Questions to Ask Colocation Service Provider

When searching for a colocation service provider it is important you do your research. There are many options available and a range of pricing. You should understand exactly what you are getting. Does your collocation service provider charge per server or per rack? What bandwidth will be available? What type of support do they offer – are they trained engineers or non-technical customer support technicians? What is their physical security like – does your server run the risk of getting damaged, stolen, or is it in a secure environment? What type of data security is offered? Will you have access 24/7? Is the company stable financially? How will you manage your server – will you have remote access for reboots? What type of reports will you get about bandwidth utilization and port connection? Where will your server be physically located? What uptimes are guaranteed? Read the fine print. All colocation service providers are different.

When You Need to Purchase Email Domain Hosting

Most individuals can get away having a free email domain hosting account from their IP or from a free service. However, it is very important for businesses to have their own email domain hosting (ex: payments@yourwebsite.com) in order to be taken seriously by customers and clients. Those who have email with a free host or the address provided by their IP (ex: payment@yahoo.com, payments@aol.com, payments@hotmail.com) will likely make customers weary of a purchase.

Digital Authentication Required

A digital certificate is a piece of software that allows any web browser accessing your site to authenticate that you are running a secure web site. Once the browser authenticates your web site's authenticity and web site security, it will show the user a locked padlock symbol or key on the browser, indicating that the site has been authenticated and is OK to use securely. You will need a digital certificate for your site if you plan to run a secure server. You can usually purchase a secure certificate through your web hosting provider, or from a web security specialist like Verisign.

Blog, Blogs and Blogging

What in the world is a blog? When I first heard the name “Blog” it brought to mind something slimy from a swamp, rather than anything to do with computers. However when you hear that blog comes from the term “Web Log” then it makes more sense. A blog is basically a personal journal that is kept on the Internet. Someone who blogs is called a blogger. And when you write a blog, you are blogging. There are hundreds of thousands of bloggers online now. Some blogs contain great information about specific industries written by entrepreneurs, analysts and experts. Other blogs are just the written thoughts and experiences of individuals without specific credentials. Blogging software is easy to use and quick to set up and blogs are becoming more popular. Warning: When you search the Internet you may come across a blog and think the information you are reading is accurate. Blogs do not carry the same restrictions as mainstream media, so the information does not need to have any accuracy. Just be careful that you do not believe everything you read.

Simple Shared Hosting vs. Virtual Dedicated Server

In a simple shared hosting situation, the resources are shared among several users, but are not distributed evenly. With virtual dedicated server hosting, the resources are also shared, but are distributed evenly.
Each user of a virtual dedicated server will have the same amount of CPU, memory, and bandwidth allotted to them as every other subscriber. This allows consistency of the service and ensures that you have a chance to “own“ the same amount of resources as the next person.
Virtual server hosting is also a cheaper way of obtaining and maintaining a dedicated hosting IP address for your site, instead of renting your own private dedicated server.

Questions to Ask Your Web Hosting Provider

There are many things to consider when choosing a web hosting provider. Free web hosting is great for simple websites without much traffic and most free web hosting providers offer site building software online so you can create your site quickly. However, make sure you check out what web hosting resources your web host offers. If you have more than a few pages you'll probably determine to pay a little each month for better quality service. How much time is the service guaranteed to be up? How much space do you need? Do they offer FTP support? Can you host your own domain or do they require you use a sub-domain? How many email addresses are offered? Do they offer services geared towards e-commerce web hosting or shopping cart software? Does the web hosting provider offer web stats? Are there setup fees? Is there a money-back guarantee? Just do a little homework before moving forward with any web hosting provider so you don't waste time getting things set up only to discover the hosting service you selected doesn't fit your needs.

Benefits of Web Hosting Security

If you have ever purchased anything online, you know the feeling of trepidation before you click the button to send your personal credit card information off into cyberspace. Security has become one of the major concerns for those who do business online. There are hackers who break into sites and steal confidential information. There are viruses and worms which can destroy web hosting systems. Security is a vital aspect of today's online transactions. Consumers should be careful to chose web hosting security which are proven. Shared web hosting environments need specific security measures which ensure privacy and that keep other customers from interfering with another customer's operation.

