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Your Guide to Finding the Perfect Web Host
Your Guide to Finding the Perfect Web Host
Welcome to an industry that
comparatively speaking is still in it's infancy but has evolved enormously
in the past several years. An industry
where competition is fierce and barrier to entry is almost non-existent. An
industry where the average consumer can easily be overwhelmed by technology
and industry jargon. Welcome to the Webhosting industry.
The first thing you must do is relax and take a deep
breath, this is not going to hurt :). Once you understand a few key concepts
and industry terms, you are well on your way to making an informed decision
on choosing a Webhosting provider that will meet your needs and help your
organization prosper.
What is Webhosting?
Webhosting is like commercial real estate where you are
leasing space for your business. You would not buy an office building
or mall just so you can have an office or store, you would lease the space
you need and pay for just your share of the costs. In the Webhosting industry,
in order for your Website to be available for anyone with an Internet connection
and a computer to view there are many things that must be in place:
- server (computer) and hosting software (web server, mail server, ftp
server, etc.)
- hubs, switches, routers
- high speed connection with static IP addresses
- backup hardware
- technical staff to keep things running smoothly 24 hours a day, everyday
- the technical and financial means to put everything together
Add the costs for everything above and, if you were to do
everything yourself, it could easily cost six figures just to have your
Website online. This is where hosting providers come in. Hosting providers
are like landlords that lease space either in their datacenter (colocation),
lease an entire server (dedicated hosting), or lease space on a server (shared
hosting). By leasing this space you need not worry about building your
own network.
What to Look For
When looking for a Webhosting company you should not just be looking for
what you need, but rather look at what providers have to offer and see if
these offerings can help your business succeed on the Internet. The average
hosting customer is not always up to speed on the rapidly changing industry,
and he or she should depend on the hosting provider to introduce and offer
THE new technology that will help his or her business stay ahead of the
competition.
Here are some things to consider when looking for a Webhosting provider.
- Dedicated or Shared? Does your organization
require its own physical server? Dedicated servers often offer more space,
higher bandwidth, root access, more control, and better security.
- History / Track Record. Determine that the company you
will entrust with your Website is staffed by competent management and
support personnel with a track record in Website hosting and support.
Look for information on the executives and people ultimately responsible
for your Website. Be sure that there are real people that publicly
stand behind their service.
- E-commerce. Do you plan on conducting
business where you receive payments online? If so, you will need to be sure your host provider can provide
you with a secure server, e-commerce software, and a resource for establishing
your own merchant account.
- Control. Almost all hosting providers give users some kind of control
over their sites like FTP access or FrontPage. However look for providers who
offer a user-friendly "control panel" or website management tool that will
not only give you easy access to your files, but also allow you instant access
to your own e-mail management and domain management. There is nothing
worse that having to send in support tickets and wait days to have e-mail
accounts created or changed.
- Support. Since your Website will be online 24 hours a day,
you need to make sure your provider offers 24 hour support. Also make
sure this support is easily accessible and their "support" is not an answering
service that "gives them the message" when you call, or worse, a voice mail
system that will not let you speak with a live person. Also look for a variety
of support options like
- web based ticket system that can track all of your support
requests
- detailed online documentation for your hosting account
- FAQs that you can reference
- discussion boards or mailing lists
- multi-media help is always a big plus
- Features You Require. Do you require FrontPage to publish?
How about a robust database? PHP? 50 POP accounts? Knowing what you need
is a great start but be sure to talk to a sales representative if the host
you are looking at does not seem to have everything you need. Often some
features are not listed or an equally suitable alternative can be suggested.
- Network / Connectivity. Be sure your webhost is located
in a professional data center and is not hosting sites out of their closet
or garage (this is a real concern with the recent availability of high speed
bandwidth). Look for information on their network or connectivity and be sure
they have a reliable, redundant connection. In the shared hosting world,
a guaranteed uptime of anything over 99% is acceptable but 99.5% is better.
- Applications. Without applications, a website is just a brochure
online and probably will not do that well. Although there are many
free applications available on the Internet, getting them installed and working
properly is often a very difficult task. Look for providers who offer
Applications with easy to use Web interfaces and support the installation
and setup of such applications.
- Location. In the shared and dedicated hosting world, the physical
location of the servers should not matter. What should matter is that
you have a fast connection to your server and so do your prospects and customers
who will be using your site. However some localized OR
industry-specific hosting providers can offer value added services specific
to your location or business and provide you with more personalized support
- Price. Price is mentioned last because too many new users are
lured by cheap prices and ignore all the other criteria mentioned above. This
is your business we are talking about and you should not let a few dollars
a month alter your decision.
In addition to the above, you should also think of your host provider as
a partner. They should act as the technical and industry expert who
can help your business succeed, not just provide you with "space". Look for
a hosting company that seems to specialize in your type of business or demographic,
or one who understands the needs of on-line businesses in general.
Choosing a Webhost for your business is an important decision. Once
you are established with a hosting provider it is difficult (but certainly
not impossible) to move so make sure you are confident that you have made
the right choice.
Be sure to also read the article Webhosting Scams Exposed!
for what to look out for in a Webhost.
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Web Hosting FAQ
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