Rackspace wins IT-EM contract to host event management Web sites

International managed hosting services provider, Rackspace Managed Hosting, has been contracted by event management software specialist IT-EM of Johannesburg to host its many Web sites dedicated to the online administration and management of major events.

IT-EM managing director Stephan Potgieter said the company, which has developed and maintained event management Web sites for major conferences, summits, exhibitions and similar events for corporate and public sector clients, had decided to look at overseas hosting options because of the high cost and service and bandwidth limitations of hosting locally.

"With the local hosting service, if anything went wrong with our server, we would have to travel to the hosting company and fix it ourselves. With the Rackspace solution they provide the server, maintain it and repair it when necessary. We also get a 100% open line and up to 100 Gigabytes of traffic a month for less than half of what we were paying a local service provider."

The SmoothWeb software solution developed by IT-EM is highly scalable and flexible, being made up of a number of online modules covering bookings and registrations, management, accounting, invoicing, collaboration, accommodation, credit card payments right down to detail such as exhibitor placements, dinner placements and newsflashes.

"Delegates and exhibitors can go to the Web sites and register, book exhibition space, accommodation, make reservations for special sessions or functions and dinners, co-ordinate diaries and so on, all online with the minimum of effort. It makes life much easier for the event co-ordinators by streamlining the entire management process," said Potgieter.

"The availability of these event sites is critical for the event management companies and the event hosting company or organisation. The Microsoft Tech-Ed conference at Sun City, for example, is managed almost in its entirety through the Web site. We can`t afford the Web site being down and our experience with Rackspace has been that they do what they have to do quickly and reliably, fulfilling requests from us within the hour even if it is late at night."

As IT-EM is a preferred vendor with many large IT and other commercial and public sector organisations, events management companies frequently make use of its technologies.

"Our approach centres on providing applications solutions that are 100% customised for the particular event. This is another reason why high availability and dedicated support in the hosting aspect is so important to us.

"It is all about making life easier for guests and delegates as well as the organisers and to ensure a successful, well-run event," Potgieter added.

IT-EM`s hosting service is located at the Rackspace Managed Hosting operation in the UK. The number of IT-EM event management sites being hosted varies. There are presently 19 sites live but there are frequently more in operation, especially when the "conference season" hots up.

Events that have used the IT-EM SmoothWeb online administration system include the SA Tourism Indabas, Microsoft Tech-Ed, Partner Summits and Government Leaders Forum, MediaTech Africa and the Virgin Atlantic Virgin Experience.

Rackspace spokesman for the South African market, Geoff Dowell, said the events promotion and management industry had been quick to adopt technology to improve their marketing, administration and product offering.

"Events such as conferences and exhibitions are an important business tool for industries across the board and once again we see South African entrepreneurs like IT-EM showing the way in the development of industry-leading technology."