Managed Hosting - Whats it all about?A new trend, appearing in the Web Hosting industry, is the concept of Managed Web Hosting. Web hosts have been offering dedicated servers for a while now, however, because dedicated servers can be difficult to operate technically, there has been a demand for web hosts to provide extra services such as: reporting and monitoring; managed load balancing; managed security; managed storage; and, managed databases. These extra services are referred to as 'managed hosting'.
Do you need it?
Before you think about managed hosting you will first need to decide whether or not you need a dedicated server. You will need a dedicated server if you have a high-traffic web site. If you only have a small web site with low traffic levels then a shared hosting arrangement should be fine. A dedicated server is more expensive to rent and more difficult to operate than a shared hosting solution but if your business depends on a steady service then you should seriously consider renting a dedicated server.
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Choosing A Domain Host
Rosanne Dobbins
Due to the numerous types of Web Hosting companies that exist today, choosing the right one can sometimes be a daunting task.In making a decision on what is a 'fair' price, there are so many factors involved that it is difficult to pin-point an exact price range to expect. However, taking this into consideration, following are a few guidelines:
The first thing you need to decide is what type of Web Site you want. For example, will it be personal or business related? Will you need ecommerce services such as a shopping cart and a merchant account? Do you have any special requirements such as the ability to run CGI scripts? How much can you afford to pay? The cost of Web Hosting varies widely, from free to thousands of dollars per month. However, you will find that a typical Hosting account ranges from $10 to $50 per month, depending on the features available. These are just some of the questions that you should evaluate before searching for a Web Host.
It's really impossible to say which is the best for the money but there are certain features you should look for such as:
Free Domain Registration Unlimited Autoresponders Unlimited E-Mail Aliases Secure Web Space For Order Forms Unlimited Traffic CGI-Bin, preferably with installed scripts 24 Tech Support
Keep in mind that 'you get what you pay for'. Chances are, for $10.00 per month, you won't receive any of the above features. It depends on what you need and what your requirements are.
There is a place on the web that compares hundreds of web hosting companies, their features & prices and you can find it at: http://webhostlist.internetlist.com/ but with so many hosts to choose from, it can be quite overwhelming. Sometimes it helps if you can find a person that has had experience with a certain company and can testify to the fact that the company is reliable as well as affordable. This is where I come in...
The web hosting company that I personally use can be found at: http://www.virtualis.com/vr2/rdobbins and I can tell you, that after switching companies numerous times I was ready to literally pull my hair out because I was so frustrated.
Trust me, I've tried the 'free', the 'cheap' and everything in between but once I found my current host, I wouldn't change it again for anything. I get everything I need (and more) for only $36.00 per month and the tech-support is awesome. I personally guarantee that with any support questions you send in, they'll get back to you in one hour or less.
One of the biggest complaints that many people have with their Web Host is a lack of customer support. Whatever host you choose, make absolutely sure that they can be reached 24 hours a day. Not only by email, but by telephone as well. Trust me, eventually, you will need support of some kind and by choosing a host that is accessable 24/7 will save you a lot of heartache and headache when that time comes.
Furthermore, make sure that the company does not charge you for registering your domain name because any reliable company will do that for you for free. Expect them to also transfer your domain name for you (if needed) at no additional charge.
If you like, you can check out how our recommended hosting company compares to others by visiting:
http://www.virtualis.com/vr2/rdobbins/comparison.html
Keep in mind that I'm not trying to 'push' you to choose this particular company, but merely referring you to them as an excellent and affordable one. Remember that you can compare many other companies as well by going to:
http://webhostlist.internetlist.com/
Rosanne Dobbins is a publisher of the 'Advice Daily' ezine. Join us at http://www.promotiontools.net
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| Did You Know? |
Windows vs Linux : HostingThe Basics of Linux & Windows :
Linux (and its close relation Unix) and Windows 2000 (and its close cousin Windows NT) are types of software (known as operating systems) that web servers use to do the kind of things that web servers do. You do not need to know any real detail of either to make a decision as to which you need but here a few guidelines.
Just because you use a windows desktop PC doesn't mean you have to opt for Windows web hosting (and the reverse is true as well). The operating system you use on your desktop has little to do with your choice of web hosts. As long as you understand how to use your FTP or web publishing software, your can use either operating system.
But what is important is that you know what you want your website to do and what you want to offer on it. This is what will ultimately help determine the type of web hosting that will work best for you. As mentioned earlier, interactive websites usually rely on ASP, PHP, or Perl type languages.
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