Wednesday, April 23, 2008

5 Necessary Steps You Should Take When Hosting Your Website

So You've decided to have an online website for your business. Before doing you will need to follow the following 5 steps in before hosting your website online

1. Design your Website

You will firstly need to design the website for this I would recommend hiring a Web Designer. Before contacting a web designers you should always check the portfolio and there skills. If you just want to advertise your business then you need to look for a web designer who knows how to use graphical programs such as Macromedia dreamweaver, flash, fireworks and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Imageready, Indesign as well as knowledge of HTML, DHTML, CSS and Javascript. However if you want to sell items online or have some technical calculations etc then you should get a web designer with knowledge of online Databases, PHP, MYSQL, perl, .net , HTML, Javascript and CSS

2. Search for a Domain Name

The Domain name is an important part of your website as this is this web address of your actual website. You need to look for your business name in a domain name but don't sign up to the domain name until you find a suitable hosting company in stage 3

3. Sign Up to a web hosting and domain company

You will now have to sign up to a hosting company which will also register your domain name. Look around and find the cheapest you can find and make sure you check the disk space can fit against your very own website as if your website is over 50 Megabytes (MB) and the hosting company has a hosting package that offers you 25MB disk space then you won't be able to put your website within this hosting package as the disk space is to small. You should also check to see if they can give you a free domain name with this service as well as see whether you get a discount if you pay a year in advance.

4. Upload your website

Now that you have the hosting package you will need to upload the web pages to your website using a file transfer program this you can download for free or web hosting company may offer this to you. They will give you username and passwords wither by email or by post which you need to enter before you transfer the files online and it may take about 24 hours before your website is active so you may have to wait for a little while before you can upload your website to the internet.

5. Advertise Your website

The final step in having a website is advertising your website. This is a very important stage in creating a website as without it you will literally be invisible on the web. You will need to submit your website to search engines and make sure you have appropiate meta tag keywords on your website and within your content as this will attract the search engine to your website. You can exchange your web links with other web sites this is called web exchange and you can buy advertising space with on selected websites.

As you can see you have a lot to think about when putting your website together however if you follow the steps that I have included in this article you should find that having a website is benefical to you and your business.

Steven Saunders invites every business and customer to try his "hosting package" at my site which is at http://www.pattendesigns.co.uk/hosting.htm

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_74089_2.html

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Good Web Hosting - What is it All About ?

There isn't anything more crucial than uptime while searching for a web host. The host should assure at least 99% uptime to the user. If host is undependable, the sufferer will be client with losing the traffic at regular interval. One can check reliability of a particular host by going through reviews of people for that particular company. A user can easily accomplish it by going to different search engines. If opinions are positive about uptime then one can consider that particular host a dependable one, but one cannot come to actual conclusion without confirming it by own.

Something else to keep in mind is that many hosts offer Linux based plans, so finding a good Linux hosting company might turn out to be easier. Not that there's a lack of hosts offering Windows hosting but there are thousands of hosts out there and there's a serious offer of Windows hosting but just not in the numbers that Linux is at present.

And what is Linux, anyway? It's sometimes called a counterparty, publicly-developed alternative to the desktop predominance of Microsoft Windows. Although Linux is popular among users already familiar with Unix, it remains far behind Windows in numbers of users. However, its use in the business enterprise is growing.

Usually with free web hosting accounts, they'll require you to use a directory or subdomain. When selecting a web hosting provider, choose one that will allow you to use your own domain name instead of being required to use a subdomain of their domain name. People will be confused and not able to find your site if the web address is not intuitive and unique.

In my own recommendation I for web hosting that's both affordable and high-quality, I can't say enough about this service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_Calipra

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

ASP Hosting Tips

If you need an ASP hosting company that offers more advanced features, there are plenty of places you can go. Since there are so many that offer this functionality, it can be difficult to one which one is right for your needs. Here’s a quick guide to help you make your decision.

