webhostings

Unique Features that leading Web Hosts Are Now Offering

2009-11-15T23:26:00.001-08:00

Some web hosts are offering more than others for the same price or even for a lower price. There is no denying the fact that as competition increases amongst web hosting services, many are looking for ways and means to stand out and be different from their competitors. The result is that web hosting service standards are constantly on the rise and webmasters are constantly enjoying amazing new features that were previously not there. Let us take a look at a few that some web hosts are now regularly offering to their clients. There are website hosts that help clients publish and manage their own email newsletters or ezines. This is a powerful marketing tool that helps increase sales. Some hosts go further and also offer an unlimited number of auto responders. This helps a site owner automatically follow up with prospects and thus dramatically increase the chances of making a sale. We also now have hosting services that help you set up set up your own affiliate program. Affiliate programs are the proven most effective way of getting traffic and profits for webmasters. Pioneered by sites like Amazon.com, this is where you enable other website owners to promote your site and products on their site and in return earn commissions from the sales that result from traffic that they have referred to your site. Another popular emerging new feature from hosts is the service that helps you protect your download page where you are selling digital products like e-books or software from your site. The number of hackers is on the increase and this is an increasingly vital service for many webmasters. Some hosting services are also addressing the rapidly increasing menace of junk mail and provide quality filters to protect your email accounts. Some even provide built-in anti-virus software so that email that arrives with viruses, is automatically deleted..................

What Some Web Hosts Don’t Want You To Know

2009-11-15T23:24:00.000-08:00

Many start-up web hosts in their desperate attempt to get hosting business from you have plenty to hide. Here are some of the things they will never tell you. For some start-up web hosts, service does not exist. Low cost or budget web hosting services are the ones most likely to fall under this category. Some will not provide any information about their service while others will proudly announce that they provide 24/7 service. This is quite often not true. Many of the low-cost web hosts have little experience in web hosting. A good way to find out about the level of service is to get the service telephone number and use it before you sign on. This should tell you a lot about the level of service you should realistically expect from the host you want to use. The other common truth amongst many web-hosting enterprises is that they lack experience. Ensure before signing up that the company that you are going with has reasonable experience. How long has your host been in business? You do not want to be part of a start –up experiment for an important service. One other thing you will need to be very careful with when using low cost or budget web hosts, is the fact that some of them are involved in many different businesses and not just web hosting. Ask what other businesses or projects your web host handles before signing up with them. You want a specialist not a generalist whose resources and time are bound to be so stretched that chances of you getting reliable services are very slim indeed. It is also a fact that some small low cost web hosts do not offer the promised bandwidth. They should not advertise one thing and end up providing something else. The best way to protect yourself from most of these nasty surprises is to go for a short term contract to begin with. You can for example start off paying on a monthly basis. That way it will be easier to change hosts when you discover something you don’t like.

Web Site Hosting Plan - Key Elements

2009-11-15T23:23:00.001-08:00

What are the key elements in a good web host package? The answer to that question depends mainly on the service you expect from the web host provider. To decide what you need, you'll need to have at least a brief understanding of the typical services and features offered by web hosting companies. The number of e-mail accounts available might be one of the key elements in a good web host package. If your ability to send and receive e-mail is important, you'll want to carefully consider whether a particular web host package includes enough e-mail accounts to accommodate that need. Some companies tout unlimited e-mail accounts and depending on your specific needs, this might be a very favorable element of a potential host company. If you are a businessperson, remember that it's possible your company will grow in the future. While you might need to only establish one or two e-mail accounts now, consider what your future needs could be. It would probably be difficult to change hosts later if you find that you need additional (even unlimited?) e-mail accounts. Which brings up another of the key elements in a good web host package. If you are establishing a connection with a web host provider for business purposes, consider your provider's ability to grow with your business. The last thing you want to do is start with a company that will be unable to keep up as your business grows. Changing companies later is always an option, but that transition is not likely to be without problems. The amount of disk space that will be allotted to your web site is another of the key elements in a good web host package. While it might seem that 30 megabytes is plenty of room, the potential for growth of your company means that you could easily need more space later. If you choose a web hosting provider that simply can't offer more space, you might find that your growth will be severely limited. Other issues that can be key elements in a good web host package include the bandwidth, security and speed. Finding a company that provides the best of all these features is likely to be a daunting task, but it is possible. Price is naturally a key element in a good web host package as well. Prices generally vary only by a few dollars per month and the difference between paying $6.95 per month and $9.95 per month is not likely to play a significant role in the final choice. If the less expensive service provider doesn't fulfill your needs, you'll certainly face significant expense and trouble rectifying the situation later. In the end, deciding which are the key elements in a good web host package will be up to you. If you need large storage space, that becomes an important element. If your needs include larger-than-normal space requirements, that becomes one of the most important elements in a good web host package. The true test of a good web host package is answered with one easy question: "Will this provider adequately meet my needs at a competitive price?" ..............

