There are many times when you are not able to, do not feel like, or don't need to spend money to host a web site. This could be the case for times when you are building a small site as an experiment, a hobby, as a test platform, or as a backup for your other site. In these and other cases, you can look for free web hosts.
In the Internet's heyday, when everything was free, web hosting was plentiful and quite reliable and feature rich. As many of the web hosts succumbed to a slowdown in the online advertising market, the number of free web hosts decreased significantly. Further more, those who provided free services scaled them down and switched to paid only models for the extra features. Others innundated their free clients with a bevy of banners, popups, popunders, inline ads, javascript and flash advertising, and more.
here is no free lunch, so there must be some drawbacks to free web hosting, and there are. For one, you are usually forced to show some sort of advertising. The web host has to re-coup their costs, they would even like to make money and you cannot blame them for that. Banners, text links, pop-ups, pop-unders and combinations of them are common. Free web hosts also tend to limit the storage space they provide, they limit the type of files and the subject of the content, they usually have size limits on the files you can upload, they don't usually provide features like scripting, shopping carts, databases and more. Apart from that, some free hosts might provide sub-domains and while others might have sub-directories - so no custom domain names. Lastly, hosting on a free web host does not give a very professional impression, especially if the website is an e-commerce or business site.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Free Web Hosting
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Reliable Web Hosting
Reliable Web Hosting: The Difference Between Free And Paid Hosting Companies
Having a website is almost mandatory for any business unless you are satisfied with leaving money on the table. Whether you are running a home based internet business or your traditional brick and mortar business, a website can greatly enhance your exposure. The benefits to getting more exposure means much greater sales revenue. To begin your internet presence that first thing you will need is a reliable web host.
A web host is a company that is sort of like the mechanic for your website. Website hosting providers have several functions that they handle in so the World Wide Web can view you website without any disturbances. When it comes to choosing a web host you have 2 choices: free or paid. Free services are great if you already have some web savvy. If you are technically challenged, then a paid web hosting provider may be the route for you.
The benefits to hosting your website yourself can save you some money. There are some stipulations that you must be aware of when deciding to use a free web hosting option however. Free web host offer you free hosting but they usually ask that you run several ads on your website or in some cases the occasional pop ups will occur. You will also be limited to some services such as the amount of space available to you. If you are planning to run a thriving e-commerce business or professional website, then free web hosting is probably not for you. Free hosting is perfect however if your website is going to be personal web page.
Paid hosting providers offer you a more wider range of resources that is more suitable for business. Services like unlimited email, autoresponders, and storage space are provided by a few of the best rated web hosting companies. Most of the more reputable web hosting companies
also offer ways to help you make your own website for free. Paid hosting does not have to be expensive, you can find cheap hosting packages that provide you with the benefits that you are looking for.
The decision of choosing the right web host should depend primarily on your business. You will need to have an idea of how much traffic you expect on generating to your website. It is important to make sure that you choose a web hosting package that gives you room to grow in case you online business turns into a major success. To get a better idea of what you needs are, you should choose a reliable web host that has great customer service
. A reliable hosting provider will help you with the technical terms like how much bandwidth, storage space you need and they will also provide tutorials on how to run c-panel. The extra training will make it easier for you to hit the ground running.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Web Hosting Advertising Nightmare
I've been searching around to advertise my web hosting website for free and I've hit quite a few walls. Unless you have tons of money to spend into affiliate marketing with companies like Commission Junction, have tons of money for top advertising on many of the directories, and/or have tons of money for Google Ad Words or Yahoo Marketing you are literally SOL.
I was contacted by WebHostDir.com for an advertising spot for $400 per month. What?! I want to MAKE $400 per month, not spend it! TopHosts.com was worse and much more expensive as shown in a previous blog.
One of the major decisions that I have made with my web hosting directory www.gotawebhost.com is to promote 1 to 1 advertising. Everything on the website will be FREE. Free listings, free advertising, free article submissions, FREE. The concept will be - you post my banner on your home page, and I'll post the same size banner in a similar position on my home page. Simple as that! You post my video, I'll post your video - you post my article, I'll post your article - you post my banner, I'll post your banner.
