A Comprehensive Guide to Buying SoftLayer Services

Your Guide to buying the best SoftLayer

Overview

SoftLayer is a cloud computing provider that offers Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). This comprehensive buying guide will provide an in-depth review of the services and products offered by SoftLayer, as well as helpful tips for selecting the right solution for your business. We will discuss the various features of SoftLayer's offerings, compare them to other providers, and provide insight into how to optimize your cloud computing needs. Finally, we will provide a detailed review of the pricing and support options available with SoftLayer.

Key features

  1. Pricing and Payment Options: Evaluate the pricing structure of SoftLayer, consider the payment options available, and decide which is the most cost-effective solution for your particular situation.
  2. Platform Availability: Choose the type of server you need and check if SoftLayer’s platform availability covers your requirements.
  3. Customizable Features: Consider the customizability of SoftLayer’s services, from the OS you prefer to the hardware you need.
  4. Security Features: Assess the security features that SoftLayer offers to ensure your data is safe.
  5. Tech Support: Evaluate SoftLayer’s technical support team in terms of expertise and availability.
  6. Scalability: Analyze the scalability of SoftLayer’s services to ensure that your business can grow without having to switch to another provider.

See the most popular SoftLayer on Amazon

Important considerations

Pros

  • Scalability: SoftLayer provides elastic scalability for customers, enabling them to provision additional resources such as computing power, storage, and network bandwidth on demand. This makes it ideal for customers who need to scale up or down quickly in response to changing business needs.
  • Performance: SoftLayer offers consistently strong performance, with access to a robust network infrastructure and a variety of high-performance hardware options. This makes it ideal for customers who need to run applications that require high levels of speed and reliability.
  • Flexibility: SoftLayer allows customers to customize their hosting environments with a wide range of options, including the ability to select from multiple operating systems, programming languages, databases, and more. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses who need to tailor their hosting environment to their specific needs.
  • Security: SoftLayer offers comprehensive security measures, including DDOS protection, firewalls, encryption, and more. This makes it an excellent choice for customers who need to ensure that their data and applications are secure in the cloud.
  • Support: SoftLayer provides top-notch customer support, with 24/7 live chat and phone support, as well as a host of online resources. This makes it ideal for customers who need fast and reliable assistance with their hosting requirements.

Cons

  • Price - SoftLayer is typically more expensive than other cloud providers, and some plans require an annual or multiyear commitment.
  • Tech Support - SoftLayer offers 24/7 support, but response times can vary and are often slower than the industry average.
  • Security - SoftLayer does not offer as many security features as some other cloud providers, so customers must be prepared to take additional steps to secure their data.
  • Customization - SoftLayer's services are limited in terms of customization options, leaving customers with fewer choices when it comes to configuring their cloud environment.

Best alternatives

  1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) - Cloud-based computing, storage, and networking solutions.
  2. Microsoft Azure - Cloud-based computing, storage, and networking services.
  3. Google Cloud Platform - Global cloud infrastructure for storage, networking, and application development.
  4. Rackspace - Web hosting, cloud hosting, and managed services.
  5. IBM Cloud - Hybrid cloud platform for application development and data security.

Related tools, supplies, and accessories

  • Server - Physical or virtual server for hosting applications and websites
  • Storage - Options for storing data, including local storage, SAN storage, and object storage
  • Network - Networking solutions, including dedicated bandwidth, private networking, and public network access
  • Security - Security services to protect data and servers, including firewalls, intrusion detection, and malware protection
  • Monitoring - Automated monitoring of servers and services for real-time system performance data
  • Backup - Automated backups of data, applications, and websites for secure off-site storage
  • Support - 24/7 managed services to keep systems up-to-date and running efficiently

Common questions

  1. What are the features of SoftLayer? SoftLayer offers a range of features, including cloud-based computing, network infrastructure, storage, security, and application hosting. It also features an intuitive user interface and a wide range of customizable options.
  2. What types of pricing plans are available? SoftLayer offers flexible pricing plans, ranging from individual servers to larger enterprise-level solutions. Prices are based on the number of servers needed and the type of services required.
  3. How secure is SoftLayer? SoftLayer utilizes a variety of security measures, such as encryption and authentication, to ensure the safety of customer data. Customers have control over who has access to their server, and all data stored within the platform is protected by industry-standard security protocols.
  4. What types of support do they offer? SoftLayer provides 24/7 customer support, including an online help center, phone lines, and an email ticket system. Customers can also access a range of self-help resources and documentation for troubleshooting common issues.
  5. What payment methods are accepted? SoftLayer accepts payments via credit card, PayPal, and wire transfer.
  6. How is SoftLayer different from other cloud providers? SoftLayer's Cloud infrastructure is designed to be more flexible and customizable than other cloud providers, allowing for greater scalability and control. Additionally, customers have access to a wide range of features and services, such as load balancing, storage, and networking.

Trivia

SoftLayer has long been known for its quirky sense of humor. For example, in 2018 the company released an April Fools video featuring a parody of the popular Netflix show Stranger Things, in which their mascot “Barry the Bandwidth” was abducted by mysterious creatures from the “Upside Down Data Center”. The video drew attention to the company’s commitment to providing reliable and secure data storage. The video was viewed more than 130,000 times and shared more than 1,500 times on social media. Source: https://www.cio.com/article/3260901/softlayer-releases-stranger-things-parody-for-april-fools-day.html

Disclaimer: This buying guide was not created by humans, and it is possible that some of it's content is inaccurate or incomplete. We do not guarantee or take any liability for the accuracy of this buying guide. Additionally, the images on this page were generated by AI and may not accurately represent the product that is being discussed. We have tried to convey useful information, but it is our subjective opinion and should not be taken as complete or factual.