Introduction to Web Hosting

2009-11-15T23:21:00.001-08:00

If you want other people to view your web site, you must copy your site to a public server. Even if you can use your own PC as a web server, it is more common to let an Internet Service Provider (ISP) host your site.Included in a Web hosting solution you can expect to find domain name registration and standard email services.You can read more about domain name registration, email and other services in the next chapters of this tutorial.If you want your web site to be visible to the world, you have to store it on a web server.Hosting Your Own WebHosting your web site on your own server is always an option. Here are some problems to consider:Hardware ExpensesTo run a "real" web site, you will have to buy some powerful server hardware. Don't expect that a low cost PC will do the job. You will also need a permanent (24 hours a day ) high speed connection to your office, and such connections are expensive.Software ExpensesDon't forget to count the extra cost for software licenses. Remember that server licenses often are much higher than client licenses. Also note that some server software licenses might have limits on number of concurrent users.Labor ExpensesDon't expect low labor expenses. Remember that you have to install your own hardware and software. You also have to deal with bugs and viruses, and keep your server constantly running in an environment where "everything could happen".Using an Internet Service ProviderRenting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option. Here are some advantages:Connection SpeedMost providers have very fast connections to the Internet, like full T3 fiber-optic 45Mps connections equivalent to about 2000 traditional (28K) modems or 1000 high speed (56K) modems.Powerful HardwareService providers often have many powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers. Security and StabilityInternet Service Providers are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection.
Things to Consider24-hour supportMake sure your Internet service provider offers 24-hours support. Don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot fix critical problems without having to wait until the next working day. Toll-free phone could be vital if you don't want to pay for long distance calls.Daily BackupMake sure your service provider runs a secure daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.Traffic VolumeStudy the provider's traffic volume restrictions. Make sure that you don't have to pay a fortune for unexpected high traffic if your web site becomes popular.Bandwidth or Content RestrictionsStudy the provider's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish pictures or broadcast video or sound, make sure that you can.Email CapabilitiesMake sure your provider fully supports the email capabilities you need. (You can read more email capabilities in a later chapter)Front Page ExtensionsMake sure your provider fully supports FrontPage server extensions if you plan to use FrontPage to develop your site.Database AccessMake sure your provider fully supports the database access you need if you plan to use databases from your site. (You can read more about database access in a later chapter)Choosing Your DomainChoosing a domain is a major step for any individual or organization.While domains are being registered at a record, new domain extensions and creative thinking still offer thousands of excellent choices. When selecting a name it is important to consider the purpose of a domain name, which is to provide people an easy way to reach your web site. The best domains have the following characteristics:Short - People don't like to type! The shorter your domain, the easier it is to reach and the less are the chance the user will make a typographical error while typing it.Meaningful - A short domain is nothing without meaning, 34i4nh69.com is only 8 characters long but would not be easy to enter or remember. Select a domain that relates to your site in a way that people will understand.Clear - Clarity is important when selecting a domain name. You should avoid selecting a name that is difficult to spell or pronounce. Also, pay close attention to how your domain sounds and how effectively it can be communicated over the phone.Exposure: Just like premium real-estate on the ground that gets the most exposure, names that are short and easy to remember are an asset. In addition to humans viewing your domain, you should consider search engines. Search engines index your site and rank it for relevance against terms people search for online. In order to maximize your sites exposure, consider including a relevant search term in your domain. Of course, this should only be considered if it still maintains a short, clear and meaningful domain.Make sure you get the disk space and the traffic volume you need.
