. It also represents a model of success. Despite being launched nearly seven years ago, the Xbox 360 isn’t slowing down. Just last month, Microsoft, the developer of the popular device reported that the 360 remained the number one gaming console in the market. Minecraft’s renewed popularity via its 360 release also signals the continued power of Xbox Live, Microsoft’s multiplayer gaming platform: Major Nelson also reported on Monday that Minecraft users had already spent a total of 2.4 million hours playing the game via Xbox Live through 4 million game sessions.

Featuring video publishing and management, web content management, cloud storage, site acceleration, and Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, customers can use Orchestrate to elevate their Internet activity from just managing and publishing content to driving revenue by delivering an enhanced online end-user experience. Limelight Orchestrate is made even more powerful by Limelight’s scalable global network.

“The opportunity to employ integrated online video publishing, web content management, and CDN services was a key factor in our decision to turn to Limelight,” commented Dean Horowitz, Vice President of eMedia & Market Intelligence at Vance Publishing Corporation, a media company that produces 15 magazines, more than 50 newsletters, and over

30 websites. “Workflow is such a central component of our publishing capability, and being able to post a new story or upload a video — with everything managed from an integrated dashboard and stored in a single repository — empowers us to drive engagement, increase publishing frequency, and improve opportunities for both advertising and sponsorship.”

Recognizing that delivery and management don’t represent the lifecycle of the content publishing workflow, Limelight Orchestrate also incorporates powerful social media and reporting tools integrated directly into the SaaS-based components to help customers engage with users and optimize their online experience.

Limelight Orchestrate for Video Publishing

Limelight Orchestrate for Video Publishing is one of a family of Orchestrate Solutions designed specifically for companies that publish video content. This solution features four cloud-based services: CDN; Video Management & Publishing; Web Management & Publishing; and Intelligent Storage. Its robust analytics and reporting, and marketing automation, enables video publishers to create a compelling and exciting digital content experience around their videos without the burden of managing the required infrastructure and software.

Limelight Orchestrate for Video Publishing is modular, allowing companies to replace individual pieces of a workflow or to implement a comprehensive, cloud-based workflow solution from a single vendor. The solution’s flexibility extends into access as well, with services made available via web-based interfaces or programmatically via API.

Among the problems in video content delivery spurred by the explosive growth of mobile technology is the workflow complexity associated with making video content available on any device. New formats, devices, and bandwidth challenges presented by mobile consumption have caused critical delays in getting content to market and, in some cases, degradation of the content experience. This has also resulted in an increase of capital expenses for transcoding, storage, and specialized resources.

Limelight Orchestrate for Video Publishing takes advantage of advanced delivery technologies within the CDN component of the Orchestrate Application Platform to address some of these new complexities and challenges like delivering content across all devices. Customers employing this solution need not worry if their content is available on the latest mobile devices. Limelight Stream Anywhere, a service in the CDN component of the Orchestrate Application Platform, automatically converts video content from recognized formats (like RTMP) into today’s popular chunked formats like HDS and HLS upon request, leveraging Adobe’s powerful Adobe Media Server 4.5. The result? Customers can focus on their content, not on the complexities of delivering it to multiple devices.

“The exponential growth of mobile technologies is posing a number of challenges to digital content publishing — challenges that directly impact an organization’s ability to focus resources on core business functions,” said David Hatfield, Senior Vice President, Limelight Networks. “Limelight is uniquely positioned to help publishers save untold hours and ensure true ‘publish once, deliver anywhere’ functionality.”

The technologies that power Limelight Stream Anywhere are part of Limelight’s focus to provide customers an end-to-end, cloud-based workflow solution to build high-quality content experiences that span devices. Leveraging four core components–Dynamic Site Platform, Limelight Video Platform, Content Delivery Network, and Agile Storage–customers can work with Limelight’s Global Services to build targeted workflow solutions to tackle their critical digital content publishing challenges.

About Limelight Networks, Inc.

Limelight Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:LLNW) is a trusted provider of integrated cloud-based applications that leverage Limelight’s scalable, high-performance, global computing platform. We give organizations whose Internet, mobile, and social initiatives are absolutely critical to their success a complete solution to upload, manage, publish, monetize, accelerate, and analyze their online and mobile content. The Limelight team of experts and end-to-end offering allow customers to streamline all of the processes throughout the content lifecycle and optimize the performance of content across all channels — empowering them to quickly and cost-effectively orchestrate a successful digital presence that improves brand awareness, drives revenue, and enhances customer relationships. For more information, please visit www.limelight.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/llnw.

Copyright (C) 2012 Limelight Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. All product or service names are the property of their respective owners