| When you embark on the task of building your | | | | then this should generally not be of concern for |
| own website, one very important factor that | | | | you. However, if your website is meant for large |
| needs to be considered is the web hosting service | | | | amounts of data transfer, you should find out |
| or company you are going to choose to host | | | | exactly how much the web host allots to your |
| your website. A web host provides you with disk | | | | website. When a hosting company uses the term |
| space for your website and a means for online | | | | 'unlimited' the real figure will appear in their fine |
| users to view your website. A web host's | | | | print. The same applies to diskspace - you should |
| purpose can be simply translated to the online | | | | investigate how much is allotted to your website. |
| virtual home of your website. Your task of finding | | | | If you are working with a large website, you |
| the right web host is to simply analyze a few | | | | should make sure you have enough diskspace for |
| major aspects of the web hosting company to | | | | it on the web host. |
| make sure it will suffice your website's needs. | | | | - Software Features and Functions It is essential |
| A commercial web hosting company has many | | | | that the web host you choose has, at least, the |
| tools and features. Since you will be paying them | | | | basic functions and features such as FTP, PHP, |
| a fee, you should be aware of all of said features | | | | MySQL, Perl, SSI,.htaccess, etc. Any lack of these |
| (or lack thereof). There are many variables that | | | | functions could stunt the usability of your website. |
| can determine and differentiate between a good | | | | - Technical Support The technical support of the |
| hosting company and one that lacks considerably. | | | | web hosting company you choose says a lot of |
| What you should understand is that hosting your | | | | how they choose to run their company. If they |
| website on an inadequate web host could cost | | | | are not willing to invest in good 24/7 customer |
| you a great deal of success in the long run. | | | | support, then they either do not care enough for |
| The major aspects of a web hosting service or | | | | their existing users or their infrastructure is too |
| company that you should investigate are: | | | | small. Another important factor of their technical |
| - Reliability When your website is online, its uptime | | | | support is that they are competent enough to |
| is going to be one of the most crucial aspects of | | | | assist you - there is no point in 24/7 support that |
| its success. If the web host you are looking into | | | | cannot help you. |
| has a large percentage of downtime or | | | | - Email Capabilities Having your own e-mail account |
| maintenance, this could have many drawbacks for | | | | affiliated with your domain can yield a great |
| you. A commercial web host should have an | | | | advantage to you and you should always make |
| uptime of over 99%. Anything less should be | | | | sure that the web host you are choosing offers |
| unacceptable to you. To find out the uptime | | | | this important feature. You should also make sure |
| percentage of a web host, you can either ask | | | | that the number of E-mail accounts you can |
| their support or read their fine print. | | | | create is sufficient for your needs. |
| - Data Transfer / Bandwidth and Diskspace The | | | | The above services should never be inadequate in |
| data transfer, or bandwidth, of your website is | | | | a hosting service or company, for they are |
| how much data is passed from the host to the | | | | generally the most important factors. There are |
| online user while viewing your website per unit of | | | | many more aspects of a web hosting service or |
| time (usually repressented in megabits per | | | | company that could be investigated before |
| second). If you are working with a simple website | | | | making the decision to settle with a specific one. |