How to choose a good web host and avoid nightmares!
Three years ago, I started my grand campaign to
profit from the Internet gold mine. I was buoyed by the statistics of
increasing online spending, and was convinced that some of those trillions circling
the globe should come my way. So the perfect way to start, I reasoned, was to
build an online store stocked with the right products. Now the trick was to
find out how on earth to get "on" the Internet.
One of the first things I had to do was to find
a web host. The Web expands every day, and so do our choices. Just how do you
find a web host to meet your business needs? There are literally tens of
thousands, each one with a different focus and services designed for a specific
segment of the market. As you study your options, you might consider the
following tips from a battle scarred entrepreneur:
How much should you spend to host your site?
When I started out I (like most persons) was
initially mesmerized by the "free" hosting services. After all, why
pay for something when you can get it "free". I realized in time that
this was a very poor move on my part. I'll tell you why:
Strike 1: Free web hosting services are quite suitable for personal, family or
hobby activities. However, if you are looking to establish an online business
or become an affiliate and earn commissions, free sites often limit your
flexibility in terms of real time credit card processing, choice of shopping
cart, and use of customized scripts (for order forms or other interactive data
gathering from users).
Strike 2: Many affiliate programs will not accept persons who are hosted on a
free web service. Additionally the constant barrage of advertising by the free
service, will lure your customers away and eventually hurt the sales-effectiveness
of your site.
Strike 3: Free sites don't get treated with much respect by the Search Engine
spiders, and your site is almost certainly not going to be listed. Here's what
Danny Sullivan, the most well-known Search Engine guru on the Net, had to say
about free hosts in the August 18, 2000 issue of THE SEARCH ENGINE UPDATE...
"... get your own site, under your own domain, rather than doing it within
Tripod.com or any place offering "free" home pages. Sites offering
free home pages are often looked upon with suspicion by search engines, because
search engine spammers also make use of them. It's like sharing a house with
bad roommates. Move out, get your own house, and you'll probably do better with
search engines."
We have all seen those Internet hosting advertisements that offer massive
amounts of data storage for truly ridiculously low prices. Always remember that
you get what you pay for. Data storage is generally cheap and easy to supply,
however it is much more difficult to provide customers with uninterrupted
high-speed access, quality customer care, technical expertise, and guaranteed
uptime.
It is important to make sure of exactly what you need, and what you are
getting, before you jump at a bargain. Choose a provider offering prices commensurate
with the range and quality of its services. In general, the typical hosting
package for most small companies requirements will cost about US$25 per month.
A small price to pay for your online store monthly rental.
What operating system is best for your web site?
An operating system or "platform," such as Microsoft's Windows NT or
DOS is the basic set of commands that tell your computer how to open
applications and store files. In the early days of Internet activity, most
servers operated on a UNIX platform, an extremely powerful and flexible system
that requires considerable technical expertise to administrate. UNIX is still
as popular as ever, but today you have a choice: Windows NT and UNIX variations
such as Sun Microsystems Solaris, Silicon Graphics' Irix, and
Experts offer significantly different opinions as to which platform works best
for web sites. In the end, the choice depends largely on what you want to do
with your site. UNIX servers are compatible with certain Microsoft extensions
and applications, for example, MS SQL (a database program) or Microsoft Front
Page (a web authoring tool). You might however, be more comfortable operating
your site on a Windows NT platform, as most persons using a PC are familiar
with the windows interface. On the other hand, many engineers prefer the
flexibility, security, and control of UNIX servers. UNIX also allows for more
web sites per server, lowering the cost of hosting per account.
As your site grows in size and complexity, in all likelihood you'll decide that
a particular platform is desirable. It's best to anticipate this contingency
and choose a web host that offers different operating systems which are
scalable and backs them up with technical expertise.
Eight attributes you should expect from your web sitehosting provider.
1. Your Own Domain Name
With most hosting packages you will have to purchase your domain name
separately, however, your host should have the capability of searching and
registering your domain name. A domain name e.g. www.mycompany.com gives your
site instant credibility. New customers will have a good first impression, and
returning visitors don't have to remember where your site is hosted in order to
reach you. It's like having a direct phone number rather than an extension.
2. Data Storage (Disk Space)
In order to have your web files served to the world, you need to have a
generous amount of disk space on servers where you can upload your pages,
images, sound clips, etc. and store them. As a general guide, a 100 page site
will easily be accommodated on 50 Megabytes of server space.
3. Bandwidth (Data Transfer)
Bandwidth is the amount of data transmitted or received through a unit of time.
In web hosting, bandwidth is consumed when visitors make requests for files on
your web site and download them to their personal computers. When you add up
the total of all files downloaded off of your site in a particular month, your
total should be lower than the amount of bandwidth allotted with your hosting
plan. If it is not, your file sizes may be too large or you may be generating a
lot of hits - in which case you may need to upgrade to a larger hosting plan or
to a dedicated hosting server. Plan to use at least 50 Megabytes of bandwidth
for every 1000 visitors per month.
