Knowledgebase

StarChapter is a software as a service that provides membership management, meeting management, email communication, and website/mobile content management on one software. There are some key differences between a software as a service and a traditional web host, and the goal is to outline the overlaps and differences between both.

What is a Web Host?

A web host provides storage space for files and content. The web hosting content lives on a very powerful web server. While the domain is what the users access, the web host houses all the data and content.

While StarChapter does provide web hosting services, there are also a number of other capabilities of the software beyond what a traditional web host provides. This includes:

- A full membership database to manage both members and non-members.

- A meeting management area to add meetings and collect registration for members and guests.

- Email communication templates and services to communicate with members and non-members and to track who interacts with messaging.

What is software as a service (SaaS)? And how is this different from a web host?

Prior to cloud technology, it used to be that each website had dedicated server space to host files and data. Most websites that transition to StarChapter have this setup.

With this setup, StarChapter is a software as a service, and this includes web hosting services. SaaS services are paid for via a subscription model on either a monthly or annual basis. Once the subscription ends, then the service ends.

Tip: Learn more about StarChapter's security, server location, and setup.

With StarChapter, a number of websites share space on a cloud. software as a service means software does not live on one machine or server, or that the installation happens on-premise. StarChapter uses cloud computing to provide the highest level of security for multiple systems.

This means that several StarChapter services are housed on one server, rather than on separate servers. When a web host is on one dedicated server, this typically means that access to root files or an file transfer protocol (FTP) are available. Since StarChapter is on a cloud and hosts multiple services, using an FTP protocol is no longer needed to upload files.

How Do IT Services Work With This Setup?

Unlike a traditional web host, StarChapter manages the information technology (IT). Organizations can save on hardware maintenance and infrastructure costs with a SaaS solution. As an alternative to an in-house IT team, StarChapter has an in-house team that provides and manages support for the software.

It is possible to have experts on staff who understand the ins and outs of StarChapter, and here is a list of preferred StarChapter vendors. StarChapter recommends developing a comfort level with the system or hiring people to manage the service as part of of succession planning.

This ensures that the appropriate training happens when a board transitions. StarChapter Support also provides training and assistance with learning the software and troubleshooting any arising issues.