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Cloudways Autonomous Review: What It Offers & Is It Worth It?

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Cloudways Autonomous

Nowadays, businesses work hard to create an online presence by pouring tens of thousands of dollars into advertising, SEO, email marketing, content creation, and social media.

However, their efforts can hit a snag if their web hosting struggles to keep up, especially during peak periods like the holiday season. This can result in potential revenue loss and unhappy customers.

While many hosting providers claim to offer fully managed solutions, true autonomy in scaling is often missing. So, can a hosting service be truly managed if it doesn’t scale autonomously?

Well, today, we’ll review Cloudways Autonomous, a fully managed web hosting solution that autoscales with your traffic surges in a hands-off manner, allowing businesses to focus solely on their operations.

We’ll look at how it works, its features, pricing, performance comparison with other scalable solutions, and areas of improvement to help you decide if it’s worth investing in. 

What Is Cloudways Autonomous?

Well, we first heard about it on April 13th, 2023, when the beta version of Cloudways Autonomous was announced. It officially launched in January 2024, catching our attention recently.

Cloudways Autonomous is a fully managed WordPress hosting solution that auto-scales server resources based on your website’s traffic, ensuring peak performance without requiring manual intervention.

On paper, it’s built on Kubernetes (GKE) with GCP’s C2 machines and integrated enterprise CDN and database caching. This means it’s designed to offer built-in autoscaling, security, and optimized performance.

Despite having a starting price of $35 per month, Cloudways Autonomous includes premium features on every plan, such as Cloudflare’s enterprise-level edge cache and CDN, along with the Redis Object Cache Pro plugin, which enhances database performance at no extra cost.

So, now that you have an overview of what Cloudways Autonomous is all about, let’s see how it works.

How Cloudways Autonomous Works?

Cloudways Autonomous operates by utilizing Kubernetes, where your website is hosted across multiple Pods, each functioning like an individual server. These Pods can dynamically scale horizontally to accommodate fluctuations in traffic. 

Whenever there’s a surge in visitors, and your CPU and RAM usage hits a certain level, more Pods are automatically added to handle the load. This scaling process occurs rapidly, typically within seconds, and because it’s horizontal, there’s no downtime during the scaling process. 

To efficiently distribute incoming traffic across these Pods, load balancers are seamlessly integrated, ensuring your website remains responsive and accessible even during peak times. 

Additionally, Cloudflare Enterprise with Full Page Caching is automatically enabled to optimize performance and bolster security within the Cloudways environment. We really find this impressive, considering that Cloudflare Enterprise, a standalone product, can come with a hefty price tag. For example, the Business plan, a tier below Enterprise, costs $250/month.

Object Cache Pro, which costs $95/month separately, is also activated by default for free for every website, further enhancing speed and reliability.

What Features Does Cloudways Autonomous Offer?

Cloudways Autonomous offers many features for a starting price of just $35 per month. However, these features aren’t just bundled gimmicks, which we believe most appeals to SMBs.

With that said, let’s discuss some of Cloudways Autonomous’ core offerings.

Autoscaling and High Availability

Cloudways Autonomous offers Kubernetes-based autoscaling and load balancing. Kubernetes streamlines essential tasks like deploying and scaling applications to adapt to changing demands seamlessly. 

For instance, consider a popular clothing store experiencing a sudden spike in traffic during a sale. Kubernetes promptly adjusts resources to handle the increased traffic, ensuring uninterrupted access for users without compromising performance.

Unlimited PHP Workers

Cloudways Autonomous claims to offer unlimited PHP workers, which is great for dynamic and high-traffic WordPress sites. This feature enables simultaneous request processing, reducing wait times and boosting site performance, particularly during traffic surges.

Limited PHP workers can cause bottlenecks during peak periods, but Cloudways Autonomous ensures consistent site speed and responsiveness.

Integrated CDN, Edge Caching, and Security

Another remarkable feature we discovered about Cloudways Autonomous is its seamless integration with Cloudflare Enterprise. This integration allows for efficient content delivery and robust security, including unmetered DDoS mitigation across layers 3, 4, and 7, as well as an Enterprise-grade Web Application Firewall (WAF).

