The web provider Host Color announced that its VPS hosting services powered by Parallels Virtuozzo Containers virtualization technology, now features more RAM, and increased disc space and data transfer quotas. The VPS hosting provider has also extended its promotional campaign on VPS Start entry level virtual private server. The VPS Start features 256 MB RAM, 10 GB disc space, 100 GB data transfer, and costs $19.95/mo. Host Color also announced that it has launched a coupon - VPS2009 - that offers 1 free service month with all virtual private servers. The coupon is valid until April 30 2009.

The Host Color's entry level virtual server - VPS Start now offers 256 MB RAM, 10 GB disc space and 100 GB data transfer per month. The previous allocated RAM was 192. The monthly data transfer quota for VPS Start is doubled from 50 GB to 100 GB.

Another virtual private server - VPS Advance - now comes with an increased data transfer quota of 250 GB transfer per month. This resource increase for VPS is less than these that applied to other virtual servers. Host Color however said that it monitors the performance of VPS Advance accounts and will provide a new resource increase if necessary. VPS Advance customers are also eligible to use the coupon VPS2009, that gives then a free service month.

The company's most powerful pre-configured virtual private server - VPS Power - now features 1280 MB RAM, 50 GB disc space and 500 GB data transfer per month. Host Color increase memory for this plan from 1024 to 1280 RAM and data transfer from 350 GB to 500 GB per month.

Host Color also increased the resources for its VPS Custom virtual private server. It now offers 1792 MB RAM, 100GB disc space and 1000 GB monthly data transfer. The price of this VPS is $119.95 per month, and according to Host Color it works for most of company's customers much better than a dedicated server.

All virtual private servers of Host Color are powered by the latest version of Parallels Virtuozzo Containers. The web host offers Plesk control panel licenses to VPS customers for only $10/month. The company also offers NextColor ( http://www.hostcolor.com ) web hosting control panel. It is free for all VPS service plans. Although NextColor panel is one of the best Linux server management software on the market, the web host suggests its customers to use Plesk because it is better integrated with Virtuozzo Containers and it is easier to be managed and upgraded.

The web host said that the free period it offers to customer will be the the 6th VPS hosting service month.

Cisco Systems said that it will release news about its plans to enter the server market. Special interest on company's entrance in the server market pay Hewlett-Packard and IBM, both long term partners of Cisco.

Cisco made an announcement about its intention to start producing data storage devices this January. This is considered as a very important step for the company, which has been focused on producing networking equipment.

The Cisco's descision to enter the server market sparked a buzz in IT markets. Companies that used to buy Cisco's products for billions of dollars each year are expected to give back tough competition to Cisco in the networking equipment producer.

Many of the industry's analysts said that the Cisco might face hard times because the profit margins in server market are lower than those in company's core business.

Cisco is expected to present a server code-named "California". The company plans to integrate VMware virtualization technology software.

According to hosting industry analysts "California" is a product in the "Blade" class servers. It is thin, low-end server, whcih can be installed into racks in great numbers. "California" is powered by Intel processors.

"Cisco's goal is to radically change the way data centers are designed, built and operated", explains the industry analyst Sanjiv Wadhwani in a research paper.

He adds that Cisco will be able to charge a premium for servers that can use virtualization to configure themselves regardless of physical location. It could be a $5 billion business for Cisco in a few years, Wadhwani believes.