GoDaddy axes SMB Cloud Servers

Web hosting firm GoDaddy has axed its private cloud service less than a year after it launched, much to surprise of some of the firm's existing customers.

GoDaddy's Cloud Servers product provided users with a pay-as-you-go private cloud that featured firewalls and load balancers and was launched in May 2012.

The company's chief information officer, Auguste Goldman, confirmed the offering had been canned in a statement to IT Pro yesterday.

"We are focused on SMBs and SMBs don't use our Cloud Servers product the way we are offering it now," said Goldman.

"So, in the weeks ahead, it won't be a stand-alone product [anymore]. However, we plan to continue developing cloud technology into our other hosted products."

News of the product's axe appears to have taken some members of the GoDaddy user community by surprise, according to several posts in the firm's online support forums.

"I have been very happy and satisfied with GoDaddy Cloud Servers and it is a real pity that you decided to discontinue it," said one user.

"I assume for existing clients it will still be supported, what are GoDaddy's long-term plans? Should we be worried?" the user continued.