Sunday, September 27, 2009

Hosting reliability and uptime

Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for at least 99.9% uptime (roughly equivalent to 45 minutes of downtime a month, or less), but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment, which may or may not be considered part of the official uptime promise.

Many providers tie uptime and accessibility into their own service level agreement (SLA). SLAs sometimes include refunds or reduced costs if performance goals are not met.

Web hosting service

A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Web hosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for servers they do not own to be located in their data center, called colocation.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

China Mobile

China Mobile Limited (Chinese: 中国移动通信, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōngguó Yídòng Tōngxìn) (SEHK: 0941, NYSE: CHL) provides mobile voice and multimedia services[2] through the nationwide mobile telecommunications network it operates in China, the largest of its kind in the world.It is a state-owned enterprise, but is listed on the NYSE and the Hong Kong stock exchange.China Mobile has the world’s largest mobile network and the world’s largest mobile subscriber base.

Bank of China

Bank of China Limited (BOC) SSE: 601988 SEHK: 3988 (simplified Chinese: 中国银行; traditional Chinese: 中國銀行; pinyin: Zhōngguó Yínháng; often abbreviated as 中銀 or 中行) is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China. From its establishment until 1942, it issued banknotes on behalf of the Government of the Republic of China along with the "Big Four" banks of the period: the Central Bank of China, Farmers Bank of China and Bank of Communications. Although it initially functioned as the Chinese central bank, in 1948 the People's Bank of China replaced it in that role. Subsequently, BOC became a purely commercial bank

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC) (simplified Chinese: 中国工商银行; traditional Chinese: 中國工商銀行; pinyin: Zhōngguó Gōngshāng Yínháng, more commonly just 工行 Gōngháng) is China's largest bank and the largest bank in the world.It is one of China's "Big Four" state-owned commercial banks (the other three being the Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank). It is the largest bank in the world in terms of market value, the world's largest bank by deposits, and the world's most profitable bank.

It was founded as a limited company on January 1, 1984. As of 2009, it had assets of RMB trillion (US$1.6 trillion), with over 18,000 outlets including 106 overseas branches and agents globally.In July 2007, with a market capitalization of US$254 billion, it became the world's most valuable bank after a surge in its share price, overtaking Citigroup.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (traditional Chinese: 香港交易所, also 港交所 (HKEX), SEHK: 0388) is the stock exchange of Hong Kong. The exchange has predominantly been the main exchange for Hong Kong where shares of listed companies are traded. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalisation, behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange. As of 31 December 2007, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange had 1,241 listed companies with a combined market capitalisation of $2.7 trillion. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing is the holding company for the exchange.

Economy of the People's Republic of China

The economy of the People's Republic of China is a rapidly developing and influential market economy in the world. China is the third largest economy in the world after the US and Japan with a nominal GDP of US$4.4 trillion (2008) when measured in exchange-rate terms. It is the second largest in the world after that of the United States with a GDP of $7.8 trillion (2008) when measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis.[5] China has been the fastest-growing major nation for the past 30 years with an average annual GDP growth rate above 10%.[6] China's per capita income has likewise grown at an average annual rate of more than 8% over the last three decades drastically reducing poverty, but this rapid growth has been accompanied by rising income inequalities.[7] The country's per capita income is classified in the lower middle category by world standards, at about $3,180 (nominal, 104th of 178 countries/economies), and $5,943 (PPP, 97th of 178 countries/economies) in 2008, according to the IMF.

1997 Asian Financial Crisis

The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997, and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion.

The crisis started in Thailand with the financial collapse of the Thai baht caused by the decision of the Thai government to float the baht, cutting its peg to the USD, after exhaustive efforts to support it in the face of a severe financial overextension that was in part real estate driven. At the time, Thailand had acquired a burden of foreign debt that made the country effectively bankrupt even before the collapse of its currency. As the crisis spread, most of Southeast Asia and Japan saw slumping currencies, devalued stock markets and other asset prices, and a precipitous rise in private debt.

Though there has been general agreement on the existence of a crisis and its consequences, what is less clear is the causes of the crisis, as well as its scope and resolution. Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand were the countries most affected by the crisis. Hong Kong, Malaysia, Laos and the Philippines were also hurt by the slump. The People's Republic of China, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam were less affected, although all suffered from a loss of demand and confidence throughout the region.

