Web Hosting 101

Before you even get started making millions of dollars on the Internet, you need to know a few things about Web hosting. Web hosting is the process of storing files on a server that has a direct connection to the Internet. Anyone can setup hosting for a website; however, there are many advantages and disadvantages of each based on your specific needs and budget.

Windows vs. Linux?

The first and most important question when dealing with Web hosting is which platform is needed to host your sites files. The majority of Web servers use either: Microsoft Windows 2000/2003 with Internet Information Server (IIS) or Red Hat Linux with Apache Web Server.

Linux is open source software that is relatively inexpensive compared to Microsoft products. The hosting will greatly differ when you compare the difference between using Microsoft SQL Server licenses, which could cost you a few thousand dollars, vs. the free open source MySQL. But before you choose based on price, you need to know which solution meets your requirements.

There are two major issues when choosing a hosting platform. The first is the programming that was involved within the design and development of your website. If the application uses Microsoft SQL and ASP than Windows is the choice for you. The major difference is ASP and .NET cannot run on Linux operating systems; therefore, if you are a Windows programmer, then stick with a Windows hosting platform. However, if you are using PHP, Perl, Python or any other scripting language, these are most likely compatible on both Windows and Linux. If these acronyms scare you and all you have are simple html Web pages, then I recommend a Linux hosting platform.

What Type of Web Hosting Options Do I Have?

You have the option to choose between a Shared hosting environment or a Dedicated hosting environment. Each depends on your specific needs and requirements.

Dedicated Hosting

A Dedicated Hosting Solution is the more expensive of the two options. When you purchase a Dedicated server you are actually purchasing a computer that is hosted in a high performance server environment. For example, Host My Site provides Dedicated Hosting Solutions that allow you to customize you server to suit your requirements. This higher-end server solution is most likely needed when one of the following is needed:

• You need to install customized components and applications


• You need administrative access to the server to run various portions of an application


• You need large amounts of bandwidth and disk space

Most Dedicated servers start about $350 per month for Windows and $250 per month for Linux. The prices then go up based on the specifications and features that you require.

Shared Hosting

When your requirements are just a few gigabytes of bandwidth and a couple hundred megabytes of disk space, then Shared Hosting is the answer for you. There are honestly thousands of hosting companies offering Shared Hosting services. But please dont be fooled. A lot of these are resellers of resellers that offer poor support and even worse customer service. When you choose to obtain a Shared Hosting provider, spend the extra money to obtain a client that will actually pick up the phone. A good hosting plan will run from $10 - $50 per month depending on your specific needs. It is possible to find a cheaper one, but many times saving the few extra dollars every month it is just not worth the headache with dealing with poor customer service and unresponsive technical support.

I understand the platform and options, so what's next?

Shop around! One thing to understand about Web hosting is that the market is completely saturated with reseller companies offering hosting packages with poor customer support. The main thing to ask yourself is when your site goes down, would you rather send an email to their support team and hope they respond or would you rather pick up the telephone and instantly get a response for the downtime? Telephone and online chat support are a must. Also, try and look for a reputable company. After you have narrowed down your choices, do a Google search on each of these companies and try to locate any horror stories. You will be surprised what could be found on some of these hosting forums.

Well I hope this article provides you with some general information to help get you started in the right direction. Having a great hosting solution will allow you to spend less time worrying about your website and more time focusing to market and expand your business online.