Tell Me about Web Hosting
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Mickey Dodson
I Have Questions About Web Hosting
I'm ready to understand what I need to know about web hosting. I have registered my web domain name. I have designed a very nice, easily navigated web site. I have done my homework about marketing my web site. Now I need to know where to put it.
What Is the Most important Thing I Should Know About Web Hosting?
You should look for a professional to do your web hosting.
A professional web hosting service will provide 24/7 support.
Why is this important?
If you're web site is a commercial venture, it should be protected just as if it were a brick and mortar store. If your customer or client tries to visit your web site and finds it isn't open, they will shop somewhere else. They won't leave a note and they will likely never return because they will think you are out of business.
This means that,if for some reason the server that is hosting your web site goes down, and your web hosting service is not constantly monitoring, it will stay down until they return to their office.
Just think of all the customers you might lose if your web site goes down on a Friday night and it is not repaired until Monday morning.
Is There Anything Else About Web Hosting I Should Know?
There are many other things to consider when choosing a web hosting service.
Answers to the following questions will help you to know those that are important to you.
How will you publish your web site?
Will your web site require a secure server to accept payments?
Do you need a web hosting service that provides data base support?
Will your web site use forms requiring your web hosting service to be able to generate responses.
Will you have a catalog?
Speed Is Important in choosing a Web Hosting Service
There are different tiers on the Internet. The tier at which your web hosting service has its server will directly affect the speed at which your web site loads and that is very important. It can also affect the functionality of your web site.
Ask any web hosting service that you are considering what is their tier level. If they won't answer, or if they answer anything deeper than level three, look elsewhere.
Think of your web site as a message. Let's say you are in New York and the person who needs to receive your message is in Hong Kong. Does your message in its entirety go straight from your server in New York to his computer in Hong Kong. No it doesn't.
The Internet uses something called packet switching. In simple terms that is a procedure that cuts your message into tiny pieces, sends it through the system, and then reassembles it on the receiver's computer.
If those tiny pieces have to pass through several different servers to reach the top tier (necessary for them to be forwarded on) and then pass through several more to get back down whatever number of tiers it takes to get to the receiver's computer, there is more opportunity for one or some of them to get lost. If you have ever experienced a web page that didn't completely load on your browser, that is what happened.
You can't control the tier level of the Internet Service Provider for your customer, but you can control the tier level of your web site by the web hosting company you select.
-- Mickey Dodson