How Much Disk Space?
A small or medium web site will need between 10 and 100MB of disk space.
If you look at the size of HTML pages, you will see that the average size is very small. Maybe even smaller than 1K. But if you look at the size of the images (button, gif, banner, jpg) used inside the pages, you will often find images many times larger than the page itself.
Expect each HTML page to take up between 5 and 50K of disk space on your web server, depending on the use of images or other space consuming elements.
If you plan to use lots of images or graphic elements (not to mention sound files or movies), you might be needing much more disk space.
Make sure that you know your needs before you start looking for your web host.
Monthly Traffic
A small or medium web site will consume between 1 and 5GB of data transfer per month.
You can calculate this by multiplying your average page size with the number of expected page views per month. If your average page size is 30K and you expect 50,000 page views per month, you will need 0.03MB x 50,000 = 1.5GB.
Larger, commercial sites often consume more than 100GB of monthly traffic.
Before you sign a contract with a host provider, make sure to check this:
What are the restrictions on monthly transfer
Will your site be closed if you exceed the volume
Will you be billed a fortune if you exceed the volume
Will my future need be covered
Is upgrading a simple task
Connection Speed
Visitors to your web site will often connect via a modem, but your host provider should have a much faster connection.
In the early days of the Internet a T1 connection was considered a fast connection. Today connection speeds are much faster.
One byte is 8 bits, and that is the number of bits used to transport a character (a letter or a digit). Low speed communication modems can transport from about 14 000 to 56 000 bits per second (14 to 56 kilobits per second). That is somewhere between 2000 and 7000 characters per second, or about 1 to 5 pages of written text.
One kilobit (Kb) is 1024 bits. One megabit (Mb) is 1024 kilobits. One gigabit (Gb) is 1024 megabits.
These are connection speeds used on the Internet today:
Name
Connection
Speed per second
Modem
Analog
14.4-56Kb
D0
Digital (ISDN)
64Kb
T1
Digital
1.55Mb
T3
Digital
43Mb
OC-1
Optical Carrier
52Mb
OC-2
Optical Carrier
156Mb
OC-12
Optical Carrier
622Mb
OC-24
Optical Carrier
1.244Gb
OC-48
Optical Carrier
2.488Gb
Before you sign up a contract with any hosting provider, surf some other web sites on their servers, and try to get a good feeling about their network speed. Also compare the other sites against yours, to see if it looks like you have the same needs. Contacting some of the other customers is also a valuable option.
Email Accounts
Hosting solutions should include email accounts for each person in your company. Email addresses should appear like this:peter@mycompany.compaul@mycompany.commary@mycompany.comMost common is to use first name or first initial and last name.POP EmailPOP stands for Post Office Protocol. POP is a standard client/server protocol for sending and receiving email.The emails are received and held on your internet server until you pick it up with a client email program, like Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, etc. POP email programs are built into Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers (i.e. Microsoft Outlook Express).IMAP EmailIMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. IMAP is another standard protocol for sending and receiving email.The emails are received and held on your internet server until you pick it up with a client email program, like Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, etc.IMAP represents an improvement over POP because email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from several computers (a computer at home, a workstation at the office, etc.) without having to transfer messages back and forth between computers. POP was designed to support email access on a single computer.Web-based EmailWeb-based email services enable you to access email via a web browser. You log into your email account via the Web to send and retrieve email. Being able to access your email from any browser anywhere in the world is a very attractive option.Examples of web-based email services are Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail.Email ForwardingEmail forwarding allows you to have multiple email personalities.With email forwarding, you can setup aliases for other email accounts likepostmaster@mycompany.com should be forwarded to peter@mycompany.comsales@mycompany.com should be forwarded Mailing Lists:Some service providers offer mailing list capabilities. This is a valuable plus if you plan sending out email to a large number of users.

