| Choosing your web hosting provider is the next | | | | while for some other sites like desktop wallpapers |
| logical step after you have registered your domain | | | | sites bandwidth can be often even several hundred |
| name. However, it is not easy to find the right web | | | | GB per month. |
| hosting deal. There are many companies that offer | | | | Up-time or visibility |
| web hosting services. If you make a search on | | | | Up-time or visibility represents time expressed in |
| Google for the keyword web hosting you will get | | | | percents that show how much is one site online. |
| more than 100 million results! | | | | Don't be fooled because someone guarantees for |
| If you want to have a successful online presence | | | | example 98% up-time because it is not enough. You |
| you need to have reliable web hosting. Your web site | | | | don't have to take anything les than 99.7%. Believe |
| has to be always online and accessible. Otherwise, | | | | us, that difference is very big. Useful site checking |
| you will loose clients and prospects. Let's compare | | | | your up-time is |
| this with a traditional business. If you have a shop in | | | | Email accounts |
| "offline" business name of the shop is your domain | | | | It is important to know what you will get in your |
| name and business space and infrastructure is your | | | | web hosting package regarding email accounts. Will |
| web hosting. Imagine a cafe that don't have | | | | you get only a so called catch -all forwarding which |
| electricity once a day for one hour or a fast food | | | | means that all emails sent to will arrive to your email |
| service where there is only one employee instead of | | | | address or you can set-up email accounts for several |
| four! | | | | users? For how many? Is it for 5, 10, 100 or unlimited |
| WEB HOSTING TYPES | | | | email accounts? Also, it doesn't hurt to check do you |
| You have to choose your web hosting deal | | | | get a so called POP3 email address ("real" email |
| depending on type of your site. You won't choose | | | | address), web mail or both? Having a POP3 email |
| the same web hosting deal if you have a personal | | | | address you will be able to check your emails using |
| web site, web site for email newsletter subscription | | | | your favourite email client and web mail enables you |
| and archives, e-commerce site or web forum. There | | | | to check your emails at any place that has computer |
| are 4 main web hosting: virtual (shared) hosting, | | | | and Internet connection. |
| dedicated server, collocation server and reseller | | | | Server type, tools and control panel |
| hosting. The two most used are virtual (shared) | | | | The two most often used hosting are on Unix-based |
| hosting and dedicated server. | | | | or Windows platform. That fact has for the result |
| Virtual (shared) hosting is the situation where many | | | | program languages, databases and scripts that you |
| web sites reside on one web server. This is the | | | | will be able to use. On Unix-based platform, usual |
| cheapest web hosting because many users split the | | | | choice is PHP language in combination with MySQL |
| cost for web server. You can find quality virtual | | | | while on Windows platform ASP or ASP.NET language |
| hosting from $100 per year. | | | | in combination with SQL Server. You have to check |
| Dedicated server represents a hosting where | | | | do you get a database in your package and how |
| company lease the whole web server from web | | | | many. Today, modern web site has to be |
| hosting company. That web server is located in the | | | | database-driven. |
| web hosting company. Dedicated server is the right | | | | Also, it is recommended to be informed about tools |
| choice for company that doesn't want to share there | | | | that you get in your web hosting package, no matter |
| server with other users. Dedicated server can be | | | | if they are applications for web statistics, file |
| managed and un-managed. In the first case web | | | | manager and things like that. Best solution is if you |
| hosting company will take care about setting up and | | | | get a cPanel along with Fantastico. Using Fantastico, |
| constant updates and upgrades of your web server | | | | marketers without technical knowledge can install |
| while you will have to do that in the second case. | | | | most popular web applications within 2-3 clicks. |
| Advantage of this type of web hosting is that you | | | | Technical support |
| can completely accommodate your web hosting to | | | | Technical support is one of the most important things |
| your needs. Also, dedicated server is the only logical | | | | in choosing your web hosting, especially if you are a |
| choice for web sites with lots of visitors. Because of | | | | marketer without technical knowledge. You have to |
| costs for a dedicated server that start from $100 | | | | be sure that your technical support will answer your |
| per month, usually this hosting is chosen only by | | | | emails within 24 hours. This is not only important for |
| companies which take their Internet business very | | | | choosing your web hosting company, it is important |
| seriously. | | | | to literally any company that sells products and |
| Collocation server is similar to dedicated server. | | | | services, for example software company. |
| Difference is that company doesn't lease a web | | | | Some companies are so well organized that you will |
| server. They place their own web server in the web | | | | receive response from them within 1 hour! You can |
| hosting company. Also, company has physical access | | | | get an image about your future technical support |
| to their web server while it is not the case in using a | | | | about the way they can be contacted. Is it only via |
| dedicated server. | | | | email or they have a support phone, too? Do they |
| Reseller hosting is targeted to companies that want | | | | have a toll-free number? Do they have trouble-ticket |
| to start their own web hosting business. | | | | system? Also, very important thing is their working |
| Useful web site where you can find a web hosting | | | | hours. Do they provide technical support only during |
| that will fit your needs is | | | | their working hours from 9 to 17 or they offer 24x7 |
| FACTORS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER | | | | technical support? The best way to see how |
| You have to take several factors in consideration in | | | | professional they are is to make a list of questions, |
| order to be satisfied with your web hosting. | | | | contact them and - wait to get the answer. |
| Web space | | | | Testimonials |
| Web space is determined by the type of your site. | | | | It is a common practice that web hosting and |
| Certainly, if you want to have a web site with basic | | | | software companies have Testimonials section where |
| information about yourself and your work without | | | | you can read recommendations from their happy |
| using web applications that 50 MB of web space will | | | | customers. Don't rely only on that section. Many web |
| be enough. On the other hand, if you want to have | | | | hosting companies offer you to see their portfolio of |
| complex e-commerce site with several thousand | | | | web sites that they host. Contact several |
| products in your database or web site with | | | | webmasters and ask them about what they think |
| members, you don't have to take anything less than | | | | about their web hosting provider. Very useful thing in |
| 1 GB. | | | | finding best web hosting deals and recommendations |
| Bandwidth | | | | is to visit popular web forums like and |
| Bandwidth represents data that has been transferred | | | | You see that there are several factors that influence |
| from your web site and that include graphic details, | | | | in choosing your web hosting package. You have to |
| images, banners, files for download etc. Content is | | | | be aware that like with everything else, when we |
| very important for planning your bandwidth. For most | | | | come to web hosting you usually get what you pay |
| sites, 10 GB monthly bandwidth is more than enough | | | | for. |