Engineering

Design

To create X5, Xsorbit formed a strategic partnership with Simple Machines; Simple Machines is a recognized leader in software development and through our partnership, they provide Xsorbit exceptional technology, with the scalability we require to provide reliable service to our customers.

User Friendly

X5 is a simple and high quality online message board solution that is easy to use and navigate so your visitors get what they want easily and quickly without getting lost. The pages download fast and is easily accessible in all browsers, monitors and platforms. X5 is validated for interoperability and tested for usability on a consistent basis.

We are experts in site design and usability and our design considers the needs and abilities of visitors to access a site. We have been using the Internet since the days of Lynx and have studied thousands of Internet users. We have some very good idea of what works and what fails to work.

X5 - built with your visitors in mind

  • Site accessible in all browsers and monitors - few users know how to change monitor settings and even fewer upgrade their browsers. We always design for 2-year old technology so you can be sure your site is accessible easily to all users irrespective of their browser, monitor and operating system and irrespective of new settings at users' computer over which you have no control.

  • Usability focus - usability is all about making things easier for a site visitor. Our design considers the needs and abilities of visitors to access your message board. The design is simple yet highly effective with extremely user-friendly interface and navigation features. Visitors get the information they need - simply, quickly and effectively.

  • Fast downloads - because we know visitors are busy, have other things to do and will not wait indefinitely for a site to download. A visitor is investing time on your message board and a slow downloading site with unnecessary images and effects waits their time. After all, your competition is only a click away.

  • Optimized for information - visitors want information from a site and they want it fast. They seldom read an entire page but "scan" only the first paragraph and skip the rest. Also, chances are the visitor has opened several windows and your message board is one of them. Our design reflects this behavior so your "key" information is always delivered first.

  • Optimized for search engines - adherence to generally accepted principles of good design automatically result in a site being optimized for search engine listings. Though we do not offer search engine registrations as a service, the design accounts for all the coding required for a search engine to index / list your message board.
Strong Infrastructure

Xsorbit currently operates in a state of the art data centers, offering complete redundancy in power, HVAC, fire suppression, network connectivity, and security.

Our web farm facilities include:

  • Uninterruptible Power Supply
  • Massive 1 Gbps Internet connection capacity
  • Redundant connections to the Internet
  • Climate control
  • Low network latency SLA guarantees
  • Simplex security badge entry/exit on all doors to facility
  • TXU fault tolerant electrical grid
  • 1.5-megawatt generator
  • Cisco Certified Network
As our user base grows, we can easily increase our bandwidth. Whether your visitors are across the country or around the world, we offer fast page access and reliability.

Maintenance

One off the core advantages with X5 is that it is managed and maintained by our highly qualified MIS department. This allows you to focus on what you do best while we handle your message board environment and hardware maintenance. X5 is not just about saving you time and money and making communication seamless; it's also about adding value which frees you up to meet other strategic objectives and/or obligation.

The Benefits

By allowing Xsorbit to mange and support the message board software and hardware our clients realize such benefits as reduced costs, improved employee morale, and decreased dependency on specific individuals without compromising quality or function. Xsorbit also allows our clients to focus on their core competencies that differentiate them from their competitors. Xsorbit manages non-essential, routine operations, freeing up our clients' resources.

Maximizing Uptime

X5 is designed to be fault tolerant, making our service highly available. Each component in the system has a backup. X5 is also designed to cope with the expected and unexpected surges in your site's traffic. We monitor our server loads and then add more processing power before your web site needs it (not after your users have left you).

The key technologies supporting X5 scalability and fault tolerant architecture are:

  • Load balancing
  • Fail over services
  • RAID storage devices
  • Frequent backups
Stringent Security

Xsorbit takes security seriously. We have taken extreme precautions to minimize the risk of hackers getting access to your member details or manipulating your content. We use a firewall to secure access to the X5 application and your site's data. Non-HTTP access is restricted to X5 staff using 1024-bit DSA security. We also perform routine security audits of our network to check for any known and unknown vulnerabilities.

IPS

We use an intrusion prevention system that accurately identifies and blocks known and unknown malicious attacks to the network before they can impact our network. This system enables us to prevent malicious attacks and circumventing damage to the network even under the most demanding circumstances.

