Thứ Tư, 31 tháng 8, 2011

The 411 on Web Hosting

By Matt Ewing


Web hosting enables you to own a piece of cyberspace which is accessible on the World Wide Web. You can upload several documents, files, data, bulletins or news in that space. There are a number of web hosting companies that provide you space on their server as well as Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Some web hosting companies also provide connectivity to the Internet and data center space for servers they do not own. This method of web hosting is known as colocation. However, to receive this space it is essential for you to own Internet with a network connection to the Internet backbone and computers operating as servers. It offers access to your files and mail server for people on the World Wide Web in order to view the website as well as to send and receive email with you. Usually simplest web hosting companies provide a page and limited file storage and upload, whereas more advanced website needs a service that provides access to the own control panel for managing e-mail accounts as well as for installing scripts.

Web host features you should be aware of:

You must consider your budget needs and what storage and bandwidth you require before choosing what web host features you want. If you have an e-commerce site you will need a payment facility. This can be done through SSL, Secure Sockets Layer, encryption and the addition of a shopping cart. If you run a forum or discussion board services like PHP or Perl are useful as is CGI scripting. In addition you may wish to be able to access database such as Microsoft SQL Server, Postgre SQL or even MySQL. All of this means your initial tasks should be to focus on what you need to have to run your site as extra costs equals extra money. This means knowing how much bandwidth you'll want, what limit of storage space and will you need facilities like protection from spam or assistance with building your site.

Trusting your web host is vital for all firms because if something goes wrong, they need to fix it. To pick the best web host, try and use the following tips as a guideline.

What you Must Do:

Do a thorough research: Search in the Internet about the various web hosting companies and make a list that provides all the features you require. Make a comparative study and check which one is providing the best deal. You can also utilize the online forums and speak with other webmasters about their opinion. Once you decide on a particular web hosting company, spend some time reading the opinions of others about the company. Examine the reviews and look into the history and achievement of the company. Consider certain factors such as the data center they are located at, the number of customers they have, the number of employees proving support as well as consider the time period since they have been in this business. If possible also speak to one of their existing client to get a better picture about their services.

Create a list of what you require: Items like bandwidth size and space for storage are vital for all site owners and a list should be made of what you really need. A higher level of these functions would be good but is it worth paying for? If you don't really need them could you use the money in other ways? If you believe you may need these features but are not definite, try and find a host that offers some room to grow. This will give you a better chance of avoiding big bills for exceeding your usage limits.

Ensure you have a Plan B: If you do not have a back up plan then it is very foolish indeed. You will learn that not every web host is reliable and some will let you down. This isn't as much of a problem is a site offers backup and some new sites do. Having a strong back up facility can ensure you lose less data and can recover quicker. If your host does not offer these features, move to another host that does offer them.

Make sure you will be supported: Prior to signing any agreement, take the time to speak to firm and give them questions. Ask them about their service options and what their experience and skills are like. It is easy to understand a company better just by talking to them for a short spell.

Somethings you Must not Do:

Do not choose a host on price alone: It is always better not to choose a web hosting company only on the basis of their pricing. You will find a number of cheap web hosting providers from whom you get only what you pay for. But there is a very less chance of getting quality service from them. For an average reliability, generally, you need to pay at least .50 cents for one gigabyte of bandwidth. However, if you want high quality hosting you will have to pay three or four times more.

Do not use free web hosting: Avoid the common web page mistake, if you want people to take your online business seriously. Free web hosting earns their revenue by placing numerous advertising on your site some of which may even harm a computer. Your customers will not like this at all; moreover this also gets in the way of your credibility. Further more, choosing a professional web hosting provider ensures that you have a reliable domain host and will also enable your customers to trust you with their credit card information.

Do not trust customer testimonials blindly: It is advisable not to trust the customer testimonials published at the site of your potential web hosting company. Most of them are self created or just a part of the whole story, thereby better not be taken at face value. Instead, you can read the reviews or better go to the various online web hosting forums and speak to the webmasters, who have been using or have earlier used the services of the same company. This will give you better and authentic information about the company's services. However, if the web hosting company lists contact information as well as the web site of the testimonials listed then they may be reliable.

Do not get your host and domain name from the same place: A great amount of people will try to find a fabric host that also provides a domain name for no cost along with its main package. If it is possible, this should be avoided. This style may work is if the domain is held by the site owner allowing them complete control. This situation is not sometimes the case and the web host will endeavor to register the domain in its name and then allow you to use it. If there is a large demand for the domain name they may try and take control of it or if you want to move to a new web host, they can try and remain in control of the domain name.




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