With Cloudways Autonomous, your WordPress site not only loads faster for visitors worldwide but also receives top-tier protection against DDoS attacks and other online threats.

Modern User Interface

The UI of Cloudways Autonomous looks sleek, something we can all appreciate. It is also intuitive. On the main dashboard of Autonomous, you’ll find four essential tabs housing all the core functionalities that simplify the creation, monitoring, and management of WordPress applications.

In the Overview tab, Cloudways offers options like adding your domain and creating staging sites. It also displays key metrics such as visits, disk space usage, and bandwidth consumption, resetting each billing cycle.

The settings tabs provide various configuration options. The Performance tab details optimization measures like Object Cache Pro, Full Page Caching, and CDN by Cloudflare

The Workflow/Tools section includes settings for Backup, Restore, PHP, and Stage Management. Lastly, the Intelligence tab offers options for Logs, Traffic Analysis, and Cache Analysis.

24/7 Support

If we talk about support, Cloudways’ expert team is available 24/7 and ready to assist you via live chat and tickets.

Their live chat wait time is usually no more than a few minutes, at least in our case, which is quite impressive. 

Initially, you’ll interact with a chatbot that solves most problems. However, we engaged with a human representative to assess the knowledge of their support team.

During our interactions with the Cloudways team, we found their support to be very good. They addressed our issues professionally, often providing solutions with highlighted screenshots, allowing us to solve problems on our own quite easily.

Backup and Restore

Backups are crucial for any website. Whether you run a blog, an e-commerce store, or a business website, having backups ensures you can recover from accidental file deletions, development mishaps, or revert to a previous version. 

In Cloudways Autonomous, the automatic backup feature saves copies of your application files and database regularly. Additionally, it offers the option to create on-demand backups.

This is a major plus of Autonomous.

Staging Environment

Another impressive feature of Cloudways Autonomous is its ability to create a staging environment with a 1-click push and pull option. This means that any changes made in the staging environment can be easily moved to the production site with just one click, and vice versa—changes from production can be pulled into staging effortlessly.

Autonomous allows users to create staging applications in line with their app quota based on their chosen plan. For instance, if a plan permits 3 WordPress sites, users can also launch 3 staging applications.

Object Cache Pro

Object Cache Pro effectively reduces page load times and overall server load by employing various compression algorithms, resulting in decreased memory usage and network I/O. This is particularly beneficial for WordPress sites seeking to enhance their performance. 

However, it is an expensive plugin, priced at $95 per month or $950 annually. Cloudways Autonomous includes this for free on every plan, which is quite impressive.

Cloudways Autonomous Pricing Options

Cloudways Autonomous offers transparent and competitive pricing, ensuring users have clarity and ease in understanding their expenses. There are no hidden fees or convoluted billing structures, making it straightforward to comprehend the costs involved.

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing tiers:

Plan 1:

  • $35/month
  • 1 WordPress application
  • 15GB Disk Space
  • Up to 30K Unique Visits
  • 100GB Bandwidth

Plan 2:

  • $90/month
  • 3 WordPress applications
  • 25GB Disk Space
  • Up to 70K Unique Visits
  • 200GB Bandwidth

Plan 3:

  • $145/month
  • 6 WordPress applications
  • 40GB Disk Space
  • Up to 125K Unique Visits
  • 300GB Bandwidth

Plan 4:

  • $240/month
  • 10 WordPress applications
  • 60GB Disk Space
  • Up to 200K Unique Visits
  • 400GB Bandwidth

Plan 5:

  • $555/month
  • 30 WordPress applications
  • 90GB Disk Space
  • Up to 500K Unique Visits
  • 900GB Bandwidth

Plan 6:

  • $955/month
  • 50 WordPress applications
  • 120GB Disk Space
  • Up to 1000K Unique Visits
  • 1200GB Bandwidth

Plan 7:

  • $1640/month
  • 90 WordPress applications
  • 200GB Disk Space
  • Up to 1500K Unique Visits
  • 3000GB Bandwidth

Overall, we think whether you’re just starting out or managing a high-traffic enterprise website, there’s a plan designed to accommodate your requirements without breaking the bank.

