| When looking for a shared web-hosting provider, | | | | servers the hosting company is using. The quality |
| it is important to remember that when using | | | | of web servers can vary as some hosts try to |
| shared hosting, you do not have full access to the | | | | get by with sub-par equipment. Performance and |
| physical server. By its very nature, you are | | | | responsiveness can be greatly affected by poor |
| sharing all the resources of the sever with every | | | | server hardware and outdated operating systems. |
| other user. What you do will affect everyone | | | | Servers utilizing several processors and equipped |
| else, just as what other users do may also | | | | with large amounts of ram will outperform single |
| impact you. There are several things you should | | | | processor, memory hungry systems. Ask your |
| be looking for when you are ready to start | | | | web host provider for specs on the specific |
| looking for a good shared web hosting provider. | | | | server you will be assigned. |
| | | | 4. Ask about backup and disaster recovery plans. |
| 1. Determine how many and what types of | | | | Bad things can and do happen to servers, and the |
| websites are allowed on the web service | | | | probability that they will happen on a shared |
| company servers. The web-hosting provider | | | | environment is even higher. Specifically ask your |
| should be able to provide you with this | | | | provider how long it would take to get your |
| information. Hosts with fewer sites per sever | | | | website back up if there were a major hardware |
| usually are a better choice. More often than not, | | | | or software failure. If this should happen, the web |
| the fewer sites on a server, the better. You | | | | host may have to restore several hundred sites. |
| must also take into consideration the type and | | | | The time for this to happen could stretch out for |
| traffic of the other sites on the server. | | | | several days if they are not adequately equipped |
| Sometimes fewer larger sites can use | | | | and prepared for just such an emergency. |
| considerably more resources than many smaller | | | | 5. Find out what scripts are permissible or are |
| one. | | | | accessible on the servers. If you know you will be |
| 2. Check out the web hosting company customer | | | | needing a particular application, plug-in or script, |
| support. The quality often varies between hosting | | | | ask first. A poorly coded script or an app that |
| companies. All hosting providers claim to have | | | | hogs the server resources is a sure-fire way of |
| superior customer support, but most of the time; | | | | getting your account suspended. If you are not |
| this is just not the case. You might want to | | | | sure, ask. |
| contact current and past customers, and ask | | | | Shared web hosting is an inexpensive way to get |
| about their experiences. Most web hosts have | | | | started on the web. Quite a few web-hosting |
| community forums and online support options. | | | | companies offer plans at surprisingly low prices. |
| Check these out as they may give you some | | | | Remember: do your homework and you should |
| insight as to the quality of the support you may | | | | be fine. Shared web hosting is nice for a small site |
| receive. | | | | or blog but it is definitely not for everyone. |
| 3. Find out the specifications of the type of | | | | |