Posts filed under 'Web Hosting Articles'
Ajax Whois Script : A simple, yet powerful domain name whois checking program written in PHP.
Automatically checks multiple extensions and gives you the results in seconds. Whois Script checks: .com .net .org .info .biz .us .co.uk .me.uk .org.uk and much more.
Features
* Everything done without refreshing the page.
* Domain name extension can be added easily.
* Easily intergrated into thirdparty shopping cart for domain name reseller.
Requirement
* Php 4.0 or above, Apache/IIS (Linux, Mac, Windows).
Details
February 4th, 2008
The Web hosting market has changed dramatically over the years, with consolidation and price cutting making the services more affordable, but also reducing the number of choices available to businesses. More hosting companies are also trying to bundle services in order to derive more revenue from the surviving business customers they have left.In addition to providing rack space and managing servers and storage, many hosting service providers also look to manage the applications that run on their customers’ Web sites. Reliability is critical in the Web hosting arena, and competitive pressures are even driving a few hosting providers to make unrealistic promises. In February, for example, Electronic Data Systems offered a service level agreement that promised 100 percent availability for Web sites and applications that EDS is hosting. This is raising the bar pretty high.
Other service providers have often promised 99.99 percent (commonly referred to as “four nines”) uptime, which gives them a cushion of about 53 minutes of outage time a year when they can down the servers briefly for regularly scheduled maintenance. A few have even touted “five nines,” or 99.999 percent availability, which narrows the margin for error considerably.
While these claims are suspect in their own right, promising 100 percent uptime seems to be over-reaching a little bit further. Even if you offer “nines to the nth degree” availability, you’re still not going so far as guaranteeing 100 percent availability. One hundred percent availability doesn’t leave much room for mistakes and disasters, especially these days when there’s so much for Webmasters to worry about, from cyberterrorism threats to over-subscribed Webcasts that overload the server.
We all know that Internet connections go down, that Web sites become temporarily unavailable or fall prey to denial of service attacks. It’s not uncommon for an errant Java script to crash a Web application. Indeed, EDS seems to be hedging the uninterrupted claim, backing the offer with a “time-to-repair commitment as short as 15 minutes for fully redundant systems” and providing service credits that accumulate from the first minute of downtime. That’s certainly comforting if you’re worried that the actual uptime might fall a little short of the 100 percent mark.
The “fully redundant” part also sounds a little fishy. Does that mean you have an extra hard drive mirroring your hard drive, and maybe a third drive just for grins? How about an extra server mirroring your server, and uninterruptible power supplies backing up the electricity for the servers, disk arrays, and air conditioner, and while you’re at it, an extra system administrator so one of them can go to lunch.
The Web hosting market has grown more competitive with today’s economic slowdown. With fewer companies launching Web sites and scaling back plans for multimedia Webcasts and similar brand-building and bandwidth-hogging activities, hosting providers have needed to focus on niche industries and promote unique capabilities to differentiate themselves.
The claim of perfect uptime is one such strategy. So 100 percent uptime doesn’t necessarily mean availability around the clock 24/7/365. You can just see EDS founder Ross Perot snickering about that bit of slick salesmanship.
Old Ross moved on from EDS years ago to hang out with Larry King, but his spirit still lives on. And you can just hear the “giant sucking sound,” as Perot put it, while this claim deflates on its own dubious merits.
More details here : http://www.cyberindian.com/web-hosting/article.php?article_id=152
February 4th, 2008
If you had a domain name all picked out, only to discover that someone seemed to have registered it after you looked it up but before you bought it, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) would like to talk to you. The agency opened an investigation to discover whether this practice is going on, and if so, what to do about it.It’s called “domain name front running,” and only someone with inside information can do it. Basically, you need to know what queries are being made to the whois service, and which ones don’t resolve to existing domain names. When you find a query that fits that description, you buy it, park it, and figure on selling it later for a large profit. Oh, and of course you get whoever wanted to buy the domain name rather annoyed.
