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What do I really need in a hosting package?

November 12th, 2009

By Matt Cook
Point.Click Media

Knowing what you need is always best when it comes to your budget. This much is common sense. But how do you know what you need when putting together a website? The last thing you want is to have a boatload of extra fees and charges on top of what you’ve budgeted for your website. Hosting packages are a good example.

But what exactly is hosting, and why do I need it?

When you sit in front of your computer and start browsing the web what you’re doing is downloading web pages from what’s called a web server. Every website sits on some form of web server that users connect to to get information. This is where the term ‘hosting’ comes from; the server that hosts a website. The diagram would look something like this:

servers

This is where hosting packages come in. Businesses can own their own web server(s) that they may keep in house. Depending on the size of the business and the volume of traffic to the website, this can become quite costly and time consuming to maintain. The solution is to buy or rent space from a hosting company. Many hosting companies literally own rows upon rows of servers that are set up in air-conditioned bunkers around the world so that if one system fails, another kicks in so you don’t lose your service. The cost to you is relatively low since they’re marketing worldwide.

So what should I look for?

Hosting packages come in all shapes and sizes and offer a range of different features at various prices. Before you go shopping for hosting, take a good look at your website and your website traffic to help you figure out which package is best. Here are some questions to help:

  • Are you running your website off of a Content Management System (CMS)? The installation of many CMS products requires the installation of special programming languages like PHP, ASP, or .NET. Check to see what language your CMS is using, if applicable.
  • Do you need to host email? Some businesses have a separate service that handles their email, be it Google, Yahoo, or even your Internet Service Provider. Most businesses would prefer to have their web hosting and email all in one place. Some hosting companies charge extra for hosting email.
  • What kind of traffic volume are you getting, and what type of content are you giving them? The scope of hosting packages often involve a bandwidth limit. If a lot of people are visiting your site and downloading videos or large documents all day, for example, you’ll be eating through your allotted bandwidth pretty quick. There are also many low-cost hosting packages out there that feature unlimited bandwidth.
  • How big is your site and how much content is there? Hosting packages often give a set amount of space for you to store your files. Much like renting an apartment, you’ll pay more for a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo on the shore front than a 1 bedroom hovel on the wrong side of town.
  • Do you feel you are paying too much for hosting now? Did you know that for a small to medium sized enterprise there are numerous hosting packages out there that will give you everything you need and more for approximately $10/month? This includes programming languages, large scale bandwidth, unlimited data transfer and plenty of space.

Web hosting can seem a little bit overwhelming at first glance. It looks like a lot of technical mumbo jumbo for the average entrepreneur, with Megabytes and FTP’s and such. Hopefully the above questions will clear the air and help you get the best bang for your buck. If you’re looking for additional help in setting up hosting for your website, contact Point.Click Media.

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Posted in Tips and Tricks on November 12th, 2009

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