If you are selling a product or a service, e-commerce might be a smart way to do business.
Internet Commerce
E-Commerce is about selling products or services over the Internet.
If you are selling a product or a service, e-commerce might be a smart way to do business. Over the Internet you can reach a large number of customers.
Tax Issues
Taxes is a complex issue for most on-line stores. Especially VAT (Value Added Tax). If you are selling on-line, you will most likely be in the export business. Trading with different countries is easy, but tax issues might be tricky. Exporting goods may not be the subject of VAT in your country, but often your customers will have to pay their local VAT when they pick up the goods.
In addition, there will be the issue of income tax for your shop, depending on how you report your income from sales.
Before starting an on-line store, be sure to consult your tax adviser.

Choosing Your Domain
Choosing a domain is a major step for any individual or organization.
While domains are being registered at a record, new domain extensions and creative thinking still offer thousands of excellent choices. When selecting a name it is important to consider the purpose of a domain name, which is to provide people an easy way to reach your web site. The best domains have the following characteristics:
Short - People don't like to type! The shorter your domain, the easier it is to reach and the less are the chance the user will make a typographical error while typing it.
Meaningful - A short domain is nothing without meaning, 34i4nh69.com is only 8 characters long but would not be easy to enter or remember. Select a domain that relates to your site in a way that people will understand.
Clear - Clarity is important when selecting a domain name. You should avoid selecting a name that is difficult to spell or pronounce. Also, pay close attention to how your domain sounds and how effectively it can be communicated over the phone.
Exposure: Just like premium real-estate on the ground that gets the most exposure, names that are short and easy to remember are an asset. In addition to humans viewing your domain, you should consider search engines. Search engines index your site and rank it for relevance against terms people search for online. In order to maximize your sites exposure, consider including a relevant search term in your domain. Of course, this should only be considered if it still maintains a short, clear and meaningful domain.
Sub Domains
Most people are unaware but they already use sub domains on a daily basis. The famous "www" of the World Wide Web is the most common example of a sub domain. Sub domains can be created on a DNS server and they don't need to be registered with a domain registrar, of course, the original domain would need to be registered before a sub domain could be created. Common examples of sub domains used on the internet are http://store.apple.com and http://support.microsoft.com.
Sub domains can be requested from your web hosting provider or created by yourself if you manage your own DNS server.Web Hosting Server Technologies
This section describes some of the most common hosting technologies.Windows Hosting
Windows hosting means hosting of web services that runs on the Windows operating system.
You should choose Windows hosting if you plan to use ASP (Active Server Pages) as server scripting, or if you plan to use a database like Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server. Windows hosting is also the best choice if you plan to develop your web site using Microsoft Front Page.Unix Hosting
Unix hosting means hosting of web services that runs on the Unix operating system.
Unix was the first (original) web server operating system, and it is known for being reliable and stable. Often less expensive than Windows.Linux Hosting
Linux hosting means hosting of web services that runs on the Linux operating system.CGI
Web pages can be executed as CGI scripts. CGI scripts are executables that will execute on the server to produce dynamic and interactive web pages.
Most Internet service providers will offer some kind of CGI capabilities. And many will offer preinstalled, ready to run, guest-books, page-counters, and chat-forums solutions written in CGI scripts.
The use of CGI is most common on Unix or Linux servers.ASP - Active Server Pages
Active Server Pages is a server-side scripting technology developed by Microsoft.
With ASP you can create dynamic web pages by putting script code inside your HTML pages. The code is executed by the web server before the page is returned to the browser. Both Visual Basic and JavaScript can be used.
ASP is a standard component in Windows 95,98, 2000, and XP. It can be activated on all computers running Windows.
Many web hosting providers are offering ASP, as it is becoming a more and more popular technology.Chili!Soft ASP
Microsoft's ASP technology runs only on Windows platforms.
However, Chili!Soft ASP is a software product that allows ASP to run on UNIX and some other platforms.JSP
JSP is a server-side technology much like ASP developed by Sun.
With JSP you can create dynamic web pages by putting Java code inside your HTML pages. The code is executed by the web server before the page is returned to the browser.
Since JSP uses Java, the technology is not restricted to any server-specific platform.
FrontPage
FrontPage is a very common web site design tool developed by Microsoft.
FrontPage allows users to develop a web site without any deep knowledge of web development. Most Windows hosting solutions support FrontPage server extensions for users that use FrontPage to develop their web site.
If you plan to use FrontPage, you should look for a Windows hosting solution (meaning not Unix / Linux).
PHP
Just like ASP, PHP is a server-side scripting language which allows you to create dynamic web pages by putting script code inside your HTML pages. The code is executed by the web server before the page is returned to the browser.
Cold Fusion
Cold Fusion is another server-side scripting language used to develop dynamic web pages.
Cold Fusion is developed by Macromedia.Secure Server
A secure server can transmit data encrypted.
If you plan to do online credit card transactions, or other types of web communication that needs to be protected against unauthorized access, your web host must provide a secure server.
Web Hosting Types
Hosting can be FREE, SHARED or DEDICATED.
Free Hosting
Some service providers offer free web hosting.
Free web hosting is best suited for small sites with low traffic, like family sites or sites about hobbies. It is not recommended for high traffic or for real business. Technical support is often limited, and technical options are few.
Very often you cannot use your own domain name at a free site. You have to use a name provided by your host like http://www.freesite/users/~yoursite.htm. This is hard to type, hard to remember, and not very professional.
Good:
Bad:
Low cost. It's free.
No domain names.
Good for family, hobby or personal sites.
Few, limited, or no software options.
Free email is often an option.
Limited security options.