This is totally different from other forms of domain name speculation you may have heard about. It’s not unusual for someone to buy a generic-sounding domain name – like cowboys.com, to coin an example – and then sell it for a profit based on the kind of traffic it can generate with the right web site built around it. A good, dedicated domainer might even put some work into building the site up in a way that fits with the suggested theme before selling it, to at least make back the initial investment.
Domain name front running gets its name from a similar practice in the finance industry, namely “stock and commodity front running.” This happens when a client orders his stock broker to make a purchase, and the broker first makes a purchase of his own based on the order he just received from his client. Stock and commodity front running is illegal.
Domain name front running is not, however. That should come as no surprise, both because the Powers That Be often try to err on the side of less regulation when it comes to the Internet, and because, as I mentioned in the introduction, there is some dispute as to whether it actually exists. A recent announcement by VeriSign seems to indicate that if it doesn’t exist yet, it will very soon.
Domain Name News broke the story late last month. Citing sources, it revealed that VeriSign is mulling the idea of selling access to selected root DNS server lookup data to registrars. This data contains failed lookups. When you know what sites people are trying to find that don’t actually exist, you can make estimates of how profitable they might be, and then buy them.
Domain name tasters can already get this information from some ISPs. But VeriSign manages two of the 13 root name servers, so getting the data directly from them cuts out a middleman. It’s rumored that this data won’t come cheap or easy, however. VeriSign allegedly plans to offer a batched service which would let registrars upload a list of names and then receive a report detailing which names saw “lookup traffic” over a specific period of time.
That covers the “not easy” part. The “not cheap” part is pretty exorbitant, as you’d expect when speculators may be involved. Rumors peg the price of the proposed service as high as one million dollars – with the fee to be waived if the resulting volume of domain name registration warrants it.
Are you angry yet? ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee is, if not angry, at least a bit put out. They released an 11-page PDF report on the issue. They did concede that there has been no guidance on the matter. “ICANN’s Registrar Accreditation Agreement and Registry Agreements do not expressly prohibit registrars and registries from monitoring and collecting WHOIS…domain name availability query data and either selling this information or using it directly,” concedes the SSAC. “In the absence of an explicit prohibition, registrars might conclude that monitoring availability checks is appropriate behavior.”
The SSAC noted in its report that “Registrants have filed complaints with ICANN, registrars, and with Intellectual Property attorneys that suggest domain name front running incidents may have occurred.” Numerous suspicious incidents have undoubtedly gone unreported. Our own CTO, a man with many ideas for cool and useful web sites, estimates that it has happened to him “a minimum of 10 times.” The Internet used to be a place where you could start a business on a shoestring; if someone else has grabbed the domain name you want to use and is trying to sell it at a profit, that’s not true anymore. Multiply our CTO by all the people who have great ideas for an Internet business but not a lot of money to get it started, and you begin to see a real economic impact to this practice.
One of the reasons ICANN is concerned about this alleged practice is that it “portrays an unfavorable image of the parties associated with the domain name registration process in specific, and of the domain name community in general.” Part of this image may have to do with the methods involved in domain name front running. Practitioners must have information, and there are a number of unsavory techniques that SSAC believes they may be using to get it.
One of these techniques is simple client software: “Free- and shareware WHOIS client applications, Browser Help Objects (BHOs), extensions, plug-ins and cookies…can be programmed to record WHOIS queries, domain name queries…and relay these over covert connections…to the software developer or affiliated 3rd party of the developer,” according to the SSAC report. Some of these can be considered to be a form of spyware.
An uglier method involves viruses. “Email-delivered worms infect hundreds if not thousands of client computers daily…Trojan software can be programmed to collect URLs, DNS activity or keystrokes.” The SSAC report notes that it’s not just individually-owned computers that suffer from infections, and “inadequately secured DNS, web and other application servers may also be compromised by attackers,” who then install software to monitor DNS, WHOIS and other system and user activities.
