Tips & Tricks
Hosting Features

Ok, you're ready to find a host. What do you need to look for to make sure the Hosting service is going to meet your technical needs? Here is a little list. I've tried to put these in generic terms as much as possible, but sometimes that's not always possible. So if you have questions, feel free to email or contact the web host you're looking at.

All Hosting Services should provide you with a list of features they offer. Most do this by offering different types of packages. From Basic to Ultimate. While everyone wants to find the cheapest deal, you must be very careful that the cheap deal isn't a rip off to get you hooked for a year and then offer you the additional services you need at additional cost.

For instance, the most common thing Hosting Services do is offer you the bare minimum basics. Which most websites outgrow in 6 months. But then they hit you with additional hidden costs. The basic package offers 1 email address, with no ability for return email confirmation, or forwarding email features. For additional email addresses, you must purchase additional accounts. Changing a $20 hosting fee to $50 for the year. Suddenly it's not a good deal any more is it?

So it's very important that you read the fine print. And most sites will provide this information on additional pages. So you'll have to bare through the process and read thoroughly.

Now, what is you want, at a minimum? What I've provided below is what I look for in a host for a basic customer site. It allows for growth and expansion during the life time of the domain. Typically that's a 3 year period.

You want a host that will provide:
  • Minimum of 50 MB of Storage Space
    100 meg if you're going to store sound files or a lot of graphic/picture files.
  • Minimum of 10 Email Accounts with:
    • Unlimited Email Forwardings
    • 10 Email Pop Accounts
    • 10 Auto responders
    • Sendmail support
  • Real Audio/Video support
  • Control Panel for management administration
  • CGI-BIN - this is where you'd store your own programs and scripts. Get it up front, you'll probably do this on your site eventually.
  • Pre-installed scripts - They should provide you with the basics; which are:
    • Guestbook
    • Bulletin Board
    • Web based email
    • Shopping Cart
    • Hit Counter
  • Access to error logs
  • Webstats
  • Customer Support
  • Daily or at a minimum weekly back ups
 
There is a lot more you can look for on the technical side. Such as:
  • Monthly Data Transfer space
  • FrontPage Extensions
  • ASP support
  • Access to customize web server configurations
  • and many more.

Unless you're really technically inclined, all this additional information isn't going to mean a lot to you. So you probably won't use it. Or if you do, you won't realize you are. So look for the basics in the price range you can afford and you should be ok.

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