Cloudways Autonomous Vs. Cloudways Flexible

Cloudways, in general, is an amazing option for folks seeking a reliable managed hosting provider. But, since they offer both Autonomous and Flexible as sorta two different products with different pricing plans and features, choosing one over the other can be tricky.

As we already mentioned, Cloudways Autonomous, specifically for WordPress only, stands out for its hands-off hosting experience, catering to high-traffic websites. The key advantage lies in its true auto-scaling feature, which is not commonly offered by many managed hosting providers, thus providing a significant edge in the market.

Cloudways Flexible, on the other hand, provides managed cloud hosting with a focus on giving users more control over server customizations and choices between 5+ app types and 5 top Cloud providers.

It is important to note that both Cloudways Autonomous and Cloudways Flexible operate on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, allowing users to efficiently manage their hosting costs based on their specific needs and usage.

Ultimately, the decision boils down to your specific requirements and preferences. If you prioritize a hands-off experience with minimal involvement in server management, Autonomous might be the better fit. However, if you prefer more control over server configurations and don’t mind a bit of tinkering, Flexible could be the way to go.

Here’s a comparison table to help you better understand the difference between the two:

AspectCloudways AutonomousCloudways Flexible
Core ValueHands-off & auto-scalable WordPress hosting on a highly available infrastructure.Managed Cloud hosting with more control over server customization choices between apps & cloud providers.
Cloud and Server SelectionHosted on robust GCP using GKE, it offers a choice between three leading cloud providers: GCP, AWS, and DO.Users don’t need to worry about selecting server specifications as the platform intelligently scales resources to meet demand.
Pricing ModelPay-as-you-go pricing based on Cloud provider, processor, RAM, bandwidth & storage.Pay-as-you-go pricing based on Cloud provider, processor, RAM, bandwidth & storage.
ScalabilityAutomatic vertical & horizontal scaling of resources based on traffic needs.On-demand vertical scaling with one-click scalability for expanding needs.
Target UserHigh-traffic eCommerce businesses, digital marketing agencies, influencers, and web publishers.Digital marketing agencies, developers, SMBs.
PerformanceHigh availability with GCP infrastructure & GKE-powered hands-off true auto-scaling.It offers a choice between AWS, GCP, or DO’s standard or high-performance machines with an optimized stack.
AppsWordPress & WooCommerce. All PHP-based apps with 1-click launch for WordPress, Magento, and Laravel.All PHP-based apps with 1-click launch for WordPress, Magento, and Laravel.
ManagementZero management is required, even for auto-scaling.Managed, providing users some control over server & app management.

Customer Reviews of Cloudways Autonomous

Cloudways has been a managed hosting provider in the industry since 2012 and has great reviews. On G2, they have a 4.7 out of 5.0 stars rating. And on Trustpilot, they have a trust score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

To further gauge users’ opinions about Cloudways Autonomous specifically, I looked at Reddit. Here are two positive reviews.

Denisgomesfranco said:

Denisgomesfranco shared their experience with Cloudways Autonomous, highlighting its potential for Kubernetes newcomers and its impressive performance benchmarks. They also noted a concern about bandwidth limitations in the plans, suggesting the need for additional measures like a CDN.

Chuckdacuck said:

Chuckdacuck described their recent migration to Cloudways Autonomous, mentioning smooth migration processes and improved performance compared to other platforms. They also appreciated features like staging and backups, expressing satisfaction with their decision to switch.

Verdict: Should You Choose Cloudways Autonomous for Managed WordPress & Autoscaling in 2024?

Our verdict: If you prioritize affordability, scalability, and ease of use in your hosting solution, Cloudways Autonomous is definitely worth exploring for your managed WordPress and auto-scaling needs in 2024.

With its transparent pricing model and starting price of $35 per month, Cloudways Autonomous offers affordability and flexibility accessible to businesses of all sizes, regardless of their technical expertise.