Registrars, resellers, and registries can make lists of names that are checked but don’t resolve. They can either use these names themselves or sell them to domain name front runners.
And then there’s one of the classic forms of hacking: social engineering. “An employee may unintentionally or prematurely reveal a service mark, television or movie title, or product slogan his company intends to register as a domain name during a conversation in a public area, and a passer-by might speculatively register the name,” the SSAC report notes.
The SSAC didn’t say that these practices were actually happening; however, the committee believes they present “plausible opportunities” for domain name front runners to discover potentially profitable URLs. Nor are these the only practices they cited.
Part of the problem with deciding what should be done about domain name front running is that there is no hard evidence yet that the practice even exists. Many people claim to have seen it. So far, however, all evidence is anecdotal, and much of that could still be chalked up to coincidence.“It is possible that two or more parties may become interested in a domain name at nearly the same time, especially if that domain name includes a popular instant messaging acronym (e.g., rofl, afaik, tyvm, bbiab, nvm) or suddenly popular phrase (e.g., ‘what were you thinking,’ ‘go ahead make my day’),” the SSAC observed in its report. There are also technical aspects of the system that could lead to the appearance of domain name front running – for example, a domain name may be registered in the late morning on a given day but WHOIS queries in the afternoon may still show it as being available.
To find out whether this practice really does exist, the SSAC is calling for public comment. If you think you’ve had a domain name swiped out from under you by a domain name front runner, let them know about it by sending an email to ssac-dnfr@icann.org. The group will then review the reports and decide where to go from there.
If you do decide to send an email to the SSAC, there is certain information they would like you to include that would help them in their investigation. Here is the list:
- Method used to check domain name availability (e.g., web browser, application).
- Local access ISP.
- Provider or operator of the availability checking service.
- Dates and times when domain name availability checks were performed.
- Copy of the information returned (e.g., WHOIS query response) in the response to the availability check.
- Whether the domain name was reported as previously registered or never before registered in the response returned from the availability check.
- Copy of the information returned (e.g., WHOIS query response) indicating the name had been registered.
- Copy of any correspondence sent to or received from the registrant perceived to be a front runner.
- Correspondence with the registrar or availability checking service.
- Any information indicating a potential relationship between the availability checking service and the registrant that grabbed the name.
It’s a very tall order, but it is important to get all the documentation out in the open to determine whether this practice is actually happening – and if it isn’t, to keep it from turning into “perceived wisdom.” If it is happening, the documentation should assist SSAC and ICANN in deciding what action needs to be taken to ensure that everyone has a fair shot at the domain names they desire.
November 26th, 2007
3 Ways to Extend Your Web Hosting to China
This article will analyze 3 key factors that blocks Chinese to purchase web hosting service from US companies. We also give out some example about which US web hosting service providers have make the …
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Web Hosting Shopping Guide
Web hosting means a web host provides the storage, connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a web site. Web hosting costs greatly depend on your personal web hosting needs.
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Advice On Choosing The Best DSL Provider
Things To Be Aware Of When Looking For DSL Service Providers
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
July 28th, 2007
Web hosting Services and Domain names
Choosing an appropriate domain name is very important. First and foremost, when it comes to domain names, try to stay away from the silly, stupid, ridiculous or clever. Keep your domain name simple an…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Hosting A Website - What Do You Need To Know
Web hosting is especially useful for personal and small business, and e-commerce sites. It simply involves building your site, setting up an online store and promoting it in the search engines to get …
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
How to choose a web hosting service (part 2)
Make sure your web hosting service is backed with “Price freeze or Price locked” Guarantee. This is very important as what this means is that your web hosting service provider may unethically increase…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
July 28th, 2007
3 Ways to Extend Your Web Hosting to China
This article will analyze 3 key factors that blocks Chinese to purchase web hosting service from US companies. We also give out some example about which US web hosting service providers have make the …
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
A Smart Autoresponder The Key to Success
Find out which smart Autoresponder you should use for your Internet business. Learn why this smart Autoresponder is the best option.
