The Planet Helps MuggleNet.Com Prepare for Upcoming Harry Potter Releases

July 9, 2007; 12:45 AM

 HOUSTON – MuggleNet.com, the world’s largest Harry Potter fan site, continues to expand its relationship with The Planet in preparation for the new movie – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” – and the July 21 release of the final book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J. K. Rowling.^*   Each day, www.mugglenet.com averages more than one million visitors to its Web site, with even more during peak operating periods.  The Planet is the exclusive Web hosting provider for the site.

MuggleNet.com Founder Emerson Spartz, also an author, is currently traveling the country promoting his own book titled “MuggleNet.Com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Falls in Love and How Will the Adventure Finally End.”  Written in conjunction with co-authors Ben Schoen, Andy Gordon, Jamie Lawrence and Gretchen Stull, the collaborative team provides insights and predictions on the final Potter novel.  The book has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers list for the past 21 weeks in the children’s paperback selections.

Spartz, 20, started www.mugglenet.com at age 12, based on his own prolific interest in all things Harry Potter.  Today, in addition to attending college, he manages a staff of 120 around the globe, all of whom share a collective interest in the young wizard.

“I was fortunate to learn management skills 101 very early, which has prepared me well for a career in business,” notes Spartz.  “Even in college, I see too many people who pursue careers based solely on a financial outcome, rather than on ultimately doing something they really enjoy or love.  The money is great, but it’s not sustainable if you don’t enjoy the work.

“I’m often asked for advice about being an entrepreneur,” notes Spartz, “and my answer is always to keep asking ‘why’ when you’re pursuing something new.  In my case, I’m constantly thinking about how I can change the site to be even better.  There’s always room for improvement with any project.”

“For companies that require streaming media and rich content delivery, The Planet’s data centers and network provide world-class performance to support the most rugged requirements,” said Steve Kahan, vice president of marketing and product management, with The Planet.  “In anticipation of traffic fluctuations, sites like www.mugglenet.com easily add additional servers to accommodate traffic spikes.”

The Planet is the leading provider of On Demand IT Infrastructure solutions, hosting more than 22,000 small- and medium-size businesses and 2.8 million Web sites worldwide.  By offering the best choice of servers, software tools and world-class support, backed by state-of-the-art facilities and unmatched network connectivity, The Planet helps turn information technology into a powerful competitive advantage that enables customers to successfully grow their businesses.  For additional information, visit www.theplanet.com.

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