What truly sets Cloudways Autonomous apart is its seamless setup process, hands-off experience, autoscaling to handle traffic spikes, and the added security provided by Cloudflare Enterprise.

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Technology

How to Optimize Your Motherboard Settings for Maximum Performance

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Optimizing your motherboard settings is essential for unlocking your system’s full potential, whether you’re a gamer, content creator, or someone looking to enhance performance for professional tasks. These adjustments can lead to smoother operation and better performance, making it a valuable skill for anyone involved in computer repair or seeking to maximize their PC’s capabilities. Here’s how to optimize your motherboard settings effectively.

1. Update Your BIOS

Importance

Keeping your BIOS up to date is one of the first steps in optimizing your motherboard. Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs, improve stability, and enhance performance.

Steps

  • Visit the manufacturer’s website (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, etc.) and locate the support section for your motherboard model.
  • Download the latest BIOS version.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for updating the BIOS, ensuring you don’t interrupt the process to avoid potential issues.

Impact: An updated BIOS can lead to improved system stability and compatibility with new hardware, making it crucial for effective computer repair.

2. Adjust Memory Settings

Importance

Tweaking memory settings can significantly impact performance, especially for applications that demand high-speed processing.

Steps

  • Enter the BIOS setup by pressing the appropriate key during boot (usually Delete or F2).
  • Navigate to the memory settings, where you can adjust the frequency, timings, and voltage.
  • Enable XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) if supported, as it automatically configures memory settings for optimal performance.

Impact: Proper memory optimization can lead to faster load times and improved multitasking, which is especially beneficial in a computer repair environment.

3. Overclock the CPU

Importance

Overclocking the CPU can provide a noticeable performance boost, particularly for gaming and demanding applications.

Steps

  • Access the BIOS settings and look for the CPU multiplier or overclocking settings.
  • Increase the CPU multiplier gradually, testing stability after each adjustment.
  • Monitor temperatures closely to prevent overheating, using a good cooling solution.

Impact: While overclocking can enhance performance, it requires careful management to avoid potential damage, making this skill useful for computer repair professionals.

4. Optimize Power Settings

Importance

Adjusting power settings can help maintain optimal performance while reducing energy consumption.

Steps

  • Within the BIOS, locate the power management settings.
  • Switch to a performance-oriented profile (often labeled as “High Performance”).
  • Disable any power-saving features that could throttle performance during intensive tasks.

Impact: Optimized power settings ensure your system runs at its best, which is vital for high-demand scenarios, especially in a computer repair service.

5. Configure Fan Profiles

Importance

Proper cooling is essential for maintaining performance and preventing overheating, particularly during extended use.

Steps

  • Access the BIOS and navigate to fan control settings.
  • Adjust the fan curves to ramp up speeds at lower temperatures.
  • Consider using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) fans for better control.

Impact: Effective cooling management can prolong the lifespan of components, making it a critical aspect of computer repair.

6. Set Up RAID Configuration (If Applicable)

Importance

If you have multiple drives, setting up RAID can enhance performance or provide redundancy.

Steps

  • In the BIOS, find the storage configuration options.
  • Select RAID mode and follow the prompts to set up your desired RAID level (0 for speed, 1 for redundancy).
  • Ensure all drives are configured correctly to avoid data loss.

Impact: A RAID setup can significantly improve data access speeds, which is advantageous for users in computer repair who handle large files regularly.

7. Disable Unused Features

Importance

Disabling unused onboard features can free up system resources, leading to better performance.

Steps

  • In the BIOS, identify and disable features you do not use, such as unused SATA ports, onboard audio, or integrated graphics (if using a dedicated GPU).
  • Save changes and exit the BIOS.

Impact: This can help streamline system performance, providing a smoother experience for users and during computer repair tasks.

Conclusion

Optimizing your motherboard settings can significantly enhance your PC’s performance, whether you’re gaming, creating content, or running professional applications. For those in the computer repair field, understanding how to make these adjustments can lead to improved service offerings and customer satisfaction. By keeping your BIOS updated, fine-tuning memory and CPU settings, and managing power and cooling effectively, you can unlock your system’s full potential.