A Web Hosting Plan for the Small Business (Sole Owner, Non-Merchant)

As a small business owner, your Website may be the main or sole source of your income. A large percentage of small businesses begin on the Internet and maintain most of their business this way. For this reason, it is very important that you choose the right hosting plan, while not overspending your budget. It can be hard to strike a balance between cheap hosting intended for individuals and expensive hosting intended for those who sell a slew of products on their Website. The top things to keep in mind when looking for a hosting plan for your small business are:

- First, since you are not selling any products online and will be using your Website to promote yourself and your services, a shared hosting plan should be sufficient.

- You may be able to find a good shared server hosting plan, with a good amount of space and bandwidth, for as little as $9 per month. Although there are cheaper hosting plans available, a plan that is $8-$10 per month will usually have certain extras that you will need to help promote yourself and measure your visitor activity, such as Google AdWords/Yahoo! Search Marketing credits and Website statistics.

- If you do not know how to build your own Website using a program like Microsoft FrontPage, and you do not have Website builder software on your computer, then you are going to need to make sure that you have a plan that includes web hosting with site builder.

- An SSL may be appropriate if your are collecting/sending customer information – including non-credit card data.

The most important thing for you to remember is that you should try to offer payment options outside of direct payment through your Website. If you are a services based business, you are likely to have returning clients which will make check, money order, or Paypal payment options easier. Accepting money directly through your Website may end up costing your more money than it is worth, and should be reserved for those who sell products via their Website on a daily basis.

Can You Trust Cheap Web Site Hosting Listings?

There are many Web sites that will give you a convenient listing of cheap Web site hosting companies. However, there may be a problem with the listings that appear. Sometimes these Web sites are really affiliate companies disguised as helpful resources.

Basically, all Web sites need to make money to stay afloat. If they do not sell their own product, then they are likely making money off of someone else's products through affiliate ads, paid banner hosting, and Pay-Per-Click companies. The problem begins when one of these Web sites promotes their affiliate links through fake cheap Web site hosting reviews.

On the other hand, some Web sites really are out there to help you find the best cheap web site hosting deal. These companies will make their money through separate advertisements, not through direct promotion of their affiliate links. This type of Web site relies on your satisfaction, so that you will continue to come back and refer others.

Best Web Hosting

When considering web hosting options and if they will be reliable, you need to ask questions. Research online and read customer reviews. Find out if the web host offers safety and safeguards for their servers including physical security and disaster recovery plans. Do they have high quality servers, routers, and network connections? What experience do their technicians have and can they provide the necessary support? Do they have good customer support and can they answer your questions quickly and kindly? A good web hosting company that has invested in their own business including high quality systems, backups, experienced engineers will generally be able to provide the best web hosting.

Cheapest Doesn't Mean the Best

Looking for the best web host for your site? It's an intimdiating prospect. There are thousands of website hosting providers competing for your hosting dollars. Choosing the right one can be difficult. Here are some things to think about:



* Most web site hosting companies compete on price. Price is an important consideration, but not the only consideration. The cheapest host might not be the best.



* Look for packages that make sense for your needs. Some companies offer web hosting with a site builder application, for example. Others offer easy e-commerce packages.



* What kind of support will you need and does it match what the company offers?



These are just a few important factors in choosing website hosting. Do your research before you make that first payment. You'll be glad in the long run. Remember, your web hosting provider is your business partner.

Customer Service With Your Hosting Plan

The kind of customer service that you receive with your hosting plan should play a large part in your decision on which hosting company to purchase from. You will likely need to contact customer service more than once, so quick and reliable service is important.

Each person has a different definition of good customer service. This may include:

- Easy communication with the customer service staff. In this day and age, many companies choose to outsource their customer service duties to workers in other countries. While this may be good to keep costs down and prices low, some may find that trying to convey their problem to someone whose first language is not English can be overwhelming and frustrating.
- Customer service response time is another issue that will be more important to some than it will be to others. For example, you may feel that your questions should be answered right away, in as little time as possible. On the other hand, another customer may feel that having to wait for a representative to call them back is ideal, if it means that they will have the representative's undivided attention while they sort through the issue.
- How friendly and helpful a customer service representative is will also pay a large role in customer satisfaction. Anyone can be a customer service representative, but it takes someone who actually cares about customer issues and knows how to resolve a customer's problem to be a good customer service representative.

Whether or not a company's customer service team meets your standards should play a large role in whether or not you purchase a hosting plan from that company. Although you may not be able to get the full picture before you are a customer, you can call the customer service number listed on each company's Web site to determine if you are comfortable with the level of service that you are likely to receive.