If other web hosting directories can generate traffic of 300,000 unique visits per month with over 1.5 million page views - then I can too!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Web Hosting Companies in Nepal II
Top Hosting Companies in Nepal
Rank Hosting Company Market Share Total Domains
16 DNSNEPAL.COM 1.5239 % 82
17 EDICES.COM 1.5053 % 81
18 MCHOST.COM.NP 1.431 % 77
19 ENET.COM.NP 1.3195 % 71
20 GORKHAONLINE.COM 1.2637 % 68
21 LONGTAILSERVER.COM 1.1708 % 63
22 NUMRI.NET 1.115 % 60
23 CNCSECURESERVER.COM 1.0965 % 59
24 ECREATIVEZONE.COM 1.0593 % 57
24 MOS.COM.NP 1.0593 % 57
Web Hosting Companies in Nepal I
Top Hosting Companies in Nepal
Rank Hosting Company Market Share Total Domains
1 WLINK.COM.NP 7.0805 % 381
2 VIEW-NEPAL.COM 5.4637 % 294
3 SABAIKO.COM 5.1106 % 275
4 BESTNEPAL.NET 3.8283 % 206
5 XTREMENEPAL.COM 3.2708 % 176
6 SPEEDWEBSOLUTIONS.COM 3.0478 % 164
7 MOUNTDIGIT.COM 2.6203 % 141
8 NEPALMEDIA.COM 2.5274 % 136
9 WEBFUSIONNEPAL.COM 2.3044 % 124
10 USDNSSERVERS.COM 2.2858 % 123
11 XCLUSIVEMINDS.COM 2.1 % 113
12 ECONETNIT.COM 1.9885 % 107
13 DREAMSANDIDEAS.COM 1.8212 % 98
14 RAMRO.NET 1.7841 % 96
15 MAGNUMHOST.NET 1.654 % 89
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Building Your Web Hosting Brand
In traditional marketing, branding campaigns are designed to embed a company or product name into the consumer's psyche. A brand is thus the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image that we associate with a company, product or service. Excellent brands will standout, will impact the consumer and convey quality and value-for-money perceptions. A good brand will provide a good first impression and evoke positive associations with the brand. The brand identity usually consists of brand names, logos, positioning, brand associations, and brand personality. A brand identity is the sole public image of a product, line, or service. It is the visual connector between firm and customer.
A good brand identity stands out from its competitors, as it demands attention and more effectively markets to its audience. A good brand identity communicates directly and indirectly. It consciously and subconsciously draws a consumer to a product, service and the company. Branding is tremendously important to the Web host reseller because image is the most important factor to an online-based business.
Since the service that the reseller is selling is intangible, in comparison to other products and services that take up physical space, it is necessary to convey a sense of professionalism and competence in order to facilitate sales and profitability. The most successful Web host resellers achieve this sense of professionalism and competence through their brand identity. Because the nature of Web host reselling rarely permits face to face interaction with customers, it is important the consumer base their relationship with your company on solid visual stimulus.
The brand identity constitutes such visual stimulus especially if the reseller is engaged in mass marketing of their products and services. For this reason visual identity is the core component of the brand. A good brand should always have an effective logo that is unique; instantly communicates the nature of the business; appeals to the target audience; and works in the context of all communication vehicles which you design and use.
The most important factor is that the visual identity should be consistent, repetitive and retain a sense of longevity. Another important component of the brand identity is a positioning statement, or tagline. The positioning statement is usually used in conjunction with the logo and business name in all promotional materials, from business cards to Web sites. This, once again, ensures consistency and continuity of both visual and verbal image the company presents to its customers. The positioning statement should clearly state or reinforce what the reseller does. Other characteristics of the positioning statement are that it should be honest, brief, memorable and as unique as your company logo.
The notion behind branding is to immediately convey what your reseller organization does to consumers when they examine any element of your promotional materials and marketing collateral. Because immediacy and interactivity defines the Web, the Internet serves as an excellent way to extend to your brand to new audiences and markets. By marketing a product on the Web, it is possible to closely target appropriate groups and even individuals, and in a sense develop the brand specifically for them. This should be objective of any competent reseller.
What is a Domain Name? Forex?
What is a Domain Name?
A name that identifies one or more IP addresses. For example, the domain name microsoft.com represents about a dozen IP addresses. Domain names are used in URLs to identify particular Web pages. For example, in the URL http://internetworldforpeople.blogspot.com/ , the domain name is mobile-in-fo.blogspot.com.com.
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Forex is Rising In Popularity
For this reason it may be hard to create a new site and jump strait into the Topic of Forex, you may want to find a very specific Niche, and work with that.
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What Exactly is Forex Paying
http://valuedkeywords.com/images/forex.png
These are the Average Cost Per Click Values for Various Forex Related Keywords based on
Forex $6.75
Forex Trading $8.69
Forex Market $6.36
Forex Tool $9.48
Free hosting sites.
