How To Choose Web Hosting
- selecting the best web hosting
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According to your website type, location of customer, you are suggested to choose the best web hosting based on server configuration (CPU, RAM, Hard Drive and Bandwidth), operating system, database, security, review, tips and notes.
Brief Introduction
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Web hosting should be choose based on hosting type, space, visiting speed, bandwidth, database, email accountants, CPU, RAM, review and customer service.
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The factors related with web hosting server choosing are included in the photo.
Profile
- Section : Tips
- Key Word : How to choose web hosing
- Author : Jasper
- Industry : Web Hosting
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Web hosting is becoming popular because every company and organization prefer to have their own website and show their profile or product online.
There are more than hundred of web hosting companies in the marketing, offering different kind of hosting package.
It is important to choose a good web hosting provider, which can secure the speed and security of your file and data.
We will discover the truth of choosing a good web hosting provider in this article.
Location
This location refers to the physical location of the servers being used for your website. It is one of the factors to impact the visiting speed of your website.
Most Internet data are transferred from one location to another through cable. The data is transfered in a speed of light, very quick. But it still needs some time when the data transfer over a long distance. So we suggest you to choose a web hosting server near you main customers.
For example, if your customers are living in China, then you are suggested to host your website in China. The website will be slow to open if you put server in USA.
Hosting Plan
Web hosting providers offers several hosting plan or package. Each plan features different configuration on CPU, RAM, BandWidth, Database and email accountants.
Users should choose the appropriate plan or configuration to cater to your own need.
Website Type
Website can be generally divided into static and dynamic ones. Static website mainly refers to the website composed of HTML page. Dynamic website works based on database query, interpreting and programming.
Static website do not have high request on hosting server, because almost all servers works good for static HTML page.
The performance of a Dynamic website is affected by the server hardware and hosting plan, such as CPU, RAM, Bandwidth, etc. We will talk about the server configuration in the following paragraph.
Configuration
The most important factor needs to be considered in web hosting choosing is your actual needs on the performance and capability of the server. The popular standards to judge the capability of a server covers CPU, RAM, Hard Drive(space) and Bandwidth. Lets talk about them one by one.
CPU
Being the first hardware to determines the capability of a hosting server, CPU is the abbreviation of "Central Processing Unit". CPU works in a server just like the brain of a people. It is the main factor to affect the performance of a server when it executes instructions, performs database queries or executes programming commands.
If your web site is composed of static HTML page, then you do not need to worry about CPU, because there is even no work of interpreting or database query.
You are suggested to choose a good CPU if you are running a dynamic website with some function. The more dynamic content in your website, the more important of the CPU to the performance of your website. More GHz, core or processors leads to better performance. More GHz make it possible to execute more instruction; more processors leads to more efficiency and better visiting speed; more cores make the server possible to use the next core when the first core is busy.
RAM
RAM refers to the Random Access Memory, which is a kind of short memory designed for the working of server, especially for CPU.
More data can be stored in the RAM if you have enough RAM. The server can run in a much higher speed when process data from RAM instead of locating the data and read it into RAM before processing it.
RAM is not so important for a static website, because there is not so many data to be processed and then not so much data needs to be stored in the RAM. The situation is quite different for a dynamic website, the more RAM you have, the better performance your website may provide.
Space on Hard Drive
Space refers to the store space you have on the hard drive of a server. Most space are measured in GB or G. Most web hosting provider offers a space from 1 G to 20G. You can choose the hosting plan based on the size of your website.
Some web hosting provider offers unlimited store space, please the TOS(Term Of Use) carefully before you choose it. You should know the real unlimited space is not existed.
There are two kinds of hard disk, SSD and HDD. Please choose SSD if the visiting speed is important; HDD is a good choice if stability is more important, especially if the server needs to perform Input and Output operation.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is also called 'bandwidth allowance', which is the data transfer or traffic limit of a website generate within a named period, usually monthly. Visitors can not visit the website if the traffic exceeded the limit.
You are suggested use a bandwidth limit double the amount your website generate. And most web hosting servers offers a convenient way to expand the bandwidth limit.
Some web hosting providers do not set bandwidth limit, which is a good choice for users.
Speed
The speed of your website are impacted by the following factors, which should be considered when you choose a fast web hosting server.
- Type of server's hard drive. SSD is better than HDD.
- CPU. More GHz, core or processors are suggested.
- RAM. More RAM leads to faster running speed.
- Location. Choose a server closed to your customer.
- Bandwidth. Choose enough bandwidth package based on the users of your website.
Operating System
The present operating system of web hosting server mainly covers Linux and Windows. Linux is used in 70% of web hosting servers.
Linux system is suggested if you are new to web hosting, because of its robust feature, performance history and scalability. At the same time, Linux is open source, which leads to lower cost to host your website.
Windows operating system is suggested if you need to run windows web application or your dynamic website is programmed in .NET framework.
Database
Most modern website works based on content management system (CMS) and database. Database used to store data for the website. The popular database covers Oracle, Mysql, MsSql, PostGresql, Mongodb and MsAccess.
MySql is the first choice when you use Linux or Unix System. MsSql is suggest if you Windows operating system.
Visitors analysis
Some web hosing company offers visitors analysis system, which is helpful to know where the visitors come from, which operating system they are using, from which page they enter the website, etc.
You are suggested to choose a web hosting provider with analysis system.
Security
You are suggested to choose a web site hosting providers with the following abilities:
- Looking into the website of providers to make sure they offers convenient backup.
- The web hosting providers should have ability to monitor unusual activities.
- Choose a web hosting server providing SSL, Firewalls, and DDoS Prevention service.
- A good web hosting server should provide antivirus and scanning service.
- Visit the website of hosting providers to see whether they have ability of emergency recovery, although no one want this experience.
Website builder
Some web hosting providers offers free application of website builder.
Please choose a provider offering free website builder if you do not have ability to build the website on your own or you do not want to pay for web site developing team.
Customer Support
To know the customer service quality of a web hosting provider, you are suggested to contact the web hosting provider to ask several questions you concerned. You may easily find how long time you can get replied and whether they can solve your problem. Then you may find the level of their customer support or customer service.
Popular Brands
One of the methods of choosing a good provider is selecting from the most popular hosting brands. Most popular hosting brands are verified and accepted by the present market and users.
The popular hosting brands covers Godaddy, Hostinger, HostGator, Amhosting, SiteGround, A2hosting, Webzpro, InMotion hosting, Bluehost, etc.
Popular hosting company generally provides better web hosting service than other hosting providers, but you still need to read the reviews online and contact their customer service staff to verify.
Try the Web Hosting
Most web hosting providers offers 30 days money back guarantee. It is possible to try their web hosting and make your decision before the end of the month.
Review
It is convenient to read some reviews from real users of a web hosting to know how they did their job. You may read both pros and cons of their product or service before make decision on the web hosting choosing.
Tips
Some infamous web hosting company also possible provides very good service.
To save your cost, it is a good idea to start from a low level plan based on your needs, the web hosting is easy to be expanded.
Contact your web hosting provider before renew it, sometimes you can get a better price.
Note
Part of popular web hosting providers not always offer good service; it is a good idea to read reviews before selecting.
Some web hosting company offers a discount price only for the first payment, you need to know the cost of renew.
Read TOS (terms of use) before you remit payment, especially when the provider offers unlimited space or bandwidth.
Always stay away from a web hosting provider with bad customer service.