Limited or no database support.

Limited technical support.
Shared (Virtual) Hosting
Shared hosting is very common, and very cost effective.
With shared hosting, your web site is hosted on a powerful server along with maybe 100 other web sites. On a shared host it is common that each web site have their own domain name.
Shared solutions often offer multiple software solutions like email, database, and many different editing options. Technical support tends to be good.
Good:
Bad:
Low cost. Cost is shared with others.
Reduced security due to many sites on one server.
Good for small business and average traffic.
Restrictions on traffic volume.
Multiple software options.
Restricted database support.
Own domain name.
Restricted software support.
Good support

Dedicated Hosting
With dedicated hosting your web site is hosted on a dedicated server.
Dedicated hosting is the most expensive form of hosting. The solution is best suited for large web sites with high traffic, and web sites that use special software.
You should expect dedicated hosting to be very powerful and secure, with almost unlimited software solutions.
Good:
Bad:
Good for large business.
Expensive.
Good for high traffic.
Requires higher skills.
Multiple domain names.

Powerful email solutions.

Powerful database support.

Strong (unlimited) software support.

Collocated Hosting
Collocation means "co-location". It is a solution that lets you place (locate) your own web server on the premises (locations) of a service provider.
This is pretty much the same as running your own server in your own office, only that it is located at a place better designed for it.
Most likely a provider will have dedicated resources like high-security against fire and vandalism, regulated backup power, dedicated Internet connections and more.
Good:
Bad:
High bandwidth.
Expensive.
High up-time.
Requires higher skills.
High security.
Harder to configure and debug.
Unlimited software options.

Your Checklist
Before you choose your web host, make sure that:
The hosting type suits your current needs
The hosting type is cost effective
Upgrading to a better server is a possible solution
If needed, upgrading to a dedicated server is possible
Before you sign up a contract with any hosting provider, surf some other web sites on their servers, and try to get a good feeling about their network speed. Also compare the other sites against yours, to see if it looks like you have the same needs. Contacting some of the other customers is also a valuable option.
Web Hosting E-Commerce
If you are selling a product or a service, e-commerce might be a smart way to do business.
Internet Commerce
E-Commerce is about selling products or services over the Internet.
If you are selling a product or a service, e-commerce might be a smart way to do business. Over the Internet you can reach a large number of customers.
E-Commerce Systems
It is not a very good idea to build your own e-commerce system. Some (larger) companies might do it, but we will not recommend it if you run a smaller business. Building an e-commerce system is a complicated process, with the potential for a lot of errors.
You might buy a ready-to-use system and run it on your own server. Many systems are available on the market today, and most of them will cover your basic needs for order management and processing. But again, if you are not familiar with hosting your own web site, starting with an e-commerce site is not the right thing.
The best solution, in our opinion, is to find a hosting provider that offers an e-commerce solution.
Hosting Providers
E-commerce covers a very huge range of products. With different hosting providers you will find anything from very simple to very complex solutions.
Most providers will offer a simple and inexpensive solution that allow you to run your own "virtual store".
Your Checklist
How does it handle customers?
How does it handle product catalogs?
How does it handle orders?
How does it handle inventory?
How does it handle back orders?
How does it handle shipment?
How does it handle accounts?
How does it handle billing?
How does it handle payment?
How does it handle foreign currency?
How does it handle credit cards?
How does it handle taxes?
How does it handle security?
How does it handle integrity (encryption)?
Also check if the most time-consuming tasks are automated. Look for automated billing, invoice handling, accounting, and report generation.
Before you sign up a contract with any hosting provider, surf some other e-commerce sites on their servers. Find out how it works. Actually try some shopping and see if you get a good feeling. Also compare the other sites against yours, to see if it looks like you have the same needs. Contacting some of the other customers is also a valuable option.Web Hosting Resources
This section lists some well-known Web hosting resources............