Free Host Reviews Free Webspace Forced Ads Upload Scripting Free URL
http://www.007sites.com/ 700 Mb Banner-Top FTP, Web PHP, SSI Domain or Subdomain
http://www.07x.net/ 1,500 Mb Pop-up FTP, Web PHP Domain or Subdomain
http://www.100webspace.com/web_hosting/free_plan.html 100 Mb Banner-Top + TextLinks FTP, Web CGI, PHP, SSI, FrontPage Domain or Subdomain
http://www.110mb.com/
5,000 Mb NONE FTP, Web PHP, SSI Domain or Subdomain
http://www.1asphost.com/
100 Mb TextLink-Bottom Web ASP, SSI /you
http://www.250free.com/ 250 Mb Banner-Top + Bottom FTP, Web - Subdomain
http://signup.50megs.com/cgi-bin/path/signup 50 Mb Banner-Top + Popup Web - Subdomain
http://www.50webs.com/
60 Mb NONE FTP, Web - Domain or Subdomain
http://www.agilityhoster.com/ 200 Mb NONE FTP, Web CGI, PHP, SSI, FrontPage Domain or Subdomain
http://angelfire.lycos.com/ 20 Mb Banner-Top + Bottom FTP, Web FrontPage /dir/you
Free Host Reviews Free Webspace Forced Ads Upload Scripting Free URL
http://angelfire.lycos.com/
20 Mb Banner-Top + Bottom FTP, Web FrontPage /dir/you
http://www.atspace.com/
50 Mb NONE FTP, Web - Domain or Subdomain
http://www.awardspace.com/ 200 Mb NONE FTP, Web CGI, PHP, SSI, FrontPage Domain or Subdomain
http://www.blackapplehost.com/ 5,000 Mb TextLink - Bottom of free webpages FTP, Web PHP Domain or Subdomain
http://www.bravenet.com/ 50 Mb Banners-Top + Popups Web - Domain or Subdomain
http://www.byethost.com/ 250 Mb NONE FTP, Web CGI, PHP, SSI Domain or Subdomain
http://dhost.info/ 100 Mb Banner FTP, Web PHP /you
http://www.domaindlx.com/ 100 Mb TextLink-Bottom Web ASP, SSI /you
http://www.doramail.com/
20 Mb NONE Web - /you
http://www.esmartstart.com/ 250 Mb Banner-Top + Popup FTP, Web
Thing to view while choosing the web server.
Service Level Guarantees & Contract Term Colocation
Dedicated Servers
Managed Dedicated Servers
Managed Hosting
Power uptime X% X% X% X%
Network uptime X% X% X% X%
1 hour hardware replacement
15 minute critical incident response time
Contract term options Annual Monthly/Annual Monthly/Annual Annual
Enterprise-Class Hardware Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Secure direct physical access N/A N/A N/A
Secure locking cabinets and cage space N/A N/A N/A
Enterprise-class Dell PowerEdge servers Leasing optional
32-bit and 64-bit processors Leasing optional
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) & SATA hard drives Leasing optional
Hardware RAID controllers Leasing optional Available Available
KVM over IP Leasing optional Available Available N/A
Cisco ASA hardware firewalls Leasing optional Available Available
Hardware load balancing with GSLB options Leasing optional Available Available Available
Server and database clustering Available Available Available Available
Private backend networking Available Available Available
Gigabit (1Gbps) frontend & backend networks Leasing optional Available Available Available
Custom-built IT environment Available Available
Fully redundant highly-available environments Available Available Available Available
Bandwidth allocation options Account Server/Account Server/Account Account
Storage & Backup Technologies Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Direct Attached Storage (DAS) devices Leasing optional Available Available Available
Storage Area Network (SAN) devices Leasing optional Dedicated Dedicated Shared/Dedicated
Storage Cloud scalable usage-based disk space Available Available Available Available
Global Content Delivery Network (CDN) Available Available Available Available
Disk-to-disk based performance backup system Available Available
Unmetered backup traffic Available Available Available
Private dedicated backup network Available Available Available
Offsite backup storage Available Available Available Available
Application-specific backup agents Available Available Available
Fully managed backup and restore process Available Available
Software – Operating Systems & Applications Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Leasing optional
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Leasing optional
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 w/Hyper-V Leasing optional
Red Hat Enterprise Server v4 & v5 Leasing optional
CentOS Server v4 & v5 Leasing optional
FreeBSD Leasing optional
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Leasing optional
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Leasing optional
MySQL Server v5 Leasing optional
cPanel Leasing optional
Plesk Leasing optional
Ensim Pro X Leasing optional
Anti-virus Leasing optional
R1Soft CDPServer Leasing optional
eVault Backup Leasing optional
Support Coverage Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
24x7x365 support
Support team is 1st line of defense for all alerts Available Available
Comprehensive customer portal Orbit Orbit Orbit Northstar
Customer portal API for custom development N/A
Knowledge base for customer self-service N/A
Automated operating system reload process Available
All support provided by certified engineers Available
Dedicated Technical Account Manager Available
Dedicated Senior Database Administrator Available
Dedicated Senior Systems Administrator Available
Dedicated Senior Network Security Engineer Available
Server Management Services Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Remote server reboot Available
Remote console & terminal access Available
Root/Admin access to all servers
Server administration services Available Available Available
Monitoring Services Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Uptime monitoring Available Available
Application & process monitoring Available
Port monitoring Available Available
Proactive hardware failure monitoring Available
Advanced CPU thread monitoring Available
