Content area
Full Text
Like many online exchanges, Covisint LLC has been hosted by a service provider since its September launch. But last week, the massive automotive industry exchange set itself apart by outsourcing the rest of its infrastructure, from security and storage to network services, to its host, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Exodus Communications Inc.
Users from several prominent business-to-business exchanges said they have given only a sliver of their operations to Web hosting firms because of concerns about escalating costs, lack of application control and unpredictable service.
"I'm surprised at the extent that Covisint is relying on Exodus," said Dana Tardelli, an analyst at Aberdeen Group Inc. in Boston. "Most businesses are rooted in internal technologies and they don't want to relinquish that much control."
Officials at Southfield, Mich.-- based Covisint said they have been pleased with the service thus far and will extend the contract to include global hosting operations, as well as disaster recovery, security, storage and network services for three...