What versions of ASP are supported ? A great ASP hosting company will support all versions of ASP, from classic all the way to the most current one. It can be a little difficult to find a host that does this, but it is well worth the search, particularly if you are still relying on classic components.

How much disk space do they offer ? You’ll want to make sure you have enough space for all of your components and applications. Look for an ASP hosting company that offers the most amount of space for the least amount of money. Then, read through their terms of service page to make sure that is what you’ll really be getting. It’s better to go with a company that charges a little more than one that might rip you off.

Do they support MS databases ? A good ASP hosting company will offer support for several different types of MS databases. After all, these are pretty much necessary for the operation of your site. Look for an ASP hosting company that doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for these databases. The best ones will offer an unlimited amount, while the worst will charge $5 or more per database. This can quickly add up.

What support do they offer ? This is one of the most important questions you can ask an ASP hosting company. Even if you are an ASP pro, there still may be times when you need a little help. It’s really nice to have a hosting company that can answer your questions quickly and that is familiar with ASP technology.

Is the ASP hosting company certified by Microsoft ? The best ASP hosting companies are certified by Microsoft. This means that you’ll be dealing with knowledgeable people who will be able to provide you with a great level of tech support. They also need to follow certain guidelines set down by Microsoft to achieve this certification.

ASP Hosting is incredibly powerful and useful. Make sure you find an ASP hosting company that will make it using it worth your while.

B Johannesson owns and operates http://www.asp-hosting-info.com Check out the site for the latest ASP Hosting Reviews and top tips on choosing the best ASP host for your individual needs.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Website Hosted with 100% Solar Energy

Southern Energy Solutions of Marietta, Georgia, announced today that it has enlisted Affordable Internet Services Online, Inc. (AISO) to host its Website. Southern Energy Solutions is a dealer of renewable energy products such as solar PV and wind turbines. AISO is a Web hosting company that is 100% solar powered. Roger K. Cone, owner of Southern Energy Solutions, stated, “Employing AISO to host our Web site with 100% solar energy is a perfect fit for our company. Both Southern Energy Solutions and AISO are environmentally conscious companies that are dedicated to reducing our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels.”

Read more at :
Southern Energy Solutions Website Hosted with 100% Solar Energy

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Make The Move To Multiple Domain Hosting

As a webmaster, you must have been familiar with what the industry calls
"shared hosting plan" which is a cheap way to put your website. A hosting
provider can offers that service cheap because you only use a small amount of
the storage capacity of a server which is shared among many other users.

Unfortunately many of them only let you host one domain under one account. It
will not be a problem if you don't have a plan to build more than one websites.
But the story could be different when you want to do it in the future where you
will have to open an additional hosting account everytime you host a new domain
name. Imagine how much money you have to spend every month just for paying your
hosting service.

On the other hand, using a hosting provider that allows you host all of your
domains under one account will save your money over a host that insists that you
open a new account for each site. That way you can create several websites to
promote different products without having to be upset about any extra fees.

It is entirely up to you what kind of websites you intend to build. You can
build online directories, websites that full of contents and/or websites that
consist of one long sales letter that you can promote with PPC or ezine. Of
course you can promote unrelated products using only one website but it would
not look professional in the eyes of your site visitors. Keep in mind that a
good domain name is usually related to the content of a website.

Some multiple domain hosting companies also provide Fantastico. Building
different type of websites such as classified ads, online directory or blog can
be accomplished very easily by using this feature.

To make it better, you can even register your additional domain names through
a cheap registrar such as GoDaddy. After registering the domain names with the
registrar don't forget to setup the DNS addresses provided by your host. Then go
into the "add-on domain" sub menu in your hosting Control Panel and fill in the
blanks with the name of your new domains and the subdirectories for them. Do it
for each of your domains. Wait a few days (usually less than 48 hours) before
the master list the domain registrar updates will be shared throughout the
internet and all name servers know where to find your new domain.

With multiple domain hosting you can go about setting up specific email
addresses, subdirectories, databases and FTP accounts for each of your domains.
In fact there are no real differences between using a multiple domain hosting
plan and a conventional shared hosting plan.