Tips for Registering a Good Domain Name

2009-11-15T23:20:00.001-08:00

People often ask me this question, "how can I choose a good domain name?" - for this reason, I have come up with 10 basic tips that you should follow in order to have that domain name of your dreams.1) Decide specifically what you want. If you are not sure, don't register anything until you are!2) Keyword domains are out - name recognition is in. Make something that your audience will remember. For example, think - would Yahoo have had been the same if it was named "The-Best-Online-Directory.com"? I don't think so.3) ASAP - As short as possible! The shorter your domain is, the better. Nevertheless, never make it something without a meaning. An example of this is when I registered imagity.com as a free image hoster - people remember it!4) Legal - Never ever make your domain name have a trademark violation with ANY company. Never register disneysucks.com or ebayperfumes.com or anything similar. Make your own names and if you are not sure whether it exists or not - Google it!5) 3-letter .com's are out. Your time is better spent looking for other keywords. Remember this!6. If you are out of ideas, try looking at a free expired domain list - you will be surprised about the ideas that will flow through your head.7) Combinations - Recently while I was looking for a good domain name, I thought - "well I can combine two words and make them a domain, right?" so I have come up with my own technique for generating domain-name ideas. I call it the domainametor. First of all, think about your topic as mentioned in step #1. Now think about as many related SINGLE keywords as you can - if you want to make a websites based around gardens, you might start your list like:-Flowers-Flower-Nature-Green-Garden-Water-Fertilizer...Then you take two keywords - for example "Nature" and "Gardens" and you creatively combine them.NaturalGardens.comGardensofNature.comNatuGardens.comANaturalGarden.com...as you can see the two words don't have to be complete, and as a matter of fact, it doesn't really matter as search engines don't look at the domain name as frequently as they used to. Try this technique many times and you will come up with something really good.8) Acronyms are good if they are available. If your organization is called "Moms Against Registering Domain Names" - then call it MARDN.com - if it's not available look for something else.9) Always go for the appropiate extension. .COM is the most valuable ALWAYS. Here is how they are frequently appreciated: (note that this may vary for individuals, but it's my blog so shut up)-.COM-.NET-.ORG-.BIZ-.INFO -.US-.CC-.WS(everything else)I did not include extensions from specific countries such as co.uk, but of course they are more valuable if you are from that country so keep that in mind.10) It's time for you to choose a registrar - try something big and good. Godaddy has been great for me - on a side note, Godaddy's hosting sucks, so just register it there and then point it elsewhere. ............

How to Choose a Right Web Hosting Service?

