It may seem simple yet it is oftentimes overlooked.
When it comes to choosing the right Internet hosting provider for their
Web sites, the majority of business owners or companies know very little
about making the best Internet/Web hosting decisions.
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What makes a good Internet/Web hoster for a
business Web site? What makes a bad one?
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How can the wrong Internet/Web hoster help/harm
your business?
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What are the different types of Internet/Web
hosting services? Which ones are best for which industries?
Here are some tips to help you make the right
decisions:
1.
Understand the distinctions between shared, collocated, unmanaged
dedicated and managed dedicated hosting so you choose the one that is right
for your business.
It is crucial to understand the difference between the types of hosting
offered. As the hosting industry has matured, hosting offers have split
into a couple of distinct categories, each with its own strengths and
weaknesses.
Shared hosting (sometimes called virtual
hosting), means that you are sharing one server with a number of other
clients of that company. The host manages the server almost completely
(though you maintain your site and your account). They can afford to
charge you little since many clients are paying for use of the server.
However, companies other than yours are using the resources of that
server. That means heavy traffic to one of the other sites on the server
can really hammer the performance of your site. Also, you are typically
not able to install special software programs on these types of machines,
because the host will need to keep a stable environment for all of the
clients using the server.
Collocated hosting means that you purchase a
server from a hardware vendor, like Dell or HP for example, and you supply
this server to the host. The host will then plug your server into its
network and its redundant power systems. The host is responsible for
making sure its network is available, and you are responsible for all
support and maintenance of your server. Good hosting companies will offer management
contracts to their collocation clients so that you can outsource much of
the support to them and come to an arrangement similar to managed
dedicated hosting. Most collocation hosts do not offer this service,
however.
Unmanaged dedicated hosting is very similar to
collocation, except that you lease a server from a host and do not
actually own it yourself. Some very limited support (typically Web-based
only) is included, but the level of support varies widely from unmanaged
dedicated host to unmanaged dedicated host. This type of server can be had
for around $99/month. Support levels are typically only provided in
general terms. Ask the host to go into specifics about what support they
will provide (will they apply security patches to your server?) before
signing up. This service is typically good for gaming servers (like Quake
or Enemy Territory servers) or hobbyist servers, but not for serious
businesses that need responsive, expert-level service.
Managed dedicated hosting means leasing a
server from a host and having that company provide a robust level of
support and maintenance on the server that is backed by quality
guarantees. This maintenance typically includes that services such as
server uptime monitoring, a hardware warranty, security patch updates and
more. Be sure to make sure your managed dedicated host is specific about
its managed services included so that you can be sure they are not
disguising an unmanaged dedicated offering as a managed dedicated server.
This has been known to happen unfortunately, which is why it is important
to do your homework and ask the right questions.
2. Ask If Your Potential Host's Network Has
Blackholed IPs.
Many hosts care little about who is actually hosting on their networks, so
long as the clients pay their bill. That means many hosters will allow
porn sites, SPAMMERS and servers that create security issues on their
network for the sake of the dollar. Even if you are to place ethical
issues aside, this does have a negative impact on customers in
general, however, when a network gets blackholed for spamming, for
example. Getting blackholed means that other networks will refuse e-mail
originated from IPs that are blacklisted. Some hosts have a number of
entire class C (up to 256 IPs) networks blackholed and redistribute these
tainted IPs to new clients. That means if your business relies on
legitimate closed loop opt-in e-mail marketing to drive sales, being on
such a network can severely cut response to your campaign because your
e-mail may never get to its destination.
Check with any hosts you are considering to see if
their networks are blackholed. Also, here is a link to a third-party
source that tracks blackholed networks and lists them:
http://www.spamhaus.org/sbl/isp.lasso
The following URL is a good resource to help you
understand what is labeled SPAM and what isn�t:
http://www.spamhaus.org/mailinglists.html
3. Don't Confuse Size With Stability.
Just because a Web hosting company is big, does not mean it is stable and
secure. In fact, many of the biggest filed for bankruptcy protection or
were saved by being sold to some other company, in some cases causing
uncomfortable transitions in service for their clients. How do you protect
yourself? Ask some key questions:
How long has the host been in business?
Is current ownership the same as always?
Are they profitable and cash flow positive from
operation-generated revenue?
4. Don't Make Price Your Only Priority.
The old saying "you get what you pay for" applies to most things in life,
and hosting is certainly one of those things. When you over-prioritize
price, you run the risk of ending up with a host that will provide you
with a connection to the Internet and little else in terms of support (and
even that connection may be running at maximum capacity or have uptime
issues).
5. Make Sure Your Host Has Fully Redundant
Data Centers.
When dealing with smaller vendors, make sure that they have their own data
centers and that those data centers are fully redundant in terms of power
and connectivity. Here are a few questions to ask:
How many lines do they have coming into the
facility?
What is the average utilization of their
connections?
(No matter how large the connection, it if is running at maximum capacity
it will be slow.)
Do they have redundant power to the servers?
Do they have a generator on-site?
How often do they test their generator?
What sort of security measures do they have in
place for the network?
What physical security do they have?
What type of fire suppression systems do they have
in place?
6. Find Out If They Have Actual Experienced
Systems Administrators On Their Support Staff.
When you call in for technical support, it can be a frustrating experience
to be stuck talking with a non-technical "customer service" representative
when you really need to talk to a systems administrator who can resolve
your issues. Find out the structure of their support department, how
quickly you can get to an actual systems administrator when you need to,
and which systems administrators can help you when you need help.
7. Make Sure The Host Is Flexible.
It is important that the host understands how important quality servers
are to their clients� businesses. Even most managed dedicated hosts will
not go near supporting applications that are not part of their initial
server setup. Find a host that has a vast amount of experience to
support a wide variety of applications, and one that can bring that
expertise to you through their services.
8. Find Out What Their Former/Current Clients
Say About Them.
Can your prospective host provide you with success stories for clients
with similar configurations to yours? Are they able to provide references
from clients who can tell you about their experience using that company?
9. Make Sure The Host�s Support Doesn�t
Include Extra Charges.
Make sure any host you consider provides you with a comprehensive list
outlining the support they offer so that you can have an understanding of
what is supported for free, what is supported at a fee, and what is not
supported at all. Many hosts will try to hide a sub-standard level of free
support behind non-specific statements of high quality support, so make
them get specific to win your business.
Chris Kivlehan is the Marketing Manager for
INetU Managed Hosting. INetU is an
award-winning Allentown, Pennsylvania-based hosting provider that
specializes in managed dedicated hosting for businesses nationwide in the
online retailing, Web development, e-learning, financial services and
online marketing industries, as well as for governments, non-profits and
civic institutions.
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