CERFnet fattens up on farm

Internet service provider CERFnet, claiming to have the most advanced Web server farm in the world, has announced new Web hosting services designed for large, high-traffic sites.

CERFnet's server farms--currently located in San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Frankfurt, Germany--are connected directly to its dual T3 backbone. A New York City Web hosting center is due by year's end.

CERFnet offers multiple levels of Web hosting services, all connecting directly to its high-speed backbone. A small business program, including Internet access service and a free Web home page on a shared server, starts at $250 a month, with costs capped at $5,000. Rates for hosting a dedicated server are negotiated depending on size, traffic, and bandwidth but begin at $6,000 a month.

The company said it also offers secure commerce as well as RealAudio and video server services to develop intranets or online video and chat events.

CERFnet has formed support programs with leading providers in Europe and Asia, with cohosting available in Germany and Japan. Among the sites CERFnet hosts are CMP's TechWeb and NetGuide, Apple Computer, and 20th Century Fox.