4. POP3 E-mail Accounts and Auto-Responders
You should be able to send and receive mail through Post Office Protocol 3
(POP3) accounts, so that your e-mail addresses end in your web site's unique
domain name. Additionally, e-mail aliases and forwarding arrangements allow you
to set up names@yourdomain.com that forward to a POP3 e-mail account that you
may already have (from your ISP). This allows you to check multiple aliases by
downloading mail from one e-mail account. Auto responders are also a great
feature with hosting accounts since you can automatically respond to customer
e-mail's sent to a particular address with a standard message, like "Thank
you for contacting our Support team. We will be have a technician responding to
your queries within 24 hours."
5. Technical Support
Weather you are a newbie or veteran on the Internet, you will want your hosting
provider to have great technical support online. This way, when you have a
question or concern you can find the help you need in a timely manner and have
the ability to find the information in the format you wish to receive it.
6. Redundancy/Reliability
This is a term bandied about in the hosting industry. Essentially, no matter
how excellent the equipment, or the expertise of the engineers, technology
fails occasionally. A web host with multiple servers, high speed connections,
and UPS systems with backup generators can provide consistent, high-speed
access and guarantee at least 99% uptime.
7. Security
It takes many layers of Internet security, from password protection to fire
wall barriers, to prevent determined hackers from wreaking havoc with your Web
data. Make sure the hosting company you choose has enough security measures in
place to ensure that your data is completely protected.
8. Speed
Web hosting companies typically connect to the Internet through T
(Transmission), OC (Optical Carrier), and DS (Digital Signal) lines. Many
smaller web hosting providers still use T1's to connect your site to the world
at a rate of 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps). The best hosting companies use
redundant lines to ensure that customers' sites remain responsive even if their
primary Internet connections are temporarily unavailable. It's a good idea to
determine which providers offer backup connections fast enough to maintain your
site's performance in the event of a primary line failure.
In addition to offering the fastest network connections, a host should
provision its lines and circuits to use less than 50% of available bandwidth.
Overburdened network connections will inevitably result in poor site
performance. In fact, a lightly used T1 line will transfer data faster than an
overused T3 connection.
Where to find good hosts
OK, so now you know what to look for. Where can you find a good host with all
the above qualities. Two very comprehensive sites are available:
www.hostindex.com and www.tophosts.com. These allow you to enter your own
requirements for a web host.
Alternatively, you can choose from their list of top 25 hosting companies.
These lists are derived from a combination of account features, technical
support, and customer feedback. Good luck in your search!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Godfrey Heron is the Website Manager of Irieisle Web Site Hosting . He is also
a distributor of the amazing AWARD winning firestarter flash tool which makes
complex flash sites in minutes. Download your FREE evaluation software
here:http://www.irieisle-online.com/Services/onlinestore.htm He is also web editor
of a monthly free ezine. Receive $195 in freebonuses when you subscribe.
newsletter@irieisle-online.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strike 1: Free web hosting services are quite suitable for personal, family or
hobby activities. However, if you are looking to establish an online business
or become an affiliate and earn commissions, free sites often limit your
flexibility in terms of real time credit card processing, choice of shopping
cart, and use of customized scripts (for order forms or other interactive data
gathering from users).
Strike 2: Many affiliate programs will not accept persons who are hosted on a
free web service. Additionally the constant barrage of advertising by the free
service, will lure your customers away and eventually hurt the
sales-effectiveness of your site.
Strike 3: Free sites don't get treated with much respect by the Search Engine
spiders, and your site is almost certainly not going to be listed. Here's what
Danny Sullivan, the most well-known Search Engine guru on the Net, had to say
about free hosts in the August 18, 2000 issue of THE SEARCH ENGINE UPDATE...
"... get your own site, under your own domain, rather than doing it within
Tripod.com or any place offering "free" home pages. Sites offering
free home pages are often looked upon with suspicion by search engines, because
search engine spammers also make use of them. It's like sharing a house with
bad roommates. Move out, get your own house, and you'll probably do better with
search engines."
We have all seen those Internet hosting advertisements that offer massive
amounts of data storage for truly ridiculously low prices. Always remember that
you get what you pay for. Data storage is generally cheap and easy to supply,
however it is much more difficult to provide customers with uninterrupted
high-speed access, quality customer care, technical expertise, and guaranteed
uptime.
It is important to make sure of exactly what you need, and what you are
getting, before you jump at a bargain. Choose a provider offering prices
commensurate with the range and quality of its services. In general, the
typical hosting package for most small companies requirements will cost about
US$25 per month. A small price to pay for your online store monthly rental.
What operating system is best for your web site?
