Archive for September, 2009
Shared web-hosting services – A good start!
Linux Host September 15th, 2009
When many websites are hosted from the same server, it is referred as shared web-hosting services. In this type of hosting a separate virtual partition is created for each websites on the server to host many sites. This method of hosting is said to be the cheapest form of hosting, since the number of servers required and cost of maintenance is less. Personal websites and small businesses have this service most suited for their requirements, since it is affordable hosting service and requires no maintenance cost.
In shared web-hosting, each client is having a limited usage of the server in terms of server space, email accounts, band width and FTP accounts. Based on the server usage, the price for hosting also differs. Managing shared web-hosting is normally done by the service providers. They are responsible for installing the server software, security updates and providing technical support to the clients. The technology platform normally employed in shared web-hosting services is LAMP- a software bundle based on Linux operating system. Some of the web-based control panels used in shared web-hosting are c-panel, Ensim, DirectAdmin, Plesk, Interwox, and H-sphere.
Shared web-hosting is having many advantages in terms of cost and maintenance, when compared to the other hosting services. If the client is looking for an economical hosting plan, then he can choose the shared web-hosting service as his best option. In case of shared hosting services the website set up is fast and you can host the site in less than 24 hours. The disadvantages of this hosting service are limited server usage, control, security and memory space. The shared hosting is not ideal for large database ecommerce sites, since they need more memory space to handle data. Understanding the client business in terms of number of visitors, data usage and memory space helps to identify the right hosting plans for their website.
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Should it be Linux Web Hosting or Not ?
Linux Host September 14th, 2009
Technicalities associated with Web Hosting are numerous, and you need to be aware to make informed decisions. With each hosting company offering multitude of hosting services, you need to know what would be suitable for your website needs. You need to understand what’s what in webhosting so that you can make an effective choice of a Web hosting solution.
The type of server Operating System (OS) seldom forms an aspect of consideration for clients while choosing a site hosting solution. A majority of individuals and businesses is not even aware of the choice of OSs available to them. It is essential that you know if a particular type of OS would be suitable for your website needs. A web hosting provider should acquaint its customers with the options of operating systems available to them and explain the pros and cons of each, so that customers can make a wise decision.
Linux and Windows are the two server operating systems that have managed to outrace other OSs operating in the market. While each OS has got a dedicated user group associated with it, it is better if you make a decision based on unbiased information.
Linux hosting is a cheap hosting solution, which is one of the prominent reasons for its popularity. It is an open-source Operating System holding a GPL (General Public License), which means you do not need to purchase an operating license for running the software; it is available free-of-cost to anyone. The source code is constantly improved by experts world-wide; new features and security patches are developed and incorporated rapidly. All this makes Linux-based web hosting service robust, reliable and secure for use.
Another advantage of Linux-based website hosting is the Software’s capability to support diverse technologies; the OS is constantly enhanced for compatibility with contemporary and emerging technologies. Such features add to its increasing popularity as the one of the best hosting solutions.
LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) is a popular technology combination associated with Linux-based web site hosting. Apache is a popular Web server, MySQL is a database server, and PHP is a scripting language; Perl or Python are sometimes used instead of PHP. All the technologies are open-source and extremely compatible, which is why LAMP is popular for application development.
If your website uses PHP, Perl, or Python, Linux-based hosting is ideal since these scripting languages work best on a Linux platform. Linux server can also be used for running the scripting language ASP; however, it is recommended that you use Windows-based web hosting services.
Linux hosting offers cheaper database solutions. MySQL performs to its optimal on a Linux platform, and moreover this database management system is open-source, and hence free-of-cost. Linux servers are known for their stability in multi-tasking even over longer durations. SSH (Secure Shell) security is available with Linux servers; SSH is a network protocol that enables data exchange between two devices in a network, over a secure channel.
Usually there is an alternative solution in Linux for every Windows feature; however such features may be difficult to locate or configure. If you are switching from Windows to Linux, then you need to make a list of Windows-only features used on your website since such features do not work on a Linux platform without modifications.
So, analyze your requirements, gather customer feedback, research online knowledge bases for more information, and choose a Linux Web Host, if you feel it would best serve your needs.
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Linux Host September 14th, 2009
Renting the server space for your website is the simple explanation for this new age IT service called web hosting. The key responsibility of the web hosting companies is to provide server space, web services and server maintenance. The domain hosting companies are rated based on the server space provided, security, file transfer, software and price. The price for web hosting varies according to the providers.
Apart from free webhosting services, we can classify the web hosting into four main types; they are shared web hosting, reseller web hosting, dedicated server, virtual private server and clustered hosting services. Shared web hosting is the most common and cheap hosting provided by many companies. In this type of hosting one or many websites share the same server space. Reseller web hosting allows the clients to become webhost themselves. In the dedicated server web hosting type, the user reserves the full control and he can choose self managed or unmanaged hosting services. The virtual private hosting is a high volume dedicated business hosting. Clustered hosting technology is designed to eliminate problems of shared hosting services. Clustered hosting provides fast, reliable and secure hosting services. Most web hosting providers offer Linux based web hosting platform. The configuration includes, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python, shortly called as LAMP.
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TweetWeb hosting – Some basic features
Linux Host September 8th, 2009
Before selecting the web hosting plan, we need to understand some of the basic features of web hosts. Knowing every feature helps in selecting the most suitable plan for your website hosting.
Disk space
All hosting plans have certain amount of disk space. The disk space differs for each plan and the price also varies. A small and medium website will need about 100 MB of disk space approximately. If you use images and graphic elements in the web pages, then you need more disk space. Further, you need to reserve some disk spaces for storing your email, database, backup and log files.
Server type
Most hosting servers run on Windows, Linux, or UNIX environment. The choice of server depends on the type of technology used to build websites. If your website depends on scripting language like PHP, MY-SQL, or Perl, Linux hosting is preferable. If your website is built on ASP or Microsoft DOTNET, then the best choice is Windows- based server hosting.
Band width
The required bandwidth for your website is related to how many visitors you have on your site each day. Bandwidth facilitates the fast data transfer between your site and the browsers. Small business website may not require a large bandwidth size, but when you are hosting large ecommerce sites, you may need a sufficient bandwidth to handle more requests.
E-mail accounts
The number of email accounts you need may depend on your business requirements and the web hosting plan you choose. The most common email services offered are POP3 based email support and webmail support. Almost all web hosting companies provide standard basic email support to their clients.
Technical Support
The last feature that you need to consider is whether the hosting company is providing a proper technical assistance for all web hosting issues. Some hosting companies have a dedicated support center, which provide 365X24X7 technical support. Others have email-reporting or ticket system to address web hosting issues.