IDS

In conjunction with our IPS we use an intrusion detection system that monitors our network with a high level of accuracy. Xsorbit IDS system is a network based intrusion detection system that monitors and analyzes network traffic and alerts when suspicious activity is detected. This system runs at 45 Mbps and utilizes a rules based decision engine that can be configured to detect both, signature-based events for known exploits and anomalous behavior for yet unknown threats.

Operating Systems

Xsorbit enforces tight operating system-level security by password protecting all operating system accounts and production databases. Xsorbit also enforces tight operating system-level security by using a minimal number of access points to all production servers.

Data Ownership

All data entered into the X5 application by a client is owned by that client. Xsorbit employees do not have direct access to the Xsorbit production equipment, except where necessary for system management, maintenance, monitoring, and backups.

Consequences For Violating Or Attempting To Violate Network Security

Members and/or non members are prohibited from violating or attempting to violate the security of the Xsorbit Network. Violations of system or network security may result in civil or criminal liability. Xsorbit will investigate occurrences, which may involve such violations and may involve, and cooperate with, law enforcement authorities in prosecuting Users who are involved in such violations. These violations include, without limitation:

i. Accessing data not intended for such User or logging into a server or account, which such User is not authorized to access.

ii. Attempting to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without proper authorization.

iii. Attempting to interfere with service to any user, host or network, including, without limitation, via means of overloading, "flooding", "mail bombing" or "crashing".

iv. Forging any TCP/IP packet header or any part of the header information in any e-mail or newsgroup posting.

v. Taking any action in order to obtain services to which such User is not entitled.

Clustered Web Servers

X5 uses the world's most popular web server. We distribute all HTTP requests across our web servers using sophisticated load-balancing software. The load balancing ensures your users experience web pages that load quickly. As your community grows, we add more web servers to meet and exceed the demand. The same software detects and removes any non-responsive machines from the cluster. HTTP requests 'fail over' to the next available web server. Your users see fewer server errors, as non-responsive servers are automatically removed from the web server cluster.

Application Power

Application servers generate the bulk of all pages displayed to your customers. These servers are the heart of X5 . Our serving capability can grow with our users. The web servers distribute requests for dynamic content across the application servers. As usage increases, we add more servers.

The web servers automatically remove non-responsive servers from the cluster. Your users continue to experience uninterrupted service, even as their application server is taken over by another.

We have implemented page caching technology that allow us to cache as much as 80% of your web site's traffic. Pages served from the cache load even faster than other pages on your site.

  • Database connection pooling
  • Sophisticated search engines
  • Style sheet caching
  • Efficient database usages to ensure all queries are tuned for optimal performance
These features combine to improve your users experience. X5 features are rich, the pages are attractive and everything displays quickly.

RAID Storage

Your content is stored on RAID arrays built from some of the fastest and most reliable drives available. The RAID levels are chosen to ensure your content is not lost should any of the disk drives fail.

Architecture

  • Reliability: PHP and MYSQL means rock-solid stability.
  • Multiple Redundancy: All servers and databases are backed up for greater dependability.
  • Page Caching: Frequently-read pages are cached for faster performance.
  • Server Cluster: Built for speed and flexibility.
  • Site Management: Unparalleled administrative features.
  • Total Customization: Browser-based and leading-edge style sheets.
  • Rich Content Management: Include images, text, HTML and even multimedia.
Frequent Backups

We perform hot backups of the database each night. This enables us to quickly restore your content in the event of a disaster. Because the backup is 'hot', your users still have full access to your community.

Excellence is in the Details We use premium hardware from vendors including Dell, CISCO, IBM and Linux. We monitor our systems 24x7. We have a rigorous QA program to ensure Xsorbit software releases are of the highest quality. We operate a continuous beta program, in which a select group of client has opted to run with our latest set of features and provide constant feedback to our development team.




:: Customer Service Xsorbit increases customer services staff by 80% to support X5 Business and Enterprise Platforms. Support is now available 24/7.

:: Server upgrades
Xsorbit moves to a new facility which guarantees our customers increased reliability, security and 99.9% uptime.

:: 3 Million Users
Xsorbit passes the 3 million member mark and has also added several fortune 500 companies to it's portfolio.
PH: 702-987-5188
FX: 702-926-9733
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