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Hosting a Website: What not to do
By the words web hosting, we usually understand putting up all the necessary ingredients of a website into the space provided by a web server for everyone to view it in a composite form. And often it …
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Web hosting sites choosing - how to do it the right way?
After selecting the best from a list of several cheap website hosting companies, a person needs to find out more about them before making the final decision. The final process needs a closer look at t…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Web Hosting Shopping Guide
Web hosting means a web host provides the storage, connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a web site. Web hosting costs greatly depend on your personal web hosting needs.
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Why IXWebHosting Reduces its Web Hosting Price
This article will dig into the reason why IXWebHosting increases the price its web hosting plan and change it back in a very short time period. And it’s a good lesson for those web hosting service pro…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
How to choose a web hosting service (part 2)
Make sure your web hosting service is backed with “Price freeze or Price locked” Guarantee. This is very important as what this means is that your web hosting service provider may unethically increase…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Advantages of Reseller Hosting v/s Shared Hosting
So now you have a good client base and its growing, its becoming impossible for you to manage your web hosting accounts individually, giving support to your customers is becoming a nightmare, you are …
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
Web hosting Services and Domain names
Choosing an appropriate domain name is very important. First and foremost, when it comes to domain names, try to stay away from the silly, stupid, ridiculous or clever. Keep your domain name simple an…
Source: www.articlesfactory.com
July 28th, 2007
Perfect Web Hosting
One of the greatest concerns for many companies that do business online is web hosting, and the services that web hosting services provide. Trying to find the best deal that is economical and reliable…
July 28th, 2007
How to choose a web hosting service (part 1)
Web hosting is not about large space or huge amounts of bandwidth. It is mainly about the quality of the service a web hosting provider extends to its customers.
Web Hosting Shopping Guide
Web hosting means a web host provides the storage, connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a web site. Web hosting costs greatly depend on your personal web hosting needs.
Web hosting sites choosing - how to do it the right way?
After selecting the best from a list of several cheap website hosting companies, a person needs to find out more about them before making the final decision. The final process needs a closer look at t…
Hosting a Website: What not to do
By the words web hosting, we usually understand putting up all the necessary ingredients of a website into the space provided by a web server for everyone to view it in a composite form. And often it …
A Smart Autoresponder The Key to Success
Find out which smart Autoresponder you should use for your Internet business. Learn why this smart Autoresponder is the best option.
Advice On Choosing The Best DSL Provider
Things To Be Aware Of When Looking For DSL Service Providers
Web hosting Services and Domain names
Choosing an appropriate domain name is very important. First and foremost, when it comes to domain names, try to stay away from the silly, stupid, ridiculous or clever. Keep your domain name simple an…
Advantages of Reseller Hosting v/s Shared Hosting
So now you have a good client base and its growing, its becoming impossible for you to manage your web hosting accounts individually, giving support to your customers is becoming a nightmare, you are …
July 28th, 2007
Access Microsoft’s advanced database creation and maintenance software. It is very popular among developers who maintain online databases with Windows NT.
Active Server Page (ASP) ASPs are HTML documents embedded with scripts (typically Microsoft’s VB Script or Jscript). These scripts are processed by the server prior to being transferred to the user.
ActiveX A set of properties that define how applications are to share information with each other. These properties are known as controls.
Aliased Nameservers An aliased nameserver is a nameserver that has been labeled as yours (the reseller’s) despite the fact it actually belongs to your Web hosting provider. This ensures that domains located on your server are listed as “ns.yourservername.com” instead of “ns.yourprovidersname.com”. Also see NAMESERVER below.
Apache One of the world’s most popular Web server programs, Apache was built by a group of open-source programmers and is often used because of its outstanding performance, strong security features and the fact that it is free.
Application Service Provider A third party that manages software applications for servers and networks.
