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An issue-by-issue guide to selecting a host.Nov 09 '00 Write an essay on this topic.There are many different issues you need to deal with when you select a company to host your web site. I've outlined several of these here. Please be aware that all web sites have different needs. Some need lots of bandwidth. Some need a good database. Some need the latest scripting language. But all web sites need a good company to host them. Here's some of the issues you need to consider when choosing a web host: Server Space While some web hosts may try to lure you into paying more or using their service just because you get a big chunk of hard drive, don't fall for it. Believe it or not, most web sites don't need over 100MB of web space, tops! This especially applies if you are going to use a database for your content, which I'll cover later. If you're planning to host a bunch of media files such as audio, video, and photos, you might need more disk space. If you're planning on hosting a web site with lots of media, sign up with a host that allows you to upgrade your plan and add more disk space as you need it. You don't need to be paying for what you don't use. Bandwidth Most users, especially novices, don't bother seeing how much bandwidth they get when they sign up with a hosting company. Bandwidth is one of the most important things. Bandwidth is the number one thing that people get charged extra for by their web host. As your site gets popular, you'll start needing more bandwidth. Some hosts charge outrageous amounts for extra bandwidth such as $10 per extra GB. Prices are steeper with the cheaper hosts. A host may even decide to turn off your web site if you go over your monthly bandwidth limit. Another thing to be aware of is sites that advertise "unlimited bandwidth." Most of the time your bandwidth is limited. Read the fine print. So don't think you're saving money by going with an ISP that offers unlimited bandwidth. Above all - don't skimp on bandwidth or you'll pay later. Databases Most hosts will offer a MySQL database with your hosting package. Unless you're a very large site, a MySQL database will do just fine. If you plan to have a ton of visitors each day, you may want to go with a host that offers an Oracle or Microsoft SQL database. A MySQL database is the most popular, especially if you're planning to use a lot of PHP scripts or bulletin board software. Just make sure the software you're planning to use on your site supports your type of database and you'll be fine. One of the many things I've noticed about web hosts is that some limit you to having only 1 database. While this is fine for small sites, larger sites that have different applications such as a bulletin board or dynamically-driven frontend will find that their software requires more than one database. Be sure your host will provide you with as many databases as you need. Scripting Languages PHP. ASP. Cold Fusion. Perl. JSP. They're all scripting languages that make it easy to design a dynamic web site. Just make sure the host you choose provides the languages you need and also has plans to upgrade to new scripting languages when they come out. Tech Support Tech Support is the number one factor you should consider when choosing a web host. Before signing up, give the host a call, email them, instant message them. Whatever method is most convenient for you to use give them a buzz and test how fast their response time is and how friendly and knowledgeable their technicians are. If a host says they have 24 hour customer service, you should be able to call and talk to someone in the middle of the night. If you don't like a company's service, move on. Conclusion Don't base your decision on a web host on just the amount of disk space or the amount of bandwidth. Look at the host as a whole to see if they're any good. Make sure you choose a host that can easily handle your web site as you grow in popularity. Don't be stuck having to move your site to a completely different companies servers, as its a real pain. Above all, do your homework. P.S. - If you have any questions about web hosting, feel free to leave a comment on this article and I'll answer it as soon as I can.  |
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