Advanced memory utilization monitoring Available
Proactive storage capacity monitoring Available
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) monitoring
Bandwidth utilization monitoring
Custom escalation procedures for alerts Available Available
Security Services Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Server patching Available Available Available
Server hardening using best-practice benchmarks Available Available Available
Server virus protection Available Available Available
Server vulnerability scanning reports Available Available Available
Managed hardware firewall configuration profiles Available Available Available
Managed site-to-site or client VPN access Available Available Available
Managed dedicated intrusion detection system Available Available
Managed dedicated log management system Available Available
Advanced Management Services Colocation Dedicated Servers Managed Dedicated Servers Managed Hosting
Managed customized environment deployment Available Available Available
Managed server clustering services Available
Managed database clustering services Available
Regular environment consultation with support team Available
Database platform management and optimization Available
Centralized & managed role-based access authentication Available
Personalized environment run book Available
Regular IT business planning Available
Proactive IT scalability planning Available
Root-cause incident management Available
Hardware and software vendor incident escalation Available
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
What is a web server? II
MS SQL: Microsoft SQL Server. A relational database management system. Windows hosting plans often include MS SQL databases.
MySQL: A popular open-source relational database. UNIX hosting plans often include MySQL databases.
Payment Gateway: Enables the authorization, processing and managing of online transactions.
Perl: A programming language that facilitates data management and processing.
PHP: A scripting language. PHP commands are embedded within the HTML of a Web page and is useful in the arena of dynamically generated pages. PHP scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.
POP: Post Office Protocol. A protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server.
POP3 Email Account: POP3 email allows all emails addressed to your domain to go to one place. If a host allows multiple POP3 email boxes, you can have multiple (separate) email addresses.
Server: A computer or device on a network used to store files and maintain network resources. This computer/device handles requests for Web pages.
Setup Fee: Initial fee charged by a host to create your hosting account.
Shared Web Hosting: The opposite of Dedicated Web hosting. Multiple sites hosted on a single server. Multiple Web sites share the system resources of a single server, with each single Web site being allotted specific amounts of resources. Shared Web hosting is the most common (and cheapest) hosting option.
Shopping Cart Software: Software that allows users (customers) of a Web site to add and delete items into an online "shopping cart" and then proceed to purchase the item(s). A shopping cart is an essential component for most e-commerce Web sites, as it allows users to browse for and purchase products online. Some Web hosts provide free (usually more basic) shopping carts, while others provide a shopping cart for an additional fee. Different shopping cart programs range greatly in usability, functionality and features, so choose wisely before creating your online store.
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for sending email.
SQL: Structured Query Language. A database query and programming language used for accessing, updating, and managing data in a relational database system.
SSI: Server Side Incudes. Often used by Web developers in order to facilitate in updating content on Web sites. An SSI is a variable value that a web server can dynamically add to an otherwise static Web page. SSI-enabled Web pages will often be found with .shtml extensions.
SSL: Secure Sockets Layer. Allows encrypted, authenticated communications over the Web. SSL provides security in online commerce. URL's starting with "https://" indicate the utilization of SSL.
Static (Dedicated) IP Address: A unique and unchanging IP address. The opposite of dynamic IP addressing, in which a Web site's IP address is different with each connection to the server. With dynamic IP addressing, several domains can use 1 IP address. With static IP addressing, your Web site gets an unchanging IP address that is not shared with other sites and can be called up in place of your usual www.domain.com.
Storage Space (Disk Space): The storage capacity for images, HTML files, audio files, video files, graphics, etc. A Web site planning to have a large amount of pages and/or planning to use a lot of images (or other large files) will need a greater amount of storage space.
Subdomain: A subdomain is a division of a Web site, a section set apart with a different sub-domain name. For example, subdomains of Web site "domain.com" could be "support.domain.com," "clients.domain.com," etc.
Uptime: How often a Web site is accessible to users on the Internet (often given in a percentage).
UNIX: The most commonly used operating system among Web servers. Unix is a text-based, multitasking operating system that is designed to be used by many people at the same time.
Virtual Private Servers: Shared hosting servers in which each hosting space is alloted its own amount of dedicated resources. A step above shared Web hosting but a step below dedicated Web hosting.
Virtual Web Hosting: Also known as shared Web hosting. Multiple sites hosted on a single server.
WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. A set of protocols that standardize the way that wireless devices can be used for Internet access.
Web-based Email: Allows a user to access email from any computer that has an Internet connection and a Web browser.
Web Statistics: Reports on visitors to your Web site. Statistics range from basic (how many visitors), to advanced (referring URL, search phrase, etc.).
Windows Hosting: Hosting on a web server that uses Microsoft Windows server software as it's operating platform. Windows hosting plans are useful in the arena of dynamic content generation and database functionality. Windows is a graphic-based, multitasking operating system.
Web Hosting Terms
Anonymous FTP: Anonymous File Transfer Protocol. Allows the public to log into an FTP server with a common login, avoiding the need to assign passwords to anyone who wants to download files from your Web site. This is unnecessary unless you plan on providing downloadable files to the public.
ASP: Active Server Pages. A commonly used Microsoft scripting language that enables the use of online databases.
Auto responder: An email address that is set up to automatically reply to the sender with a previously prepared response.
Bandwidth (Data Transfer): The amount of data that you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images, text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors (and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth).
CGI: Common Gateway Interface. A program that translates data from a web server and then displays that data on a web page or in an email. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.
CGI-BIN: A directory on a server where CGI programs are stored. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.
CGI Library: Certain hosts will provide a collection of pre-made CGI scripts (as a convenience) that can be used to add numerous interactive elements to your Web site.
Control Panel: An online interface often used to facilitate Web site management and editing. Control panels often allow hosting customers to perform basic functions (make changes, check data, etc.) without contacting customer service.
Database: A collection organized records of information that can facilitate searching, sorting, and recombination of data.
Data Transfer (Bandwidth): The amount of data that you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images, text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors (and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth). Also, graphics-heavy sites will need more data transfer than more basic sites.
Dedicated Servers (Dedicated Hosting): The opposite of Shared Web hosting. Servers that are owned by a Web hosting company but rented out and used by a single customer. Web sites in need of a lot of disk space and/or data transfer and/or Web sites that have very specific software needs may opt to rent a dedicated server. Shared Web hosting is usually sufficient for most small and medium sized businesses.
Disk Space (Storage Space): The storage capacity for images, HTML files, audio files, video files, graphics, etc. A Web site planning to have a large amount of pages and/or planning to use a lot of images (or other large files) will need a greater amount of disk space.
Domain Name: Domain name is an easy-to-remember address that can be translated by DNS into server's IP address. Domain names are hierarchical. Domain's suffix indicates which TLD (top level domain) it belongs to, for example .com, .gov, .org, .net, or .jp. Recently ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) added several new TLDs, like .biz, .pro., and .museum.
E-Commerce: Electronic Commerce. The buying/selling (or exchange) of goods and services through the Internet.
Email Forwarding: When email sent to different email addresses is automatically sent (forwarded) to another specified email address. For example, you could have multiple email addresses (i.e. info@domain.com, support@domain.com, webmaster@domain.com) that would all be forwarded to one address (i.e. whatever@domain.com) for easy checking and responding.
Firewall: Software and/or hardware combination that protects a computer or network from unauthorized access.
FrontPage: Microsoft FrontPage is an HTML editor often used to create and maintain Web sites.
FrontPage Extensions: A set of programs and scripts that allow specific features of a Web site created with FrontPage to perform correctly.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol. The most common method for uploading files to servers. FTP allows files to be uploaded from local machines to servers, where the files can be
GB: Gigabyte. 1024 Megabytes.
IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol. A method allowing an email program to access remote messages stored on a mail server.
IP Address: Internet Protocol Address. A unique number identifying all devices connected to the Internet
KB: Kilobyte. 1024 bytes.
Linux: A UNIX-like operating system used by Web servers.
Managed Hosting: A dedicated server complemented with technical support and maintenance services. This is a step up from standard dedicated Web hosting, where customers are responsible for all administrative and maintenance duties.
MB: Megabyte. A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes.
Merchant Account: Enables the processing of credit cards online.
Microsoft Access: Microsoft's low-end relational database.
Miva Empressa: An XML-based server-side scripting language. Miva Empresa installs on most Unix and Windows web servers and enables the server with XML based Miva Script, commerce processing and database.
Miva Merchant: A dynamic browser based storefront development and management system that allows merchants to create and administrate multiple online stores from anywhere in the world.
Choosing between Windows and Unix/Linux
One of the choices to be made when selecting a web hosting company will be whether the hosting companies’ servers run on the Windows or Unix/Linux operating systems. There are several factors involved in this choice - the type of site you will be running, how it was developed, any database used, and what, if any, extra features you need to use.