Bandwidth The amount of data that can be transmitted at a given moment to a server. The higher your bandwidth, the larger amount of traffic your site can handle at one time.
CGI Short for Common Gateway Interface, a small script that processes data taken from the user (such as from a form application).
Cgi-bin The directory on a Web server where CGI scripts are stored.
Co-located hosting This hosting option gives webmasters complete control over their server. You are responsible for providing the physical hardware and network administration; the hosting company will provide you with the rack space and Internet connection.
Cookie A text file sent to a user’s Web browser from a Web server. Cookies are typically exchanged back and forth between the two in order to prepare custom content for users, and to exchange data like registration information.
Dedicated hosting A hosting feature that allows a Web site to have its own server. This is more flexible than shared hosting (see below), as webmasters typically have full control over the back end of the server, including choice of OS. Administration, however, is still handled by the hosting company.
Diesel Generator A diesel-powered generator used by hosting companies as a back-up source to generate electricity in the event of a power outage.
Domain names Domain names are the word sequences users enter in their URL bar to visit your site. They are attached to a DNS, short for Domain Naming System, which is used to translate numeric addresses (known as IP, or Internet Protocol, addresses) into words. Each site you visit on the net has a numeric IP address behind its name.
Firewall A piece of security software designed to protect Web servers. They are typically used to protect sites from hacker attacks/unauthorized access.
Flash A popular piece of animation software developed by Macromedia. Flash is widely used on the Web because it requires little bandwidth, therefore making it friendly to users with low or high-speed connections.
FrontPage A popular site design and management tool developed by Microsoft.
FTP Short for File Transfer Protocol, a method of allowing remote users and Web servers to exchange files.
HTML Short for HyperText Markup Language, the language by which Web servers and client browsers communicate. All server-side functions (such as database processing), although they may be performed in another language, must eventually be output back to the user in HTML.
HTTP Stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, the protocol by which HTML files move across the Internet. HTTP requires a client browser and an HTTP server (typically a Web server).
IIS Short for Internet Information Server, Microsoft’s server software for Windows NT/2000.
Intranet A vast internal network structured in a fashion similar to the Internet. Intranets are usually established by large corporate organizations to improve communication. The main difference between the Internet and an intranet is that access to intranets are restricted to authorized members only.
IP Short for Internet Protocol, which designates the format of “data packets” that are used to exchange information over the Internet.
IRC Short for Internet Relay Chat, a popular text-base multi-user chat network.
ISDN Short for Integrated Services Digital Network, a high-speed solution to moving data over phone lines. It can transfer data at approximately 128,000 bits per second over a standard land line.
Load Balancing Distributing data across a network of servers in order to ensure that a single Web server does not get overloaded with work, thereby affecting performance.
Managed hosting A dedicated server that is accompanied by a full suite of technical support, maintenance and monitoring services. This differs from dedicated Web hosting, where customers are provided with their own servers but are still responsible for virtually all administrative and maintenance duties.
MIME Short for Multipurpose Internet Email Extensions, a protocol that allows users to transfer non-text messages like audio, video and images through e-mail.
Mirror sites A mirror site is an exact copy of another FTP or Web site. These are used to offset/spread traffic load on busy Web sites.
MS Index Server An add-on for Microsoft Internet Information server (see above) that indexes documents on Web or Intranet servers running IIS. The information is then presented to users in a searchable format.
Name server A server responsible for translating domain names and IP addresses.
Newsgroup A USENET discussion group (see below).
NOC Short for Network Operations Center, a hosting company’s “home base,” so to speak. The NOC is usually where most administration, technical support and physical server storage takes place. For more information, please refer to our article, Inside the NOC, here.
OC Short for Optical Carrier, representing the speed of fiber-optic networks. OC speeds can range anywhere between 1 and 48. Most hosting companies have OC3 connections, which allows for the transfer of data at a rate of up to 155.52 Mbps.
