This is a roundup news announcement for all clients on our "Bellamy" server  covering multiple upgrades that will take place on or around 7 January 2007.

PHP 5.2.5 will be configured as the primary PHP version
As we previously announced here in February 2007 and here in August 2007, all servers will soon be running PHP5 as the main version ("Richards" are already running PHP5 as primary).

With PHP announcing the end of official support for PHP4 at the end of this year, its inevitable that all hosting providers (including us) need to upgrade. To confirm, if any clients are knowingly using scripts/applications that are not compatible with PHP5, please upgrade them soon as a matter of urgency to save any problems after the PHP5 upgrade.

Please see the links below which provide additional detail on PHP5, script migrations, etc:
http://gophp5.org/
http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration5.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration5.functions.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/migrati...compatible.php
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/...22154/fid/1150

PHP 4.4.7 configured as the SECONDARY PHP version
During the above work, PHP v4 will be put into place as a secondary install but it must be remembered that this is a temporary measure and must not be relied upon. We do not have a set date for when the secondary PHP4 will be removed but it will no longer be maintained or supported after the PHP5 install so all clients need to do whatever necessary to use PHP5 (in most cases, nothing special is needed). Contact us if you need instuctions on how to use PHP4.

Update to cPanel v11
The update to cPanel 11 brings an extensive update with upgrades in nearly every section of the control panel. Along with a ton of new features the update brings enhanced security, an improved design and enhanced usability. For more detailed information, release notes or data sheets please see the official cPanel website (Note: our "Richards" and "Liverpool" servers are already running cPanel 11).

Update to Apache 2.2
Server "Bellamy" has been using the Apache 1.3 web server and we now ready to make the upgrade to Apache 2.2. Although the update does not include many new features, it does include a new code base which is faster overall.

Frontpage EOL (end of life)
A reminder to any FrontPage users to read this critical announcement.

Microsoft Frontpage EOL (End Of Life)
This is an update to our previous announcement on the subject back in March 2007 (read that here).

In mid 2006 Microsoft announced the discontinuation of FrontPage server extensions. The official end of life was reached on June 30th of 2006. Because of these circumstances we will no longer be supporting FrontPage extensions as they are no longer maintained by Microsoft. Any client that uses FrontPage extensions will need to find an alternative method to update their website(s). Options include, but are not limited to: continue using FrontPage but upload files via an FTP program, use a web design program other then FrontPage, use a CMS system or Microsoft's new Expression Web Design software.  Microsoft FrontPage extensions will be deactivated on all AKIS servers at the end of 2007.

If anyone has experienced problems in Hotmail users not receiving emails you have sent to them - then you may well be a victim of their over zealous "SpartScan" spam filtering system.   Since it's introduction by Hotmail some time ago, this new system has caused widely reported problems for hosts, ISPs and individuls sending email to Hotmail addresses in that the email might be incorrectly flagged as Spam and never reeach the recipient!

One of the many industry new reports on this problem can be read here at The Register which notes that , "Hotmail users and email server admins, beware: you may be unknowingly caught in the crossfire of Microsoft's war on spam. Unintended casualties include legitimate emails from domains with well-established reputations, which are systematically blocked with absolutely no notice and little recourse."

How does this affect you with an AKIS hosting account? - Well so far we have not had any reports of being affected by this problem - so it looks like we're unaffected for now, but that could change at any time we're afraid - through no fault of ours - as explained in The Register article linked above.

We will update this news announcement as and when we hear any more on this.

NB: Applicable to AKIS 'Design & Host' clients only - this announcement confirms the current procedure, timescale and costs for requesting website revisions to existing websites:

Standard AKIS charges will apply for all future updates/revisions - £60.00 / 35.00 / 25.00 per new page (depending on your package: budget/standard/premium) or £23.00/hour depending on nature of work. (Hourly rate increased from 20 to 23 on 10/08/07 and page rates changed from £50.00/30.00/25.00 to £60.00/35.00/25.00 on 09/12/07).

NB:  Where revisions to an existing website are so extensive that the site pages effectively require to be rebuilt from scratch, then this shall be considered a new project for cost purposes and shall be charged at new website rates as advertised on our website - but subject to two discounts - 1) the cost of web hosting (£90.00 or £120.00) will be deducted/discounted and 2) a further 25% discount will be deducted.

Requests for website revisions/additions should be made to us via email.

Timescales: minor works will usually be able to be carried out within 3 days of request, but where revisions/updates are major or our workload is heavy, it may take longer  (3 days is not guaranteed) - we will confirm the timescale for carrying any request submitted.   Extensive website re-designs will take considerably longer - timescales provided upon request. 

[ This is an update to this previous news announcement on 09/03/06 ]

In the next 24 hours we will be updating our AKIS Web Hosting sales site to display our revised hosting packages which all have vastly increased resources (disk space/data transfer/etc) at no extra cost, a new 99.9% uptime guarantee and a increased money back period (from 14 - 30 days).  Existing hosting clients not be automatically be transferred to the new packages and resouces - please contact us to arrange this transfer and note that a server change may be required (no cost) if you wish to do so.  CLICK HEADING FOR FULL DETAILS