The Importance Of Web Site Hosting
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Many web site owners barely give web hosting a thought – that is, until something goes wrong with their web site.
A Big Factor
Web hosting is a big factor in a successful web site, and should be treated as such. Web hosting can have a huge affect on how fast or slow your web site loads. When something goes wrong, you want a company that will be there to help solve any problems. You want to be sure your web site is backed up to prevent any data loss. You may have to pay a bit extra for a good web hosting provider, but it is well worth it.
Fast Web Servers & Connectivity
The best web hosting companies use the latest generation of web servers that have adequate computing power and RAM to handle the traffic to your web site. Inferior web servers will cause your web site to load slowly, or crash under heavy loads. As with all computers, web servers will experience hardware failures from time to time. So make sure your web hosting provider has a plan for the speedy replacement of any bad hardware.
Your web hosting provider should have multiple, redundant connections to the Internet so that if one connection fails, another will be there to prevent any downtime. These connections should be fast, high-speed connections so that your web site will load as fast as possible.
Uptime Guarantee
Make sure your web hosting provider has a guarantee that states how frequently their system is up and running. The best providers have an uptime guarantee of 99.99% or better.
Web Site Monitoring
Better web hosting companies provide monitoring of your web site, which “watches” your web site, and notifies you if something goes wrong. Many providers will monitor your web site, and then proactively fix any issues that may arise.
24 x 7 Service
It goes without saying that your web hosting provider should be available 24 x 7. Things can happen at the most unexpected times, so you want to be assured that someone will be there for you if something comes up.
Daily Backups
Your web hosting provider should backup your web site on a daily basis. That way, if any data is damaged or deleted, you can restore it from a backup.
Secure Data Center
It is very important that your web server is located in a secure facility that allows access to authorized personnel only. This prevents unauthorized access to your web files or web server hardware.
The best data centers are fully protected for all kinds of risks including natural disasters, fires, floods, etc. Your data center should also have extended, emergency backup power in case of a prolonged power failure.
Established & Reliable
This is a true story. One of our clients was using a low cost web hosting company. One day that company shut everything down and packed all of its web servers in a truck, and moved from the east coast to the west coast. The only problem is that the web hosting company did not tell any of its clients about this downtime. All their clients suddenly found that their web sites were down, and remained down for over a week, while the web hosting company moved its offices. Obviously, you don’t want this happening to you.
Pick a web hosting company that is established and reliable. Pick a company that has many well-known clients. Ask for references, and contact some of the companies that they provide hosting for.
Dedicated Account Manager
Don’t you hate when you call in for technical support and get a different person every time, who seemingly knows nothing about your account. That’s the way many inferior web hosting companies offer support. Instead, choose a hosting provider who provides you with a dedicated account manager. That way you can establish a working relationship with your account manager, who will be familiar with your web site and web server. If any issues come up, you can contact your account manager who will take charge of the situation.
Conclusion
Choosing a web hosting provider on price alone is not a good idea. As explained above, there are many factors that lead to good web hosting. You don’t want to get stuck with poor web hosting as your web site will not be in good hands, and your online presence will suffer as a result.
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