The first thing to say is that the type of computer you are using at home or in the office, whether it be a Windows-based PC, a Mac or a Linux-based computer, has no bearing on the choice you make. All of the above operating systems will allow you to upload files using an FTP program and to access the control panel that is used for basic site maintenance, such as setting up email boxes, or for accessing the various reports that are available on such things as bandwidth usage and number of visitors to the site.
For a simple HTML-based web site it will not matter which server operating system is chosen. Both Windows-based and Unix/Linux-based servers will give identical results for the end user. However, if you are planning to have any interactive content on your site then you will need to choose which way to go.
Interactive content relies on certain features being available on the server – called server-side programs. The most common ones are ASP, PHP and Perl. These are programming languages which allow the visitor to the web site to interact with the site, for example by entering a user name and password to enter a private area. Unix/Linux-base servers offer PHP and Perl, whereas ASP runs on Windows-based servers. It is possible to run PHP on a Windows-based server, or vice versa, but the results may not be what you expect. For the most compatibility it is best to use the operating system for which the language was designed.
The platform on which the web site was developed may play a part in the decision of which server type to use. If you have used a Microsoft program to develop your web site then you may feel more comfortable in choosing a host which offers Windows-based servers. Nowadays though nearly all Unix/Linux-based servers offer server extensions allowing them to host sites developed using Microsoft FrontPage, which was not always the case in the past. Also, if you are using scripts for interactive content, then you may find that testing and debugging them will be easier on a computer using the same operating system as the server.
The other factor that will affect your choice of server operating system is whether you are planning to use databases within your site. Windows-based servers use Access and Microsoft SQL for databases, whereas Unix/Linux-based servers use MySQL. Although MySQL will run on a Windows operating system, or indeed Access will run on Unix/Linux operating systems, the implementation of this is not 100%, and you may find you start to have problems. To get the most out of either program you should try to run it on its native operating system.
These are the most important factors to consider although there are some more minor points to make. There is a school of thought that believes that Unix/Linux-servers are faster, more reliable and more secure; however in actual everyday use any differences are marginal, at best. Any good reputable web hosting company will strive for the best performance on all of its servers. Also, since Linux is open-source software, whereas as Windows has to be licensed, the Linux option may be more economical. As I said, though, these are minor points, and should not affect your final choice – how you intend to use your site should be the key to making your choice.
What is a web server?
A web server can actually mean one of two different things, either the actual computer hardware, or the software that runs on the web server, receiving requests from clients and responding to them. Here we will take a look at the hardware.
At first glance, the specifications of a web server may be very similar to the type of computer used as a desktop machine by many people, and in fact most desktop machines could be used as a server, given the right software. Like desktop machines, a server will have a CPU, RAM, a hard drive and an Internet connection. However, when you look more closely at these specifications, the differences become apparent. The speed of the CPU is less important in a server, as servers do not have high-end graphics requirements. Nowadays, it is becoming common to see two or more CPUs, rather than one faster CPU. Memory sizes tend to be similar to those of desktop machines, depending on the purpose for which the server is intended. Most servers will have more than one hard drive, which allows for a RAID set-up to be used for data integrity, and the hard drives will also tend to be larger than those used in a typical desktop machine. Servers may also have more than one power supply. Bear in mind that all of these components will normally be built to a higher standard, as reliability is important.
Servers used by web hosting companies are normally housed in racks, where many servers are mounted together. However, the latest trend is for blade servers. These are “stripped-down” computers, consisting of just processors and memory, plus an input/output connection. All of the other components needed by a typical computer, such as power and disk storage, are supplied externally, through the blade enclosure. This results in significant savings in space and cost, since many unnecessary components are not needed.
Servers are kept in a data center. This facility will typically have climate-controlled rooms to house the servers, where the temperature is kept at around 68 - 70 degrees. This helps to keep the servers operating normally, as too much heat can degrade performance, or even cause a shut-down. The data center will also have multiple power supplies, including stand-by generators, to ensure that all systems will still function even if the main power supply fails. There will also be extensive fire detection and prevention devices installed in case of fire.
Switching to a new Web Hosting Company
There may come a time when you feel that your web site is starting to outgrow the services that your current web hosting company can supply. Or maybe you have found the hosting company to be unreliable, with your site down-time rising to a level you find unacceptable. For whatever reason, you think it’s time to look for a new host for your web site.
The first thing that you will need to do is some homework on the new web hosting company. Make sure that they offer all of the resources and services you need, such as disk space, bandwidth or technical support. Also ensure that they will support any scripts you are currently using. If you are using a Windows-based server as a host, make sure that your new host offers this, similarly if you are currently using a Unix/Linux-based server. Try to get some feedback from other users by looking at message boards or forums – if you’re moving due to reliability issues then you really don’t want the same thing to happen after your move.
