A web host, quite simply, allows you to rent space on a web
server. Your web pages are then stored on this server, and the
host computer allows other people connected to the Internet to
view them.
There are literally hundreds of web hosting companies to choose
from. How to choose the right one?
As with trying out any new service, you won't really know how
good a web hosting company is until you try it. Therefore, ask
around and see whether you can get any recommendations from
those who already use a web hosting company. You might also want
to consider how long the company has been in business, how
reliable it is known to be, and how expensive it would be if you
want to upgrade your plan in future.
Other areas to consider include:
- Disk space How much disk space do you need? Does you website
have less than 10 pages? You'll need only a small amount of
space. Is it a huge site that has thousands of pages? You'll be
needing a lot of disk space. Most web hosting plans limit how
much space you will have, so make sure the plan you choose meets
your needs.
- E-mail accounts How many e-mail accounts do you need? You'll
probably need one for each employee and one for each department
(sales, accounts, support). Make sure you purchase a hosting
plan that has enough e-mail accounts. Also, do you want full
POPS access, Web-based e- mail, or both?
- Data transfer How much data do you need to transfer? Most
hosting plans limit how much data transfer you are allotted each
month. If you expect a lot of people to visit your site, you'll
need a plan that allows for plenty of data transfer.
- E-commerce Will you be selling goods or services through your
site? If not, there's no need to sign up for an e-commerce web
hosting service. If you are, e-commerce web hosting services
such as shopping cart software, SSL support and a merchant
account will be vital.
- Database, script and extension support Some hosts will try to
blind you with all the features they provide: Frontpage, MS
Access, MySQL, MS SQL, Peri support, PHP support, ASP support
and SSI support. Do you really need all these features? If not,
make sure you are not paying for extras you'll never use.
- Operating systems Do you want a UNIX hosting plan or a Windows
hosting plan? Unix is the most commonly used operating system
among Web servers. It is known for its flexibility, reliability
and stability. Windows hosting plans give you the ability to
utilize many forms of dynamic content and specialized databases.
Windows hosting plans are often used for sites utilizing
Frontpage, ASP, MS Access databases, MS SQL Servers and other
Microsoft applications.
- Support Is customer and technical support available 24/7? Can
you easily get through on the customer support hotline? Or are
you on hold for hours?
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