Packet switching The method by which most data is exchanged throughout the Internet. Most data is broken down in to smaller “packets” prior to transfer, and then reassembled at the destination.
Parking All domain names have to be stored on a server in order to be purchased. Most domain registration services will therefore temporarily place a newly purchased name on their servers until a hosting plan is purchased or the owner points the DNS to a different site. This is known as parking.
POP Short for Post Office Protocol. An e-mail protocol that mail software such as Eudora use to communicate with mail servers.
Propagation The process where name servers throughout the Internet add new domains and remove expired ones from their records. This can be a lengthy process, which is why connecting to a new domain name can often take three or four days.
RAID Short for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, a method of data protection/backup. Data is stored over a number of servers so that information will still be accessible if a piece of hardware/software crashes.
Reseller A reseller operates components of a Web hosting operation using services, infrastructure and equipment provided by another Web hosting service. Some resellers operate full-fledged businesses using the hardware, software, network and logistical support of another Web hosting firm, while others simply operate as sales agents for other Web hosting companies, offering discounts and providing low-level technical support.
Scalability The ability of a piece of software or hardware to expand/grow as if necessary.
Shared hosting The most basic of Web hosting types. With shared hosting, numerous Web sites are shared on one server. While an economic solution, they typically cannot handle large amounts of storage or traffic.
Shopping cart A program designed to handle the e-commerce section of a Web site. Shopping cart software lets users browse for and purchase products online.
SMTP Short for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a protocol used by mail servers to exchange messages with each other.
SQL Short for Standard Query Language. A standard protocol used to request information from databases. Servers which can handle SQL are known as SQL servers.
SSL Short for Secure Sockets Layer, a protocol developed by Netscape to handle and protect confidential/sensitive information required for e-commerce transactions (like credit card numbers). SSL address usually begin with ‘https’.
Subdomain Typically known as a “domain within a domain”, subdomains are individual Web addresses built upon a pre-existing domain name (such as clientname.yourhostingcompany.com). As a reseller, you will have the option of assigning subdomains to clients if they do not choose to have a domain name.
T1 Connection A phone or data connection that can support the transfer of up to 1.544Mbits of data per second. T1 connections are popular among businesses and ISPs. Most T1s are connected to T3, which can handle up to 43Mbits per second and are actual Internet backbone connections.
Tape back-up A popular and inexpensive way to back up Web sites. Contents of a site are periodically stored that looks similar to a cassette. Some cassettes can store several gigabytes.
Telnet A command-line interface that allows remote users and Web servers to communicate.
TCP Short for Transmission Control Protocol, an important network protocol. TCP allows two hosts to connect and exchange data, and ensures that “data packets” are delivered exactly as sent.
TLD Shot for Top Level Domain, the suffix for major domain names like .com, .net and .org.
UNIX A text-based, multitasking Operating System suitable for Web and network administration. Unix has spawned numerous popular spinoffs, including Linux and FreeBSD. Most Unix-based Operating Systems are open source, meaning the source code to the Operating System has been made freely available to the public for modification. Most Web hosting companies and resellers offer Unix-based hosting in some capacity or other.
USENET A network of thousands of discussion groups (known as newsgroups; see above) on the Internet.
UUENCODE Short for Unix to Unix Encoding, a method of converting images to ASCII (see above) text in order to be transferred over the Internet.
Virtual host A shared hosting solution, the most basic of hosting types. Numerous Web sites are shared on one server.
Virtualization A process/software designed to reduce server management costs through automation, while providing more control over service levels.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) A virtual private server provides the features of a dedicated server on a machine that is shared by other Web hosting customers. Customers therefore get hosting services that are similar to that of dedicated Web hosting without sacrificing privacy or performance.
WHOIS A central database which tracks all domain name/IP registrations.
Windows NT/2000 These are graphic-based, multitasking Operating Systems developed over the past few years by Microsoft. Both can act as standalone OS for personal computers/workstations, or can serve as an OS for a Web site/network. Most Web hosting companies and resellers offer Windows-based hosting in some capacity or other.