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How to Measure the Success of Your IT Support Services: Key Metrics to Track

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Measuring the success of your IT support services is crucial to ensure that your business runs efficiently, minimizes downtime, and maintains high levels of customer satisfaction. Tracking key metrics allows you to assess the effectiveness of your IT support, identify areas for improvement, and ensure you’re getting the most value from your investment. Here are the key metrics you should track:

1. First Response Time (FRT)

Definition: The time it takes for the IT support team to acknowledge a ticket or service request after it’s been submitted.

Why It Matters: A quick initial response shows that the support team is attentive and prioritizing issues as they arise. Long first response times may lead to customer frustration.

How to Improve: Ensure that an automated system is in place to acknowledge tickets, and allocate resources during peak times to maintain fast responses.

2. Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)

Definition: The average time it takes to resolve an issue, from the moment a ticket is opened to when it is fully resolved.

Why It Matters: MTTR reflects how efficiently the IT support team can resolve issues. A lower MTTR indicates faster issue resolution, minimizing business disruptions.

How to Improve: Focus on automating repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows, and training staff on faster diagnostic and troubleshooting methods.

3. First Contact Resolution (FCR) Rate

Definition: The percentage of issues resolved on the first interaction with the IT support team without the need for escalation or follow-up.

Why It Matters: A high FCR rate shows that support agents are well-trained and able to solve problems efficiently, reducing the number of back-and-forth interactions.

How to Improve: Provide continuous training to IT staff, implement knowledge bases for common issues, and empower frontline support agents to solve a wide range of problems.

4. Ticket Volume

Definition: The total number of support tickets submitted over a given period.

Why It Matters: A rising ticket volume could indicate underlying system issues or recurring problems that need to be addressed. It can also help identify patterns in IT usage and where improvements can be made.

How to Improve: Conduct root cause analysis on frequent issues and take steps to prevent them. Regular maintenance and proactive support can reduce ticket volume over time.

5. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Score

Definition: A measure of customer satisfaction based on direct feedback from users after an issue is resolved.

Why It Matters: High CSAT scores indicate that your employees or customers are happy with the quality of IT support. Low scores may highlight inefficiencies or problems in communication, support speed, or resolution quality.

How to Improve: Regularly survey users after a ticket is closed, use feedback to identify pain points, and provide targeted training or process changes.

6. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Definition: A metric that measures how likely users are to recommend your IT support services to others. It’s calculated based on responses to the question, “How likely are you to recommend our services?”

Why It Matters: NPS can give you a broader sense of user satisfaction and loyalty. A higher NPS suggests users are happy with the service and are likely to remain loyal.

How to Improve: Use NPS feedback to make changes that increase user satisfaction, like improving communication or resolving issues faster.

7. Ticket Escalation Rate

Definition: The percentage of tickets that are escalated to a higher-level IT support team or specialist.

Why It Matters: A high escalation rate may indicate that front-line IT support is unable to resolve issues effectively or lacks the necessary tools or training.

How to Improve: Provide comprehensive training for front-line staff and ensure they have access to necessary resources, such as knowledge bases or remote diagnostic tools.

8. Average Resolution Time by Priority

Definition: The average time it takes to resolve tickets, broken down by priority level (e.g., high, medium, low).

Why It Matters: High-priority issues should be resolved faster than low-priority ones. If lower-priority tickets are taking just as long, it may signal inefficiency in how tickets are managed or prioritized.

How to Improve: Review ticket prioritization protocols and assign resources based on urgency to ensure critical issues are resolved quickly.

9. SLA Compliance Rate

Definition: The percentage of tickets resolved within the timeframe specified by the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Why It Matters: SLA compliance is often tied to contractual obligations. Consistently meeting or exceeding SLAs helps maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders and avoids potential penalties.

How to Improve: Ensure that all tickets are categorized by SLA requirements, monitor SLA compliance regularly, and use automated reminders for approaching deadlines.

10. Recurring Incidents

Definition: The number of incidents that repeatedly occur within a given period, even after being resolved.

