What
is Web
hosting?
continued
from page 1
- 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 it can easily be in the six
figure range just to have your Website online, if you were to do
everything your self. This is where hosting providers come in. Hosting
providers are like landlords that lease space either in their datacenter
(co-location), 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 Web hosting 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 their hosting provider to introduce and offer them new technology that will help their business stay ahead of their competition.
Here are some things to consider when looking for a Web hosting provider.
Dedicated or Shared? Does your organization require it's own physical server? Dedicated servers often offer more space, higher bandwidth, root access, more control, and better security.
History / Track Record. Be sure the company that you entrust with your Website knows what they are doing and has been around for a while. 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 online as in collecting funds? 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 Web hosts give users some kind of control over their site 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 better alternative can be suggested.
Network / Connectivity. Be sure your web host 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 the 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 hosting providers can offer value added services specific to your location 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 Web host 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. |
Hosting Boston provides professional web hosting services to businesses in the Massachusetts area.
Hosting Packages
"Fenway Park"
Appies Web Site Manager
Linux OS, Apache
Secure E-commerce
Streaming Multimedia
your own cgi-bin
24/7 Tech Support
15 POP accounts
50 item shopping cart
Microsoft FrontPage support
5GB data transfer
200MB disk space
"Freedom Trail"
Fenway Package PLUS...
Banner Manager
Domain Forwarding
Anonymous FTP
30 POP accounts
100 item shopping cart
MySQL database
Anonymous FTP
daily stats emailed to you
8GB data transfer
300MB disk space
"Boston Common"
Freedom Trail Pkg PLUS...
Unique IP Address
Discussion Board System
OSCommerce
Private secure URL
75 POP accounts
Appies Spam Filter
phpMyAdmin
SSH
12GB data transfer
400MB disk space
"Faneuil Hall"
Boston Common Pkg PLUS...
Prospect Manager
Additional FTP Accts
Multi-User Frontpage
150 POP accounts
20GB data transfer
500MB disk space
No set up fee
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