With more than 700,000 users of the popular heat-efficient Aga and Rayburn cast-iron range cookers in the UK alone, the manufacturer. Aga Foodservice Group, wanted to design a Website. The Website would serve as a lifestyle portal to meet the interests and needs of devoted household fans, while also broadening its reach to new customers.

Aga Foodservice decided to approach and review a number of hosting and Web design companies that could manage this project on an outsourced basis. Executives began searching for technology vendors that could guarantee a high-level of service, reliability and scalability, as well as enhanced security and easy management.

The decision to proceed with Globix for the Agalinks project was based on many factors, foremost the Globix market position as a top-tier hosting provider with its own Internet backbone network. In addition, Globix was able to provide 24×7 engineering support, and mirrored operations with built-in redundancy and multiple connections to the national grid and the Internet. The 180,000 square-foot Globix House data centre in London was also a key factor, as it offered reliability, the capacity to grow and exceptional security.

Globix provided a full-service solution including complex hosting, network services, firewall, load balancing, project management, and design and testing of the architecture – all supported by round-the-clock security and monitoring. Working with Smart421, a leading provider of e-business solutions, and Precedent Communications, a leading design firm, Globix was able to offer a complete solution to meet Agalinks’ needs.

The Agalinks.com site went live in February 2001 and stayed within budget. Since its launch, the site has been updated regularly with new channels, sub channels, new functionality and lifestyle content based on user feedback. The site has also been recognized in many top Website charts and has won several awards for its format, content, and site availability.

“Globix provided a premier service that launched on time,” said Richard Scarre, Agalinks Operations Director. “The major benefits of outsourcing our Website technology to Globix have been service and cost. We have received much greater return on our investment, from both cost and time perspectives, by outsourcing the project, as opposed to hosting it in-house. With some 50,000 registered users and a million page impressions per month, the business benefits have been significant.”