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We don't sell hosting service and have no vested interest
in one host service provider or another. We recommend a hosting
service because we have used their service and are familiar
with their qualities and limitations. There are many good
hosting services available and there are just as many bad
ones. The one that you choose will depend upon the type of
website that you are developing and the features required,
but most importantly reliability and customer support.
There are literally thousands of web hosting service providers.
When shopping for a hosting service, consider these issues:
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1]
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Platform - The two main
platforms available are Unix and Microsoft. Unix is
by far the oldest and most established type of hosting
platform. Linux is a Unix based system and is essentially
the same, but if you intend to install 3rd party scripts,
make sure that they are tested for Linux. Unix servers
are usually lower priced, more stable, and offer more
bang for the buck than Microsoft servers. If you need
to run a Microsoft application such as ASP or Access
Database, then you must use a Microsoft server.
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2]
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Features - Determine
what your minimum required features are before
shopping for a web hosting service. Consider these
examples:
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Top Level Domain
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POP3 Mailboxes
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Shopping Cart
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SSL Secure Socket Layer
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Web Mail
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Autoresponders
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CGI / PHP / Pearl
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e-Mail Forwarding
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FormMail
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FTP Access
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Mailing List
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Guest Book
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Bandwidth
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Spam Filtering
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Forum
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Storage
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mySQL Databases
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Chat Room
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Satisfaction Guarantee
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FrontPage Support
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Password Protection
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Price Lock
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Real Audio/Video Support
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Nightly Backups
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Free Set up
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Web Stats / Access Log
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3]
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Connection - The host
computer is connected to the Internet backbone typically
by T1 and T3 lines. A T1 can carry up to 1.5 mbs (megabits
per second), while a T3 can carry 45 mbs. Small ISP
hosts sometimes have ISDN connections to the Internet,
or "fractional T1" connections (part of a
T1). Look for a T3 connection.
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4]
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Reliability - Many web
hosting services claim 99.9% up time. Don't take their
word on this unless you have a reliable reference. There
are many hosts with slick, compelling websites and poor
or non-existent technical support. Ask someone who has
used their service if you can. If not, look for one
with no set up fees and a money back guarantee.
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5]
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Support - 24 / 7 support
sounds great, but it is usually not completely accurate.
There are very few web hosting companies that actually
have support personnel available 24 hours a day. Usually
this means that you can e-mail to them 24 hours a day
and they respond within 24 hours. Beware of autoresponder
support systems that are presented as 24 / 7 support.
These completely automated systems will cause you much
grief! Phone support is a great feature, but is rarely
offered.
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6]
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Location - The Internet
is an international marketplace. There are hosting companies
with servers in Australia offering hosting service to
the U.S. market. If you are marketing products to Australian
customers, then this is good, but it is more likely
that you will be selling products within the U.S., if
that is where you live. More distance between the server
and your customers means longer page download time.
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6]
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Price - The big question
is... What should you expect to pay for web hosting
service? The answer is not always obvious. First, clearly
identify your needs. Then ask someone who has tried
some hosting services. Shopping around and trying different
hosts can be very time consuming and at times frustrating.
Prices range from free to about $200 per month. The
value depends on your hosting needs. We have used the
web hosting services listed below and can recommend
them from first hand experience.
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If you decide to shop around, here are some places
to start:
http://thelist.internet.com/
-or-
http://www.webhostingratings.com/guide.html
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Recommended hosting companies with great
service and competitive prices:
DirectNIC
will host your domain if it is registered with them. If you
already have a domain that is registered elsewhere, it is
easy to transfer the registration over to DirectNIC. They
offer free hosting with ad banners or banner-free hosting
for $15 per year. It is basic featured hosting and does not
include server side script or database support. One way to
control your hosting costs is to have doorway sites hosted
on inexpensive servers such as this and link them to a site
that has script and database support for the shopping cart
or other data driven features.
LiquidWeb
is a full featured hosting service. We have found them to
be very reliable with great technical support. Their hosting
packages include lots of tools including shopping carts, forum,
guest book, ad banner rotation, mySQL databases, hit counters,
FormMail, and more. Their plans start at about $15 per month.
If you have questions or need assistance, contact
us for a free initial consultation.
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