You can find multiple domain plans starting at about $10 a month. Compared
with a conventional shared hosting, the price is not much different and even
might be cheaper than the price of your current hosting service.

With so many profitable products you can sell online, the move is one you
will never regret. Finally, it is your own decision whether you are ready and
willing to use a multiple domain hosting service and save yourself some hard
earned cash. The choice is absolutely yours.

Source : http://www.developertutorials.com/web-hosting-articles/multiple-domain-hosting-060829/page1.html

Friday, October 26, 2007

Fundamentals of Web Hosting

Before I talk about what it takes to be a cheap and good quality web host, let’s get to the fundamentals first.

What is a Web Host?

A web host is a service provider that places your web site on a computer which is connected to the internet. This ‘computer’ is called a server. A web hosting service provider will typically have a fast connection to the Internet and they may host thousands of web sites on many servers. The web host essentially rents out space to you so that you can get your website up on the world wide web. With a well-managed web host, you can free yourself from worrying the up-keep of complicated server technology and proper technical maintenance. That’s the whole purpose of the web hosting companies. You should leave the technical work to web hosting professionals while you focus on your own internet business.

Features Offered

The features that web hosting companies offer are getting quite standard nowadays. The following are some of the common features you’ll see in most web hosting plans:

· Control Panel

Control Panel is an interface where you can access your site on the web server, allowing you to set-up and subsequently update and customize your web site. Though cPanel is by far the most popular control panel; some hosting providers customize their own so that they can up-grade and expand it at will.

· Diskspace

A vast majority of sites that don’t have tons of graphics, sound and video clips or downloadable files easily fit in 50 MB of disk space. You should always leave yourself some room for growth or check if the host has a bigger plan in case you need to upgrade.

· Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data transmitted or received through a unit of time. In web hosting, bandwidth is consumed when visitors make requests for files on your web site and download them to their personal computers.

· Email Account

With POP3 email accounts you can check email from Outlook, Netscape Mail, Eudora or any other Email software.

· Scripting Language

As all our top 10 listings are using Unix and Linux platform, php, perl and CGI are the languages we are talking about here. It is best to choose a host that supports the latest version to maximize the latest web technologies for the fee that you pay.

· Database

If your web site is going to store a lot of data that should be dynamically accessible (like user accounts, stock prices, maps, Interactive news, message boards and forums etc.), you’ll need to look for an account that offers a database. MySQL is a powerful and most popular database program that runs on the Linux operation system. It is able to handle million of entries all at once. Its flexibility and speed allow you to also store logs and pictures. MySQL is designed to scale well under heavy traffic conditions and is ideal for database-intensive or e-commerce-enabled Web sites.

Customer Service/Support

No matter if you are an expert or a novice in web hosting, you need a web host with good customer support system. What is the criteria of an excellent customer support? Let me explain.

· How big is the knowledge base?

This is particularly important for those who want to search for aquick answer without seeking direct assistance from customer support staff. Due to the huge database, normally it’s searchable. Some web hosting providers will even make your life easier by making a video tutorial guiding you step by step in setting up your new account. Very useful for beginners.

· Responsive customer service staff.

If you are too lazy to find the answer out of a big pool of database, get the direct answer from someone who knows it. Direct customer support comes in a few forms.

a. Email support
b. Phone support:
Normally, sales and technical support uses separate phone line. A good phone support staff knows what your problem is and answers with relevance.
c.Web Host like Lunarpages and Hostgator even have live chat support.
However, it’s not how many support channels that are available but how responsive it is of the staff.

Price to Disk Space / Price to Bandwidth Ratio

Are you paying too much for your Web Hosting Plan? Having done the research on hundreds of web hosting companies, in general, we’ve come to this conclusion: the more disk space and bandwidth you are getting, the more expensive is the monthly price.

