Choosing a Web Hosting Company

Checklist of what you should consider when choosing a web hosting provider for your new website...
Are you confused by all the jargon around? Confused by the large variations in price being offered by different hosting companies for the same size of webspace? Here are some thoughts to help you zero in on a web host perfect for your requirements.

Read on...make a list of what is important to you and then take an informed decision...

Though price and affordability is what most beginners go after, but the search for a proper web hosting provider never ends with money. Some parameters to be considered while looking for a perfect web host are:-

1) Bandwidth - is the data transmission rate, the maximum amount of information (bits/seconds) that can be transmitted along a channel. Different web hosts offer bandwidth of varying degree with different plans. While this may not be a critical factor if you have a simple 10 page information based site, bandwidth quota assumes greater importance if you have a large product catalog or shopping cart on your site.

2) Server speed or Processor speed - An important factor associated with hosting is speed i.e., how quickly a server can receive or send back a small piece of data. A server is a home of many sites, and when these sites are operated simultaneously, the server speed may get bogged down. Sometimes certain sites make greater demands on the hosting provider's server and thus will run slower, slowing down every other site on that particular server. "Pinging' is a simple process to test the speed of a server.
In the ideal case scenario, you would want to be on the fastest server available, but if you have a simple 10-15 page site, is it worth paying more for very high processor speed?

3) Uptime - It is a measure of the total time when your site will be 'up', running and operational. Different web hosting providers offer different uptime server speed.

You don't want your site to be down at all. Do you? So look for a host that provides 99.9% uptime server speed. I say 99.9% uptime because some server downtime is inevitable.

4) Security - Protecting a site and its data from various hacks and cracks and unwanted intrusions is what is expected from the web hosting provider, and so a host's security protocol should be outlined.

5) Server platform - LINUX and WINDOWS are the most common server software environments. Some of the web hosting providers do not offer both the options. Typically windows hosting is more expensive than linux hosting. But how do you figure out which one you need...well... do you have a database backed site? If no, then it doesn't matter really if you are on Windows server or Linux. However, if you have a database backed site or are running some programming scripts to generate dynamic pages, then its important to know which type of hosting you need.
Your webdesigner/ webdeveloper should be able to help you with that. Or look at the extensions of your site files. Do they read as .asp or .aspx - yes? Then, you need Windows hosting. If they read as .php, go in for Linux hosting.

6) Customer service - When you pay, customer service also becomes an important aspect. Web hosting providers vary in a great degree regarding this aspect.

Cheque if the web host offers 24-hour email help, FAQ pages, knowledgebase pages and help forums to help you in an easy access to your website and to make you familiar with web hosting.
The best bet however is talking to some of their existing clients.

7) Hidden costs - A careful survey about any hidden cost is a must before you choose your web host. Make a list of all that you need from your web host and know upfront how much it is going to cost you. Minimize the surprises!

8) Reliability - Reliability is the most important factor while choosing a web host. Some webhosts promise the earth but often fail to deliver. The solution is to Try them out and see for yourself how good they are before you get into a long term arrangement with them.

See if the web host offers a Trial policy or 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, and check their reliability and service.

Now, that you are better armed to select a webhost for your new site, take a look at our offerings andd web hosting plans here. If we can't stand on our promises and if you are not satisfied with us after trying us for 30 days, we refund your money.