Foreign debt-to-GDP ratios rose from 100% to 167% in the four large ASEAN economies in 1993-96, then shot up beyond 180% during the worst of the crisis. In South Korea, the ratios rose from 13-21% and then as high as 40%, while the other Northern NICs (Newly Industrialized Countries) fared much better. Only in Thailand and South Korea did debt service-to-exports ratios rise.

Although most of the governments of Asia had seemingly sound fiscal policies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stepped in to initiate a $40 billion program to stabilize the currencies of South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia, economies particularly hard hit by the crisis. The efforts to stem a global economic crisis did little to stabilize the domestic situation in Indonesia, however. After 30 years in power, President Suharto was forced to step down in May 1998 in the wake of widespread rioting that followed sharp price increases caused by a drastic devaluation of the rupiah. The effects of the crisis lingered through 1998. In the Philippines growth dropped to virtually zero in 1998. Only Singapore and Taiwan proved relatively insulated from the shock, but both suffered serious hits in passing, the former more so due to its size and geographical location between Malaysia and Indonesia. By 1999, however, analysts saw signs that the economies of Asia were beginning to recover.

aisian markets

Asian markets end broadly higher Tuesday

Asian markets ended broadly higher Tuesday as positive investor sentiment spurred on bargain hunting in most markets, dealers said.

TOKYO Nikkei-225 17,292.91 -40.40
SHANGHAI Composite 1,329.80 +10.33
HONG KONG Hang Seng 16,100.09 +36.34
SEOUL Composite 1,385.64 +5.89
TAIPEI Weighted 6,665.60

+4.84

SYDNEY All Ordinaries 5,116.30 -16.80
KUALA LUMPUR KLSE 931.17 +2.94
SINGAPORE STI 2,532.59 -16.09
JAKARTA Composite 1,326.448 -2.865
BANGKOK SET 745.33 +6.66
MANILA Composite 2,194.20 +4.43

Japan
Tokyo stocks closed 0.23% lower Tuesday, as investors favoured profit taking following the market's recent gains, brokers said. The Nikkei-225 index shed 40.40 points to close at 17,292.91.

China
Chinese stocks edged up 0.78% Tuesday on continued buying support for bluechips, brokers said. The Shanghai Composite Index increased 10.33 points to close at 1,329.80.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong stocks advanced 0.23% Tuesday, with investors continuing to buy selected bluechips, brokers said. The Hang Seng Index added 36.34 points to finish at 16,100.09.

South Korea
South Korean stocks closed 0.42% higher Tuesday, as foreign investors scooped up tech shares, brokers said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 5.89 points to 1,385.64, extending its winning streak to a ninth session.

Taiwan
Share prices on the Taiwan Stock Exchange ended flat Tuesday, as profit-taking in selected blue-chips capped early gains, dealers said. The weighted index, the market's key barometer, rose 4.84 points to close at 6,665.6.

Australia
The Australian stock market closed 0.35% weaker by the end of the day as an early strong lead built up by the major miners was diminished by profit-taking. At the 1615 AEST close the benchmark S&P/ASX200 was down 18 points to 5162.5 points after reaching an intraday high of 5217.5 points. The all ordinaries had lost 16.8 points to 5116.3 points by the finish.

Malaysia
The Malaysian stock market closed 0.32% stronger Tuesday, pushed up by bargain-hunting in mining and consumer product stocks, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index rose 2.94 points to 931.17.

Singapore
Singapore stocks ended 0.63% weaker Tuesday as investors locked in profits following recent gains, dealers said. The Straits Times Index dropped 16.09 points to 2,532.59.

Indonesia
The Jakarta stock market closed 0.22% lower Tuesday as investors took profits in Telkom shares, dealers said. The composite price index lost 2.865 points to 1,326.448.

Thailand
Thai stock prices ended 0.90% stronger Tuesday amid speculation the Prime Minister might heed pressure to resign, dealers said. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index added 6.66 points at 745.33, while the bluechip SET 50 index climbed 5.93 points to 518.57.

Philippines
Philippine shares gained 0.20% Tuesday, thanks to investor bargain-hunting in blue chip Philippine Long Distance Telephone, brokers said. The composite index rose 4.43 points to end at 2,194.20.