| Indeed, choosing a right web hosting service for | | | | etc. |
| your website is not an easy task especially when | | | | Reliability and scalability |
| there are thousands of web hosting providers all | | | | A first-class web hosting provider offers reliable |
| offering almost identical web hosting packages. | | | | server uptime and fast Internet connection. You |
| Therefore, it is important to know few major | | | | should only choose a web hosting service that |
| considerations even before you start your web | | | | guarantee at least 99% server uptime with |
| hosting search. Below are three major criteria for | | | | high-speed Internet backbones using at least OC3 |
| web host seeker: | | | | (Optical Carrier) lines (155 Megabits per second) or |
| Web hosting features requirement | | | | above instead of T1 or T3 lines. A reliable web |
| This is probably the most important consideration | | | | hosting provider usually invests heavily on their |
| to start finding a host for your site. You need to | | | | data center infrastructure with high performance |
| decide the technical requirements for your | | | | servers, high speed multiple backbones providers |
| website, this including:a) Server platform and | | | | with fail-over redundancy, backup power |
| hardware requirements | | | | generators and firewall software protection in |
| If you plan to set up a website that uses | | | | place to ensure they meet the uptime guarantee |
| programming environments such as Active | | | | specified in the terms of service. |
| Server Pages (ASP), Visual Basic scripts, Cold | | | | Similarly, you should choose a web hosting service |
| Fusion or Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL | | | | with hardware facilities that designed for |
| database, in this case, you will need to find a web | | | | scalability, so that they can grow with your |
| hosting service that supports Windows platform | | | | business. For example, if you need to increase |
| such as Windows NT or Windows 2000 servers. | | | | more disk space, bandwidth or number of mySQL |
| Likewise, if you plan to use programming | | | | databases, you should be able to upgrade as |
| languages such as Perl, CGI, SSI, PHP or mySQL | | | | needed without any problems. |
| database, then any web hosting plans that | | | | Customer service and support |
| support Unix/Linux platform should be sufficient to | | | | The last major consideration in choosing a web |
| meet your hosting requirements. Once you have | | | | hosting service is to find a web hosting providers |
| these server platform and hardware requirements | | | | that offers excellent customer service and |
| in mind, you can decide the best web hosting | | | | support. You should always search for a web |
| plans for your need. For more information, you | | | | hosting provider that offers 24 hours a day, 7 |
| can read "How to select a web server and server | | | | days a week technical support that fielded with |
| platform?"b) Disk space & Bandwidth | | | | highly experience technicians, so that any web |
| requirement | | | | hosting problems will be resolved within a |
| Here is another technical requirement that you | | | | reasonable amount of time. You may also want |
| need to consider before selecting a web hosting | | | | to consider to test how responsive is their |
| plan, i.e. disk space and bandwidth. If you intend to | | | | customer support by sending few inquiry emails |
| publish a website that does not have a lot of | | | | to the web hosting provider. In general, any |
| contents (meaning, web pages), then the disk | | | | response in less than 24 hours is considered |
| space requirement may not be a big concern to | | | | acceptable. It is a sign of poor customer support |
| you. In general, a disk space with 200MB to | | | | if they take more than one day to response. |
| 500MB should be enough to meet your hosting | | | | In addition, a web hosting provider with excellent |
| requirement. In contrast, if you plan to host a | | | | support should also provide multiple support |
| website with enormous amount of graphic | | | | channels, such as toll-free phone support, 24/7 |
| pictures, mp3 or video files, then you should | | | | email support, live chat, online knowledgebase, |
| consider a web hosting plan that provide huge disk | | | | Interactive flash tutorials and FAQ. |
| space, for example, 500 MB to 1,000 MB. | | | | Above are few major considerations before you |
| Similarly, the bandwidth requirement will depend on | | | | choose your web hosting service. In addition, how |
| your site traffic estimation. Obviously, a website | | | | long has the web hosting provider in business and |
| that expect to attract high traffic will consume | | | | the number of customers that they currently |
| the monthly bandwidth allowance very fast. If so, | | | | have are also a good indication of the quality of |
| you will need to find one web hosting service that | | | | their hosting products as well as the stability of |
| offer huge bandwidth with 40 GB to 100 GB per | | | | the company. Even though cost of the web |
| month. Depending upon your website requirement, | | | | hosting service is also important but it should not |
| choosing a web hosting service that provide | | | | be your major consideration. Because the price of |
| sufficient amount of disk space and bandwidth is | | | | a web hosting service has been declining over the |
| crucial consideration to prevent paying extra costs | | | | years due to competition, as a result, the price of |
| in the future should you overuse the monthly disk | | | | most of the web hosting services offering quality |
| space and bandwidth allowance.c) Other hosting | | | | hosting features has been converging to less than |
| features | | | | US$10 per month. If you can't afford less than |
| While the above requirements are utmost | | | | $10 per month, you probably isn't in the online |
| important, there are other hosting features that | | | | business for the long haul. Therefore, price should |
| you have to consider too. Can web hosting | | | | not be a major deciding factor. |
| provider support video clips on your website, if | | | | On the other hand, it is more important to ensure |
| you have? Is the web hosting service compatible | | | | the web hosting service that you choose is able |
| with Dreamweaver or FrontPage web authoring | | | | to meet your website hosting requirements, |
| tool? Do you plan to set up a virtual store online? | | | | guarantee your website is always accessible with |
| Can the host support the e-commerce features | | | | satisfying speed, provide scalability to grow and |
| without adding extra cost to your monthly | | | | expand your website as well as offer excellent |
| payments? On top of that, you may also want to | | | | customer supports. Depending on your web |
| find out the number of email accounts provided, | | | | hosting requirement, you can take advantage of |
| number of FTP accounts, web statistic software | | | | our site, Cheap Web Hosting Review to find the |
| (analyze your web traffic), type of control panel | | | | recommended web hosting services that can |
| supported (manage your web hosting account), | | | | match the three major criteria above. Good luck |
| database and scripting languages supported and | | | | to your search. |