Finding
that Host that Offers the Most
By Merle
Whether
you already have a website or are thinking of setting
up shop online, sooner or later you'll have to deal
with the issue of web hosting. Although it may seem
like a "no brainer," there are actually
many factors you'll need to consider before making
this important decision. Your first inclination
may be to look only at the cost, thinking "cheaper
is better." However, that old saying "you
get what you pay for,"is especially true in
this situation. Here are some of the more important
points you'll want to look at when considering your
next host.
UNIX/ NT/ The
two most popular hosting platforms to choose from
are UNIX and NT. UNIX is by far the favorite, as
it was the only choice way back in the early days
of the Internet. It is easy to configure, great
for setting your own file permissions and the platform
for most of the free scripts available for download.
It is flexible, reliable and supports scripting
languages like Perl and PHP3.
NT is Microsoft's
baby. One problem that I have found with NT servers
is a lack of readily available scripts that work
on this platform. Also, (unlike UNIX) many NT users
need assistance from their Web Host Administrators
to set file permissions. NT supports MS applications
such as ASP, Access, FP and scripting languages
such as Perl, Cold Fusion and ASP.
TECH SUPPORT/
When you need help you'll want to make sure you
can get it. Some web hosts offer phone support or
even live chat. Make sure they have good tech support
in place as there's nothing more annoying than needing
assistance with your site and not being able to
get it.
SET UP FEE/
MONTHLY FEE/ Some hosts charge an initial set
up fee to get your site set up and running on their
server. Make sure you check on this when comparing
prices. I've seen monthly fees ranging from 9.99
to 39.99, depending on the plan and services offered.
My advice to you would be to look past the cheapest
and most expensive ends of the scale and go with
a mid-range pricing plan to be on the safe side.
You should be able to pick up a reliable web host
for 20 to 25.00 per month.
HARD DRIVE/
SPACE/ How much space they're willing to give
you is important if you're going to compare apples
to apples. You need to keep in mind the size of
your site when deciding how much space you really
need. Generally, 20 to 30 MB is plenty for a small
site. You might want to ask if you can pay for more
space should your site ever outgrow its present
state.
FTP ACCESS/
TELNET ACCESS/ Even if you plan on using Frontpage
to manage your site, you'll still need to have FTP
access. It is usually standard, but it never hurts
to ask. Make sure you keep your user name and password
in a safe place. You'll use FTP to set file permissions
and to upload your files to the web server.
Telnet can be
very useful for troubleshooting CGI scripts and
changing server configurations. There are some servers
that will not grant telnet access.
CGI-BIN/
A very important component if you're planning on
adding any sort of interactivity to your site like
forms, shopping carts, etc. Usually comes as standard
equipment, but I've seen some of the cheaper hosts
leave it out entirely.
EMAIL BOXES
& POP 3 ALIASES/ One thing that's very important
to me is the ability to use different aliases with
my domain name. For example, if your domain is ezineadauction.com,
you may want to set up separate addresses to sort
your mail like service@ezineadauction.com or support@ezineadauction.com.
They may all funnel into the same mailbox, but you
can set up filters at your end, making customer
service a whole lot easier.
If you have a
"wildcard" account, you can set up as
many aliases as you like. If you have other employees
who will need their own private box, check with
the web host to see how many boxes they will allow.
STATS/
Once you start getting traffic, you'll want to know
where it's coming from and what pages of your site
are being visited. Some web hosts will throw stats
tracking in with their standard package or at least
give you access to your log files, which you can
then use with third party software to run reports
on the traffic your site is receiving.
MISCELLANEOUS
THOUGHTS/:
1) If you want
to use Frontpage: Do they have the FP server extensions
installed?
2) Do they offer
autoresponders?
3) How about a
secured server option for payment transactions?
4) Do they back
up all websites in case of disaster?
5) Do they offer
assistance in programming or design work if needed
at an hourly rate?
6) Do they offer
shopping cart software if you're going to be selling
products?
7) Do any customized
forms come standard with your account, like feedback
or order forms?
8) Bandwidth-
Be aware that bandwidth is how much data can
be transferred in a month's time. This shouldn't
be a concern unless you're getting a ton of traffic,
but be aware that most hosts do have limitations
on what they'll allow.
As you can see,
there are many factors to take into account when
choosing a web host. Your host is essentially the
spine of your site,so you want to make sure that
the one you choose is reliable and solid. Nothing
can ruin a site faster than an unreliable host.
I know; been there, done that.
Remember, choosing
a good host is essential to the success and reliability
of your online business. Do your homework and choose
the one that's right for you.
About the author:
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com "Where
some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are
Made" Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction
setting! Publishers sell off your excess inventory
and Buyers pick up some Fantastic bargains. Go now.
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