2009-11-15T23:15:00.000-08:00

Indeed, choosing a right web hosting service for your website is not an easy task especially when there are thousands of web hosting providers all offering almost identical web hosting packages. Therefore, it is important to know few major considerations even before you start your web hosting search. Below are three major criteria for web host seeker:
1Web hosting features requirementThis is probably the most important consideration to start finding a host for your site. You need to decide the technical requirements for your website, this including:a) Server platform and hardware requirementsIf you plan to set up a website that uses programming environments such as Active Server Pages (ASP), Visual Basic scripts, Cold Fusion or Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL database, in this case, you will need to find a web hosting service that supports Windows platform such as Windows NT or Windows 2000 servers.Likewise, if you plan to use programming languages such as Perl, CGI, SSI, PHP or mySQL database, then any web hosting plans that support Unix/Linux platform should be sufficient to meet your hosting requirements. Once you have these server platform and hardware requirements in mind, you can decide the best web hosting plans for your need. For more information, you can read "How to select a web server and server platform?"b) Disk space & Bandwidth requirementHere is another technical requirement that you need to consider before selecting a web hosting plan, i.e. disk space and bandwidth. If you intend to publish a website that does not have a lot of contents (meaning, web pages), then the disk space requirement may not be a big concern to you. In general, a disk space with 200MB to 500MB should be enough to meet your hosting requirement. In contrast, if you plan to host a website with enormous amount of graphic pictures, mp3 or video files, then you should consider a web hosting plan that provide huge disk space, for example, 500 MB to 1,000 MB.Similarly, the bandwidth requirement will depend on your site traffic estimation. Obviously, a website that expect to attract high traffic will consume the monthly bandwidth allowance very fast. If so, you will need to find one web hosting service that offer huge bandwidth with 40 GB to 100 GB per month. Depending upon your website requirement, choosing a web hosting service that provide sufficient amount of disk space and bandwidth is crucial consideration to prevent paying extra costs in the future should you overuse the monthly disk space and bandwidth allowance.c) Other hosting featuresWhile the above requirements are utmost important, there are other hosting features that you have to consider too. Can web hosting provider support video clips on your website, if you have? Is the web hosting service compatible with Dreamweaver or FrontPage web authoring tool? Do you plan to set up a virtual store online? Can the host support the e-commerce features without adding extra cost to your monthly payments? On top of that, you may also want to find out the number of email accounts provided, number of FTP accounts, web statistic software (analyze your web traffic), type of control panel supported (manage your web hosting account), database and scripting languages supported and etc.
2Reliability and scalabilityA first-class web hosting provider offers reliable server uptime and fast Internet connection. You should only choose a web hosting service that guarantee at least 99% server uptime with high-speed Internet backbones using at least OC3 (Optical Carrier) lines (155 Megabits per second) or above instead of T1 or T3 lines. A reliable web hosting provider usually invests heavily on their data center infrastructure with high performance servers, high speed multiple backbones providers with fail-over redundancy, backup power generators and firewall software protection in place to ensure they meet the uptime guarantee specified in the terms of service.Similarly, you should choose a web hosting service with hardware facilities that designed for scalability, so that they can grow with your business. For example, if you need to increase more disk space, bandwidth or number of mySQL databases, you should be able to upgrade as needed without any problems.3Customer service and supportThe last major consideration in choosing a web hosting service is to find a web hosting providers that offers excellent customer service and support. You should always search for a web hosting provider that offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week technical support that fielded with highly experience technicians, so that any web hosting problems will be resolved within a reasonable amount of time. You may also want to consider to test how responsive is their customer support by sending few inquiry emails to the web hosting provider. In general, any response in less than 24 hours is considered acceptable. It is a sign of poor customer support if they take more than one day to response.In addition, a web hosting provider with excellent support should also provide multiple support channels, such as toll-free phone support, 24/7 email support, live chat, online knowledgebase, Interactive flash tutorials and FAQ.Above are few major considerations before you choose your web hosting service. In addition, how long has the web hosting provider in business and the number of customers that they currently have are also a good indication of the quality of their hosting products as well as the stability of the company. Even though cost of the web hosting service is also important but it should not be your major consideration. Because the price of a web hosting service has been declining over the years due to competition, as a result, the price of most of the web hosting services offering quality hosting features has been converging to less than US$10 per month. If you can't afford less than $10 per month, you probably isn't in the online business for the long haul. Therefore, price should not be a major deciding factor.On the other hand, it is more important to ensure the web hosting service that you choose is able to meet your website hosting requirements, guarantee your website is always accessible with satisfying speed, provide scalability to grow and expand your website as well as offer excellent customer supports.............