Choosing the Right Web Host for Your Needs.
As the Web hosting industry has matured, hosting offers have split into a few distinct categories, each with strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial to understand the differences among the types of hosting offered.
· Shared hosting (sometimes called virtual hosting) means that you are sharing a server with other clients of that company. The host manages the server almost completely (though you maintain your site and your account). They can afford to charge you little since many clients are paying for use of the server. However, companies other than yours use the resources of that server. That means heavy traffic to one of the other sites on the server can hammer the performance of your site. Also, you typically are unable to install special software programs on these types of machines because the host will need to keep a stable environment for all of the clients using the server.
· Co-located hosting means that you buy a server from a hardware vendor, like Dell or HP, and you supply this server to the host. The Web host plugs your server into its network and its redundant power systems. The host is responsible for ensuring its network is available, and you are responsible for support and maintenance of your server. Good hosts offer management contracts to their co-location clients so that you can outsource much of the support to them and come to an arrangement similar to managed dedicated hosting. Most co-location hosts do not offer this service, however.
· Unmanaged dedicated hosting is similar to co-location except that you lease a server from a host and do not own it yourself. Some very limited support (typically Web-based only) is included, but the level of support varies widely among unmanaged dedicated hosts. This type of server can be had for around $99/month. Support levels typically are provided only in general terms. Ask the host to go into specifics about what support it will provide — will it apply security patches to your server? — before signing up. This service is typically good for gaming servers (like Doom or Counterstrike servers) or hobbyist servers, but not for serious businesses that need responsive, expert-level service.
· Managed dedicated hosting means leasing a server from a host and having that company provide a robust level of support and maintenance on the server that is backed by quality guarantees. This maintenance typically includes services such as server uptime monitoring, a hardware warranty and security patch updates. Ensure that your managed dedicated host is specific about its managed services so that it does not disguise an unmanaged dedicated offering as a managed dedicated server. This has been known to happen, which is why it is important to do your homework and ask the right questions. This is excerpted from 9 Things to Know Before Selecting a Web Host; by Chris Kivlehan, Marketing Manager at INetU Managed Hosting, Allentown, PA. He may be contacted at 610/266-7441 or at chrisk@inetu.net.
Getting Value from Your Web Host.
Let’s first look at some of the things that are considered when a Web host prices their packages. The items that are best to look at first are definitive numbers such as:
• Disk space. The disk space is how much space your account takes up on the server very similar to how much space a folder takes up on your hard drive.
• Bandwidth. Bandwidth (sometimes called data transfer) is basically how many times your files can be viewed. For example, if you have a 1 MB file and 100 MB of bandwidth, the file can be viewed 100 times.
• Extras. Extras such as MySQL databases, email accounts, etc. Most of these cost the host basically no extra money.
Some of the things harder to price:
• Support/Service. Support and service are the hardest things to put a number on. Test response times and helpfulness before you buy to get a general idea of support and service.
• Hardware Configurations. Many servers cost more than others (for most shared hosts, the standard is Dual Xeons with at least 3.0 GHz of processor power) and the hardware configuration of the server can make a difference in price and the performance of your website.
• Overselling. Many shared hosts oversell, which means that if they have a server only capable of holding 100 accounts that are 1 MB each, they will assume most people won’t use all of the space/features and the host will sell 150 accounts (sometimes more). A host that does not oversell will only sell 100 accounts. Overselling can have a big effect on your site’s performance and the price of the hosting account.
• Extra Features. Some Web hosts offer extra features that may or may not be exclusive to them. It’s very hard to price addon features, but the best rule of thumb is, if you don’t need it, find out if there’s a way to remove it from your account (and bill).
Almost every Web host has some sort of plan comparison page that will list the definitive features like space and bandwidth as well the extras. Browse around the company’s website and you should get a good idea of what they offer and for how much.
Now that you know what Web hosts charge for, here’s some steps not to end up paying for more than you need.
1. Determine your budget. The first step is to decide what you will spend. If it’s $50.00 per month, keep that in mind.
2. Find out what you need. Send a description of your desired site (i. e. a 10 page website with a shopping cart) to several hosts and ask them to recommend a package for you. Be sure to mention what your support requirements are – do you need someone to hold your hand or can you do everything pretty much by yourself? Compare the features at each of the hosts and see which one is cheapest and is closest to your needs.
3. Research. Once you find out your needs, research some hosts. See which ones have the best service and support, fastest servers, etc. Be sure to check out independent review sites and try and get a good idea of what the host is and is not good at.
4. Verify. After you’ve figured out what host you think is best for you, verify the company you’re interested in offers what you need and is within your budget.
5. Test. Now that you have a host in mind, do some testing. Test out the service by sending the host a few emails to them, give the host a call, try the live chat, browse the company’s website, and check out their customer forums. Be sure to check on what the company’s money back guarantee is and read the details (how long the guarantee is valid for, what’s involved in getting a refund, what are the reasons needed for a refund, etc.).
6. Recall. During your research and testing, was the host helpful? Were replies prompt and courteous? Is their pricing competitive? Do they seem concerned about you and your business? Does the company seem professional?
7. Try. Everything seem okay? Go ahead and signup. Wait until a few days before the money back guarantee period is over, and ask yourself – have you been happy so far? If the answer is yes, you’ve found a good host that meets your budget.
Keep these tips and steps in mind, and you should never overpay for a Web host. Just keep in mind that you do not always get what you pay for and that you should do research and testing before choosing a host.
About the Author
Douglas Hanna is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about customer service, branding, and technology. Mr. Hanna is also a writer at Service Untitled (http://www.serviceuntitled.com), a blog about customer service and the customer service experience. He may be contacted via email at doug[at]9spot[dot]net.