Why It Matters: Recurring incidents indicate unresolved underlying problems or improper fixes. They waste resources and increase downtime.

How to Improve: Perform root cause analysis for repeated incidents and implement long-term solutions. Consider reviewing your support strategy for common issues and preventive maintenance.

11. Cost Per Ticket

Definition: The average cost of handling a single support ticket, calculated by dividing total IT support costs by the number of tickets resolved.

Why It Matters: Keeping the cost per ticket low while maintaining high-quality service ensures cost-efficiency and scalability of your IT support operations.

How to Improve: Automate repetitive tasks, improve first contact resolution, and invest in tools that increase technician productivity to reduce labor costs.

12. Agent Utilization Rate

Definition: The percentage of time that support agents are actively working on support tasks or tickets.

Why It Matters: High utilization rates indicate that agents are efficiently used. However, too high a rate could mean that agents are overburdened, leading to burnout and declining service quality.

How to Improve: Balance workloads, consider automating routine tasks, and provide agents with tools that enhance productivity without overloading them.

13. Employee Satisfaction with IT Support

Definition: The satisfaction level of your employees or end-users with the internal IT support team, gathered via surveys or feedback forms.

Why It Matters: Employee satisfaction impacts productivity. If employees are dissatisfied with IT support, it can lead to work delays and frustration.

How to Improve: Provide a feedback loop where employees can submit complaints or suggestions for improvement. Ensure the IT team communicates clearly and works efficiently to resolve issues.

Conclusion

Measuring the success of your IT support services requires tracking a variety of key metrics, including response times, customer satisfaction, resolution efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. By regularly monitoring these metrics, you can make informed decisions to improve your IT support performance, optimize resources, and ensure your business operates smoothly.

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How Would Others Feel if You Were the Bully on the Internet?

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Consider yourself a victim of cyberbullying. Understanding why you are engaging in cyberbullying might guide your decision-making when it comes to stopping the behaviour. See what you can do now that we’ve examined them all in detail. When you are الابتزاز الجنسي, do not be panic, just contact us.

You have a Mental Disorder.

If you’re concerned about your mental health, see a doctor to see if there are any treatment options available to you. Anger management programmes might be helpful if you have difficulties with fury or violence.

Psychopathy’s traits will make it more difficult for you to comprehend and alter yourself. Alternatively, you may try to shift your attention to something else.

Rather of cyberbullying someone because it makes you feel good, what other hobbies or companies might you establish that would make you feel good without hurting anybody else? التجسس الإلكتروني can be very dangerous, in case of emergency contact us.

You Were the Worst Enemy of Yourself.

If you have ever been a victim of cyberbullying, you have the opportunity to modify your ways and stop cyberbullying others. For the time being, your unresolved wrath may have to be expressed in a different way. Bullying may help you avoid perceiving yourself as a victim because you feel more in control of the situation. If you want to stop feeling helpless and in the dark about your life, you may need to find other ways to boost your self-esteem. You know the agony of being a perpetrator because you were once a victim. You have the chance to break the cycle of victimisation and bullying rather than allowing it to continue. Almost sure, you’ll need the help of a specialist to help you sort through your past.

An Argument or Split Occurred.

If you’ve been cyberstalking someone after a disagreement or a tragic breakup, it’s crucial to re-evaluate your behaviour. Is the outcome of your cyberstalking a success in any way? It’s possible that you’ll need the help of a professional in the future to deal with your current feelings.

You feel alone or solitary.

Is it possible that you’re engaging in cyberbullying because of loneliness or depression? This kind of bullying is directed towards persons who feel alone. That everyone else is having a great time while you’re trapped at home all alone.

Get out and meet as many new people as possible if this is the case. Consider joining an organisation, volunteering, or taking up a new hobby in order to meet others who share your interests.

You’ve Had Enough of Boredom.

You should ask yourself whether it’s OK for you to injure someone else in order to alleviate your boredom before you indulge in cyberbullying. Despite the fact that many people throughout the world are bored, they seldom indulge in cyberbullying. Whether it’s a hobby or learning a new language, find something to occupy your time.

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