Make sure that you have all of the files that make up your current web site backed up. You should have been doing this anyway, just as a precaution, but make one last final check now. Once this is done you can go ahead and open an account with the new web hosting company. You will then be able to upload all of your files to the new server. After uploading the files you should be able to check that your web site is running as you expect, through an IP address provided by the new hosting company. At the same time you can set up any email accounts you need.
When you are satisfied that the new host is running correctly you will need to change the DNS information held by the registrar from which you obtained your domain name. It can take from 48 – 72 hours for this to propagate around the Internet, so don’t terminate your existing account just yet.
If you set up any email accounts on the new server you will need to configure your email software so that it can access those accounts. Don’t delete your old email accounts just yet – again the changes will take time to propagate.
After a couple of days you should be able to access the new site using its domain name. Check once more to make sure that everything appears as it should, that any scripts you are using are running correctly and that there are no broken links. You should also start seeing emails appearing through the new server, although some will still be coming via the old server.
Over the next few days you should see less and less email coming through your old server. Once this has stopped completely then you can go ahead and close your account with the old web hosting company.
Five Things to Look For When Choosing a Web Host
A simple Google search using the term “web hosting” will give several million hits. How can any user, especially one that is inexperienced, choose a web hosting company? These five things to look for should at least allow the user to narrow the field.
The most important item on the list is support. Top-notch technical support should be the first thing to look for, especially if the user is relatively inexperienced. Don’t look just for email support either; make sure that there is a telephone number for urgent issues. Make sure too that support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – technical problems could occur any time. Try to get a feel for how responsive the support is by sending them an email and seeing how quickly they respond. Make a phone call late at night – make sure that they really do have someone available at all hours.
The next thing to take a look at is their reputation – what other users feel about their web hosting experiences with that company. Some web hosting companies will give out a list of users that can be contacted for their opinions. This is good, but only to a point – when I was a salesman I knew which of my clients I could rely on to give a good report! Check out message boards and forums around the Internet and see what comments are being made about particular companies. Take these with a pinch of salt – don’t let one negative comment outweigh many good comments. Also find out, if possible, how long the company has been in existence. It’s not a sure-fire guarantee of longevity, but in general companies that have been in business for some time tend to be more stable.
Make sure that the web hosting company can supply all of the services you need, or those you are planning to add shortly. You may not need ASP or PHP support at first, for example, but if it is something you intend to add once the site is up and running then make sure that you will be able to do this. It can be a time-consuming business moving from one hosting service to another, and some forethought here will save time and money later.
Pricing is important too. If one particular web hosting company is offering a pricing plan way below the rest of the market, you may want to think twice about opening an account there. It’s not necessarily bad; the company may be new to the business, and the cheap prices just a way of increasing business. However, it could also be a sign of extensive overselling, which may cause web sites on that company’s servers to be slower than they should.
The last thing to consider is rather more subjective. How do you feel about the web hosting company? Take a look at their web site – does it look neat and professional? Disorganized? Talk to their staff, both sales and technical support – are they knowledgeable and helpful? Or maybe they try to brush you off with stock answers, or are less than polite. Remember that your future income will be dependant on this company being able to host your site. If you are not comfortable with that thought, then keep looking.
Choosing a Web Hosting company
Do a Google search using the term “web hosting company” and you’ll get close to 5 million results. How can you winnow down this multitude of choices to find a company that will serve your needs? There are many different factors that may influence your choice – here we look at some of the more important ones.
First of all, you will need to know exactly what your requirements are, not only now, but also what you may need in the future. This will allow you start cutting down the number of choices from the start, especially if you know that you will be using some of the more advanced features available that may not be offered by smaller companies.
The support provided by the web hosting company is very important, especially for new or inexperienced users. Try to see how quickly a company responds to you by sending an email question to them – if you get an answer back within 24 hours then you can be fairly confident that your questions will be answered quickly. See if telephone support is available too, and test that. By the way, don’t expect telephone support to be free – some companies do charge for that, though if they do then you should expect that their email support is faster than the average.
Do some research around the Web. There are many forums, blogs and message groups that discuss web hosting. See what sort of reputation the company you are considering has amongst users. Remember though that people complain far more easily than they compliment – don’t let one user sour you on a company that otherwise has good reports.
The operating system that is used by the web host may matter to you. There are two choices, either Unix/ Linux based or Windows based. For some, either choice would be fine, as the end-result will be identical. However, if for instance your database used MS Access, then a Windows based server would be a better choice for you. Similarly a database created using MySQL would be better hosted on a Linux server. Since Linux is free, web hosts that offer this are normally cheaper than the Windows servers. By the way, don’t let the type of software used to develop your site influence your choice – sites built using Front Page will run happily on Linux servers. However, it may be easier to write and test scripts on a machine that runs the same type of software as the server that runs the scripts.