Popularity

A web host might have the best feature offered, unbeatable customer support and reliability in place but without an effective marketing plan, it will go bust too. Let’s face it. If a web hosting provider does not have sufficient members and steady growth of new members, it’s very difficult to survive in this highly competitive industry. We judge the popularity of a particular web hosting provider by looking at the number of awards won, the reviews of other websites and the Alexa traffic ranking. You can find out the hosting reviews and ratings of all the hosting providers on this blog.

Reliability, Speed and Uptime Guarantee

Nothing can hurt you more than this: your visitors come to your web site only to find that it’s not accessible. You lose credibility and possibly even a sale. If your web host does not guarantee at least a 99% uptime, leave the web host now!

To ensure maximum uptime, installation of redundant back-up systems is essential. Each web host has their own management systems to minimize downtime. “Redundant” means that if any of the Internet connections get interrupted, the alternate Internet connection will take over.

As for speed, even though routing, web server set up and local area networks play a part in determining the speed of a site, the main concern of how fast your site is depends very much on the types of network connections. Many hosting providers still connect to the Internet through T1, or T3 connections. This is not the case for our top 10 hosts- they are using OC (Optical Carrier) lines. A T1 line will offer data transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second), while a T3 line can supply data transfer rates of 43Mbps. OC-1 refers to a circuit that transmits 51.85Mbps. Higher levels are multiples of that speed. Ultra-High Speed OC3 and OC12 lines offers 155Mbps and 622Mbps respectively. Some hosting providers have connections to major internet backbones at the speed of OC48 (2488Mbps) and OC96 (4976Mbps).

Source : http://www.seo-reloaded.com/web-hosting/your-ideal-web-hosting-company/

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Free Website Hosting Vs. Paid Website Hosting Basics

Web site hosting service companies on the Internet permit the user to make their web site accessible through the World Wide Web. There are huge numbers of companies that offer web space on their server for their customers and also offer Internet connectivity in general in a data center. There can be various types of web site hosting companies. The main classification is the free web site hosting and the paid web site hosting service companies.

In case of free web site hosting, the user has the right to upload his or her web site content on the server space that is provided by the web site hosting company without any cost. This type of web site hosting service is great for people who are new to to internet and plan to get familiar with web site creation and functionality of web servers. On the other hand, to get your web site uploaded on a web space that is provided by a paid web site hosting company, you need to pay the company periodic fees. The fee amount may vary from company to company. The paid web site hosting companies are best suited for professional web site owners. People who need large web space to upload their web sites and who expect a certain amount of web site visitors which is restricted on free hosting accounts to a minimum.

The revenue that the paid web hosting service companies get is through the fee that is paid to the company by the web site owners. In case of free web site hosting companies, the main source of income are the ads and banners that can be placed on their clients web pages.

The main advantage of using a free web site hosting service is that they are free of cost and hence make a perfect choice for people who are new into the business and are just looking to start out. They are perfect for people who just want to display a minimum content on the World Wide Web in small amount of web space. The other advantage of using the free web site hosting service is that most of these companies provide integrated, easy tools to upload the pages on to the hosting account. They do this realizing the fact that the free web site hosting services are generally utilized by the newbies.

There are also certain disadvantages of using the free web site hosting services. When using the free web site hosting service, you are forced to place the ads and banners by the web site hosting company on your web pages. Also the revenue that is obtained by the ads goes to the web site company. In case of paid web site hosting service, ads and banners placed on your web site are according to your will and the revenue of the banners and ads placed on your web site goes in your pocket. Also in some case of free web site hosting, the domain name of your web site starts with the web site hosting company name followed by your web site name. This is not the case of paid web site hosting service. You get a unique web site domain. The web space provided by free web site hosting service is limited whereas in case of paid web site hosting service you can buy the web space according to your requirements.

About The Author:
Roger McLean is marketing executive of http://www.mojoscripts.com. Copyright 2007 by Tela IT Inc. The article may be reproduced in newsletters or on websites provided that the complete article text is included, unchanged, and that neither the copyright declaration nor this license are removed.