Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Web Hosting Pt 03 Advanced Hosting Features

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know

Beyond the Basics (Web Hosting Pt 03)

There are many other more advanced web hosting options and features that you may need. Your Webmaster should know which features he will require. Chances are he will have a Web host that he uses routinely. By using a single Web host he will be familiar with the control panel and features of that particular provider. This will save time and prevent issues regarding compatibility.

On the other hand, he may be a reseller (which is common) and have a vested interest in selling you the most expensive package you can afford. As long as you know what you are getting into you are in good shape. A little knowledge can go a long way to save you money in this business.

In any case, a few questions up front can go a long way to making your Website a success. If you simply ask him if he has any special needs or preferences, if he has a Webhost that he has good experiences with and if he is affiliated with that Webhost.

WHADDYA MEAN “WHAT ‘S MY PASSWORD?”... WHAT PASSWORD?

From time to time, a Website owner wants to transfer a Website from one company to another. Frequently, the owner does not have the registrar or the FTP login information. The Registrar login information is needed to administrate the domain name and the FTP login information is necessary to transfer the files to and from the Web host.

Usually, this is not a problem. However, if the original Webmaster can no longer be contacted, there can be trouble. There can be no transfer until account access has been restored. If the owner is not listed as the administrative contact, proving ownership of the domain name may be difficult. In most cases it can be squared away, but it is rarely fun and easily avoided. All you have to do is write down your information in the “Important Info” Appendix at the end of this book.

Bottom line —Make sure that you are listed with the registrar as the administrative contact and you have all account information BEFORE you need it and keep the login information in a safe place.

MAKING THE CHOICE

Choosing a Web host is an important step and should be done carefully. If you choose a substandard service your Website may be unacceptably slow and/or unreliable.

The quality of Web hosting services varies a great deal depending on the provider. A Web host provider can range from a person with startup hosting business consisting of a Web server in their garage, running Windows 98® on dial up, all the way up to Billion-Dollar-Companies running state-of-the-art data centers and everything in between.

There are pros and cons either way. Smaller hosting companies are typically less reliable, while large hosting companies are generally too restrictive and it can be difficult to work with/around their security. Hopefully, you will find a host that offers great services without being too restrictive.

If you visit my website www.EverMoreTech.com I have included a list of reliable web hosting providers, what they offer, and a tool in which you can compare them. You’ll also find updated lists of the type of hardware that should be expected from any decent web host. This will include how much how much bandwidth and how much web space is the average offered.

HEY LOOK, IT’S A CLUE!

Beware of Inferior Webhosts...

  • If the provider does not have enough bandwidth your site will load slowly.

  • If the provider does not have redundant connection your site will not load if there is a problem with the Internet connection.

  • If the provider does not have adequate security; your site may get hacked. *This is not always the cause of hacked sites. See the chapter on security.

  • If the provider’s security is too restrictive your Web applications may not work properly.

  • If the provider does not have adequate backup; you could lose the site altogether, so make sure you have your own.

These are just a few of the possible calamities that can happen.. After the blood, sweat, tears and money that you have gone through to get your site up, a smoothly running Web host will make all the difference. Hopefully, you will just pay the fees and never have to worry about the host. You will know you have a good Web hosting company if you never have to think about it after you make your decision  

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