XML Short for Extensible Markup Language. XML is a language allowing developers to create their own markup tags. All XML tags are defined by the programmer, and can be interpreted differently in different applications. For example, the “” tag in HTML means Italics, but could mean anything in XML, depending on the function the developer assigns to it.
June 20th, 2007
A good, shared Web host must provide reliable and reasonable quality of service. Many times, a consumer will sign up with the least expensive provider only to experience many technical difficulties and the inevitable and frustrating experience of changing Web hosts. To avoid this experience, it is best if the consumer chooses the right hosting company. Ensuring that a shared Web hosting firm has the following characteristics will increase the probability of consumer satisfaction.
Quality Server Technology The use of quality server technology is important. Since shared hosting services utilize multiplexed equipment, consumers must ensure that the server and server technology used can accommodate the number of users on your particular server.
System Administrators Make sure that knowledgeable system administrators are operating your hosting company’s technology.
Network Redundancy Your shared hosting package must have multiple connections to the Internet. Network redundancy ensures that if one Internet connection goes down, traffic can be re-routed through another connection.
Network Connectivity It is important to find the fastest Internet connection possible. Since you are competing with other users for resources in a shared hosting environment, you should ensure that you have at least T3 connection that is using less than 50 per cent of available bandwidth.
You should also consider the following factors before selecting any type of shared hosting solution for your Web site. By considering these factors, you will save money in the long run by selecting a solution that grows with your business.
Purchase only what you need Select a Web hosting solution that corresponds with your business needs. Only purchase services that your site will require to provide your specific content. Don’t sign up for an all-inclusive account with a hosting firm if you won’t use most of their services. This will unnecessarily increase your costs.
Select a scalable solution Make sure that your hosting solution can grow as your site grows in complexity. Ensure that you can upgrade your site to accommodate increased bandwidth and other demanding resource requirements such as server-side scripting, database support and multimedia streaming.
Find prompt tech support Only use a host that provides prompt and knowledgeable customer care. A dependable host should offer 24×7 toll-free technical support rendered by experienced and professionally trained technicians.
Check references Before you commit to a particular hosting firm, ask for references. Make sure to canvass other webmasters running sites with similar specifications. Browse their Web sites and measure response times at both peak and non-peak periods.
Watch your billing and keep your receipt Many hosting firms are notorious for their horrid billing practices. Check your credit card statements to ensure that you are not being overcharged or billed at an incorrect frequency. Most purchases occur online, so make sure to print out your receipt. Most companies will require you to remit that receipt by fax in order to cancel.
Back up all your data Do not depend on your host to recover any data you publish on the Web. Most hosting firms are only equipped to recover files in the event of a system failure. Ensure that you have a copy of any data that you post to the Web on your own hard drive.
Own your own domain Make sure that your Web host will not hold you hostage to their service by exercising administrative control over your domain name. Your host should only be listed as a technical contact. You should exercise administrative control over the domain name from the point of purchase.
Do extensive background research Find out whether a host is real or whether it resells hosting solutions. Also check what payment processor the host uses to run credit card transactions. Determine who owns the hosting company and whether they possess the technical expertise required to run it effectively. All of these factors impact upon the credibility and reliability of the host and the services you provide your customers.
Obtain assurances You should obtain assurances concerning service quality before you sign up for hosting services. A quality Web host should assure some form of service quality and compensation if you experience an interruption in service.
Understand your obligations Before you sign up with a Web host, you must understand what your obligations are concerning payment for service and permissible behavior. Certain hosting companies will not permit high traffic content, such as adult material. Other hosting companies will permit such content, but only if a special hosting service package is selected.
Establish an exit strategy Always have a backup plan in case your host goes belly-up or experiences an unrecoverable failure. Redundancy should always be a priority if you are running an Internet-based business. Remember that any service outage can completely compromise your source of income.
June 20th, 2007
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