Monday, August 4, 2008

Web Hosting Defined

Before I ever created a website, I was scared to "commit" to paying for something I didn't understand. I didn't know how to buy a domain and even if I did, I didn't know what web hosting was, or how to get it. For those in that situation, today is your lucky day.

What is web hosting?

Think of hosting as renting an apartment. After you buy your fabulous domain name, where is it going to live? It's going to live on a server, or in other words, be "hosted" on a server. That is why the hosting part of this equation is so important to understand and grasp. Hosting rates have come down a ton in the last few years, and with many of them, you can park an unlimited number of domains on top, allowing you to have all sorts of sites all on one account.

Different types of web hosting: When you try to buy a hosting account, it is going to ask you what type of hosting you want. It's important to know the three basic types that you will see so you can make the right decision.

1. Shared Hosting- This is what most people, including myself, will buy at a site like hostgator.com. This means what you think it does: your site is shared alongside other side and consequently, has limited disk space. For our purposes however, we have more than enough. When you make the next Youtube, you may need to switch.

2. Reseller Hosting- This is what you would get if you wanted to resell the hosting yourself, which we do not need.

3. Dedicated-This would be for people with a large number of users per day. This provides exclusive use of a computer and internet connection, so there's obviously much more control. Again, you probably don't need this type.

My favorite Web hosting company is hostgator.com, simply because the user support is great and it allows you to install all types of websites at the touch of a button.

James Nissen is a full time internet marketer and just launched an amazing marketing giveaway at http://www.IMadwords.com

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

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Windows Web Hosting Basics

Windows is probably the most popular operating system there is today. It a product of Microsoft that has become the standard of operating systems of the personal computers in most homes and major business establishments.

In the advent of the websites and web hosting, Windows is a popular choice among web developers as the main platform for their web hosting services. As there is continued development in the tools for Windows web application, more and more people are creating websites in the Windows platform.

There are several scripting languages that are available for Windows web hosting. These scripting languages include ASP, ASP.NET and PHP. If you have qualms with these scripts, then you should not worry as there are many resources, such as introductions and tutorials, in the internet for these scripts.

Choosing Windows for web hosting is advisable when Microsoft technologies are to be used. Its Internet Information Server (IIS) is the regular when using ASP and is needed if you want to use Microsoft Access and SQL server. Windows web hosting is also highly encouraged when you are going to use components that were developed using a Windows-based programming, such as CGI. Windows web hosting also has a lot of pre-made programs designed for use with Windows web servers.

As there are many companies that offer Windows web hosting services, you have to take note of certain things before taking your business to one. First thing to consider is that you have to make sure that the company is legitimate and has been in the business for a couple of years as foundation background.

There are a lot of fly-by-night companies that takes your money away with them too so you have to be very critical in choosing the right company that will provide your web hosting service. Another thing to consider is their technical expertise and the services that the company is offering. You want to make sure that the company you are working with is very reliable in terms of the technical aspect. You have to know their guarantees and services as to uptime and customer support as you want your website to be readily accessible for viewing at any time.

You must also consider the people working for the company if they are adeptly trained for the Windows environment. Check if they are certified as MCSE and MCSA so you may free yourself from worrying if the people you trusted with your website know what they are doing.

An imperative thing to remember about Window web hosting service is that it will cost more as compared to Linux web hosting service since it needs a license for you to be able to use it. If you are willing to shell out extra money for the benefit of your website, in order for you to be able to embed special features in it, then Windows web hosting service is best for you. With the stability and reputation of Windows, you know it is worth the investment you make.

Visit The Top Ten Web Hosts today to find out more about the most Reliable Web Hosting companies in the business and learn a bit more about Windows Web Hosting.

Multiple Domains in One Account: Benefits and Risks

Today many web-hosting providers offer plans where you get an opportunity to host multiple domains in one account. You can find providers that offer somewhere from 6 domains to unlimited domains that you can host in a single account. Unlimited domains do not necessary mean unlimited hosting space (also known as disc space). Some time you can host unlimited domains as long as you can fit them all in 30GB of space for example.

What are the benefits of having multiple domains in one account? The answer to this question is simple: it will save you some money. Your monthly payment will be the same for multiple domains as it would be just for single domain. It can save you considerable amount of money to host few domains with the same host. Let say you have chosen a provider with a monthly plan at $6.95. If you host five other domains with the same provider it will save you $417 a year. This money can be used on promoting your site instead. When choosing a provider that will host multiple domains under one account you need to carefully review all your option since there may be some risks involved in hosting all your websites in one account.

What are the risks of hosting multiple domains in one account? The risk of hosting multiple domains in one account generally related to a possible "down time" that can happened due to many factors. Some time as simple as severe whether in the area of your providers server. When choosing a provider you should factor in a possibility of server down time. If your website is meant to make you money, one day of server being down may cost you way more than $417. You need to decide if you can loose $417 or more just because your sites were down.

Volodymyr Zablotskyy - EzineArticles Expert Author