XCalibre challenges Amazon
XCalibre, the Livingston-based web-hosting firm, is to take on Amazon for a slice of the world's £4bn hosting market with a new pay-as-you-go server programme.
The software has already been snapped up by Celtic Football Club and is being trialled by Cornell University in New York.
XCalibre chief executive Tony Lucas says the software, Flexiscale, will for the first time make it possible for websites to buy and use hosting products as and when they are needed.
He said: "This is one of only two software programs in the world that can offer clients a flexible web-hosting platform. The other is owned by Amazon, but we have already found a number of clients who prefer our model.
"Imagine a site for a popular rock festival that gets a steady stream of hits a year but then hits a peak in the days leading up to the event. At the moment that website will have to pay a premium for a server large enough to cope with an enormous spike. Our product will allow them to buy hosting capability when and to what capacity they need."
Lucas, who started XCalibre nearly 10 years ago while still at college, said the plan was to roll out the package across Europe.
"At the moment only the banks have the capability Flexiscale can offer. We have tried it and it can cope with rapid bursts and drops effectively."
The news comes on the back of a resurgence in virtual technology stocks. This month, VMware saw its shares rise 76% on their first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, despite the downturn in the markets. This came on the back of Citrix Systems agreeing to buy web-hosting firm XenSource for £250m.
Among XCalibre's clients are Fremantle Media - the TV production company behind Pop Idol and Neighbours - the Royal Geographic Society, the Cabinet Office and a raft of NHS trusts.
© 2007 XCalibre communications ltdTerms & ConditionsPrivacy PolicySite MapDesigned by Moriarti