Check what the company claims as its uptime, usually expressed as a percentage. Beware – some companies will claim that their uptime is the time that the server is powered on, rather than the time that the server is actually connected to the Internet.
Take a close look at their web site. See how responsive it is – if the hosting company’s own web site seems slow and sluggish, that does not bode well for yours. Look at the design and lay-out – does it look professional, or is it full of misspellings, mistakes and dead links. If so, it may show a lack of professionalism that may carry through the entire company.
Free web hosting or paid – which should I choose?
When looking for a web hosting solution the first choice the user often has to make is whether to choose one of the varieties of free hosting available, or to pay a web hosting company. There are several factors that may weigh your decision one way or another – let’s look at some of them.
The biggest advantage of free web hosting is that it’s, well, free. There, choice made, now what? Not so fast – not only is that the biggest advantage, it is also just about the only advantage, and you may find that the disadvantages of free web hosting will make it a bad choice.
What are these disadvantages? Firstly, let’s look at the domain name, the name by which your web site is found. By choosing a free web host, your name may be, for example “www.geocities.com/yourname”. This would be fine for some users, for instance if all that was needed was a page for a small club, but for most companies seeking to establish a Web presence the ability to be able to use a domain name in the style of “yourname.com” is essential.
Free web hosting will also limit the amount of hard disk space you will be able to use. Again, not necessarily a problem for a small site, but for the user that needs more space, maybe for a large number of pages, or pages with high graphics content, the amount of space available may not be sufficient.
Also restricted will be the amount of bandwidth, or transfer, that your visitors will be able to use. It’s no use trying to run a business on the Web if all your customers see towards the end of the month is a page saying that “This site has exceeded its bandwidth allowance, please try again next month”. That is not something that would inspire your customers to have faith in your products.
You may find that some of the more sophisticated services, such as Perl, CGI or PHP that are being used more and more nowadays on the Internet are not available if you choose to use a free service. You may also find that shopping carts are not available, or that the service is not set up to allow the secure use of credit card transactions to make purchases.
Finally, advertising revenue. A free web hosting service is paid for by the advertisements and pop-ups which appear on the pages hosted by them. Not only will you have no control over which advertisements appear on your site, but also you will receive no revenue from them.
So, think carefully before you opt for a free service. For an individual or small group, the cost factor may outweigh the disadvantages above. A company will probably find that the choice of free hosting will put limits on their growth that are unacceptable.
An Introduction to Web Hosting
In order for a web site to be available on the World Wide Web, it must be hosted on a server. There are several different ways to accomplish this. Most large hosting companies will have their own servers and the network infrastructure needed for their site to be available on the Web. However, the equipment and technical resources needed to set up such a system are very expensive, beyond the reach of smaller companies, organizations and individual users.
Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as AOL, offer free web pages for their subscribers. There are also free web hosting services, such as Geocities. However, using these services has several disadvantages. Such services will not allow you to have your own domain name, i.e. “www.yourname.com”. Instead, you will have to use the name allocated by that service. Additionally, any advertisements that appear on your site will be provided by the service, and any revenue generated from such advertisements will be kept by them, instead of coming to you. Finally there will also be restrictions on the amount of space you use and the number of visitors you can receive per month.
An alternative to this is to use a web hosting company. For a monthly fee, such a company will host your site for you on its own servers. This removes the need for you to buy and maintain expensive hardware, and also will counter the disadvantages of using a free hosting service.
A typical web hosting company will have several servers and one or more high-speed connections to the Internet, usually T1 connections that are linked directly to the T3 lines that form the “backbone” of the Internet, ensuring high data-transfer rates. In order to keep this equipment running, such companies will have multiple power supplies, including stand-alone generators, to ensure that power is available at all times. The servers will be housed in climate-controlled rooms and technical and support staff will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Web hosting companies typically offer a variety of service plans, at costs ranging from $5/month to $100/month or more, depending on the type and amount of services offered. All plans will offer some disk space to store your site and a monthly bandwidth, or transfer, allowance. Email will also be included, allowing you to set up email addresses in the form of “name@yourname.com”. Also included will be FTP access to the server housing your site, allowing you to upload updates at any time. Technical support will also be available, to help resolve any problems you may encounter. Other services offered may include the ability to set up shopping carts or the availability of SSL transactions to ensure data security.
A web hosting company will allow you to establish a site on the Web without any of the disadvantages of a free service, and at a far lower cost than would be involved in setting up your own server system. You will also be able to pick out your own unique domain name, making it easier for visitors to find your site. Since the web hosting company supplies all of the hardware and technical staff needed to host and operate the site, this allows the user to concentrate his time and resources on designing and maintaining the site.