How to be fast and free
By Brett Mendel
Network
World, 02/18/02
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Back to Faster e-comm on the cheap
Sometimes the best Web site enhancements are those that can be had for free - or nearly so.
One common method is to migrate Web servers from Microsoft Windows NT to Linux. The open source operating system is typically viewed as more powerful, efficient and secure than NT.
At online retailer Bargain America, Linux-based servers handle twice as much traffic and reduced the number of attempted hacks and virus problems by a factor of six compared with NT, reports Randy Reisinger, COO of the San Jose company. Bargain America switched its five Web servers from NT to Linux.
Others note the trend toward consolidating data centers and aggregating technologies onto common platforms. The goal is to share resources rather than deploying more.
"There's an opportunity here because many enterprises
are dealing with overcapacity rather than undercapacity,"
says Peter Christy, co-founder of NetsEdge Research Group.
Another tack is to focus on improving site usability. A recent Jupiter Media Metrix survey found that people would use an e-commerce site more frequently with the presence of more detailed product information. Whether that means adding content or honing existing pages, managers of e-commerce sites clearly must have a strong understanding of their customers' needs. This may entail better design, improved data mining or more effective site analysis.
"You can go a long way by just determining what customers are asking for and servicing that easily and quickly," says Paul Hagen, an analyst at Forrester Research.
Mendel is a freelance writer in San Francisco. He can be reached at brett@mendel.net.
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