An operating system or "platform," such as Microsoft's Windows NT or
DOS is the basic set of commands that tell your computer how to open
applications and store files. In the early days of Internet activity, most
servers operated on a UNIX platform, an extremely powerful and flexible system
that requires considerable technical expertise to administrate. UNIX is still
as popular as ever, but today you have a choice: Windows NT and UNIX variations
such as Sun Microsystems Solaris, Silicon Graphics' Irix, and
Experts offer significantly different opinions as to which platform works best
for web sites. In the end, the choice depends largely on what you want to do
with your site. UNIX servers are compatible with certain Microsoft extensions
and applications, for example, MS SQL (a database program) or Microsoft Front
Page (a web authoring tool). You might however, be more comfortable operating
your site on a Windows NT platform, as most persons using a PC are familiar
with the windows interface. On the other hand, many engineers prefer the
flexibility, security, and control of UNIX servers. UNIX also allows for more
web sites per server, lowering the cost of hosting per account.
As your site grows in size and complexity, in all likelihood you'll decide that
a particular platform is desirable. It's best to anticipate this contingency
and choose a web host that offers different operating systems which are
scalable and backs them up with technical expertise.
Eight attributes you should expect from your web sitehosting provider.
1. Your Own Domain Name
With most hosting packages you will have to purchase your domain name
separately, however, your host should have the capability of searching and
registering your domain name. A domain name e.g. www.mycompany.com gives your
site instant credibility. New customers will have a good first impression, and
returning visitors don't have to remember where your site is hosted in order to
reach you. It's like having a direct phone number rather than an extension.
2. Data Storage (Disk Space)
In order to have your web files served to the world, you need to have a
generous amount of disk space on servers where you can upload your pages,
images, sound clips, etc. and store them. As a general guide, a 100 page site
will easily be accommodated on 50 Megabytes of server space.
3. Bandwidth (Data Transfer)
Bandwidth is the amount of data transmitted or received through a unit of time.
In web hosting, bandwidth is consumed when visitors make requests for files on
your web site and download them to their personal computers. When you add up
the total of all files downloaded off of your site in a particular month, your
total should be lower than the amount of bandwidth allotted with your hosting
plan. If it is not, your file sizes may be too large or you may be generating a
lot of hits - in which case you may need to upgrade to a larger hosting plan or
to a dedicated hosting server. Plan to use at least 50 Megabytes of bandwidth
for every 1000 visitors per month.
4. POP3 E-mail Accounts and Auto-Responders
You should be able to send and receive mail through Post Office Protocol 3
(POP3) accounts, so that your e-mail addresses end in your web site's unique
domain name. Additionally, e-mail aliases and forwarding arrangements allow you
to set up names@yourdomain.com that forward to a POP3 e-mail account that you
may already have (from your ISP). This allows you to check multiple aliases by
downloading mail from one e-mail account. Auto responders are also a great
feature with hosting accounts since you can automatically respond to customer
e-mail's sent to a particular address with a standard message, like "Thank
you for contacting our Support team. We will be have a technician responding to
your queries within 24 hours."
5. Technical Support
Weather you are a newbie or veteran on the Internet, you will want your hosting
provider to have great technical support online. This way, when you have a question
or concern you can find the help you need in a timely manner and have the
ability to find the information in the format you wish to receive it.
6. Redundancy/Reliability
This is a term bandied about in the hosting industry. Essentially, no matter how
excellent the equipment, or the expertise of the engineers, technology fails
occasionally. A web host with multiple servers, high speed connections, and UPS
systems with backup generators can provide consistent, high-speed access and
guarantee at least 99% uptime.
7. Security
It takes many layers of Internet security, from password protection to fire
wall barriers, to prevent determined hackers from wreaking havoc with your Web
data. Make sure the hosting company you choose has enough security measures in
place to ensure that your data is completely protected.
8. Speed
Web hosting companies typically connect to the Internet through T
(Transmission), OC (Optical Carrier), and DS (Digital Signal) lines. Many
smaller web hosting providers still use T1's to connect your site to the world
at a rate of 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps). The best hosting companies use
redundant lines to ensure that customers' sites remain responsive even if their
primary Internet connections are temporarily unavailable. It's a good idea to
determine which providers offer backup connections fast enough to maintain your
site's performance in the event of a primary line failure.
In addition to offering the fastest network connections, a host should
provision its lines and circuits to use less than 50% of available bandwidth.
Overburdened network connections will inevitably result in poor site
performance. In fact, a lightly used T1 line will transfer data faster than an
overused T3 connection.
Where to find good hosts
OK, so now you know what to look for. Where can you find a good host with all
the above qualities. Two very comprehensive sites are available: www.hostindex.com and www.tophosts.com.
These allow you to enter your own requirements for a web host.
Alternatively, you can choose from their list of top 25 hosting companies.
These lists are derived from a combination of account features, technical
support, and customer feedback. Good luck in your search!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Godfrey Heron is the Website Manager of Irieisle Web Site Hosting . He is also
a distributor of the amazing AWARD winning firestarter flash tool which makes
complex flash sites in minutes. Download your FREE evaluation software here:http://www.irieisle-online.com/Services/onlinestore.htm
He is also web editor of a monthly free ezine. Receive $195 in freebonuses when
you subscribe. newsletter@irieisle-online.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------