WorthPoint Finds Value in Managed Hosting

WorthPoint.com is the premiere Web site for art, antiques and collectables, serving as a window into everything an antiques collector, buyer or seller needs to know about their collection. Created as an information resource, social network and search engine for collectors, WorthPoint brings together an international collectors community and leading experts to assess the value, purpose and history of collectible items from all over the world.

WorthPoint also created the Worthopedia, a central online database with information on nearly all collectibles, including data on prices, descriptions, pictures and sale dates, compiled from hundreds of auction houses around the world. Since going live in summer 2007, WorthPoint has experienced tremendous growth, with over 30,000 registered members and approximately 60,000 page views per day.

With such complex tools and features on its busy Web site, WorthPoint recognized a need to outsource their day-to-day server management needs, allowing them to focus on their core competencies of creating the site and building an online community.

“WorthPoint.com was created to be an information resource for antiques and collectibles,” said Andy Forbes, CTO of WorthPoint. “We work hard to build a Web site that delivers on this promise, and managing our own infrastructure is not core to our mission statement.”

Selecting for Current and Future Technology Needs

As WorthPoint began developing its Web site using open source Drupal’s web development framework, it began reaching out to the Drupal community to determine which managed hosting provider was the best fit for their needs. After researching and evaluating multiple vendors, WorthPoint chose BlackMesh, Inc., a provider of information technology solutions for small and mid-sized businesses.

“From the onset, we knew what we wanted to build on WorthPoint.com and we needed a provider that could handle our current needs and accommodate our future growth projections,” said Forbes. “BlackMesh matched our criteria for a managed hosting provider perfectly; the company had a solid reputation in the industry, it had a local data center, and it was active and well respected in the Drupal community.”

Beyond the Basics

With increased traffic, continuously updated data and limited IT resources, WorthPoint turned to BlackMesh to provide more than basic web hosting. BlackMesh also manages WorthPoint’s databases, image servers, security and load balance needs, allowing WorthPoint’s IT team to focus on developing the WorthPoint Web site and optimizing its members’ online experience.

BlackMesh was directly involved in discussions on how to replicate a MySQL database (master-master vs. master-slave), selecting a content delivery network vendor and selecting load balancing image and web servers. In addition, BlackMesh takes an active role in WorthPoint.com’s development and maintenance, spending time with the WorthPoint team to discuss and brainstorm ideas that address growth concerns and scalability issues.

Additionally, WorthPoint leverages BlackMesh’s unique, unlimited service plan, providing WorthPoint with a 24/7 personal service team that caters to all of the company’s IT concerns and issues. The service team not only maintains WorthPoint’s servers, but it forges a relationship with WorthPoint to help plan for growth. By creating an individualized relationship with WorthPoint, BlackMesh’s service team can proactively resolve issues before they become actual business problems.

“We know that our servers will just work – we don’t have to spend our time worrying about using our support hours, or having to deal with support staff that clearly has other things on their minds,” said Forbes.

Scaling for the Future

WorthPoint’s immense increase in users and site traffic has served to accelerate the company’s plans for Web site development. As it continues to grow, WorthPoint plans to rework its site to accommodate new and existing users and build the resources and capabilities necessary to construct and engage a truly interactive community.

“With our diverse collection of resources, including an active forum, renowned experts and comprehensive Worthopedia database, WorthPoint.com is fast becoming an ideal destination for collectors and antiques enthusiasts,” said Forbes. “As we continue to grow, BlackMesh is providing the scalability, architecture and technology expertise to meet our current needs and build for our future projections. With the emphasis BlackMesh places on customer satisfaction, we know they will be available at any time to meet our demands.”