The service that includes the space and the entire infrastructure required to provide it and have your data available online at any given time, is called Web Hosting.
Online data are stored in Servers. These are custom made computers with special software, connected to fast internet lines for maximum speed.
What makes a Web Hosting good and reliable
What you should ask, before choosing which web hosting provider is right for you, is the following:
- Are their servers adequately equipped?
- Do they have SSD drives?
- Do they provide daily backup?
- Are their internet lines fast enough?
- Is their support available 24/7?
- Do they provide good and on time support?
There is much work to be done before you choose where to host your website(s). Selecting impulsively without thorough investigation may result in slow websites, vulnerable to hacking and spamming, often server downtime and unresolved issues due to poor support.
Dedicated hosting
Dedicated hosting describes a single computer in a network of computers acting as a Server. The designation “Dedicated” describes that it is reserved for serving the needs of the network. It is typically a rented service. In the Web hosting business, it usually a “package deal” where the Web host rents the server, software and an Internet connection to the user.
This type of server is used by a single user, needs some experience to run and usually is more costly than other types of hosting. Web hosting companies offer these services with extra charges. Dedicated hosting is an excellent platform for large business websites.
VPS hosting
Virtual private server hosting describes a “virtualized” server. This environment imitates a dedicated server within a shared hosting environment. Many virtual servers operate on one physical machine within the hosting service. The user is granted access to a section of the server. It is technically both dedicated and shared hosting. It is “Shared” because it uses software to partition servers into virtual multiple servers.
The “virtual” server, therefore, acts like the dedicated server, running its own operating system and applications, providing the user with less disk space and memory.
VPS hosting is the most widely used platform, not only for personal websites, but for web designer professionals as well.
Hosting problems
These problems usually occur when migrating your site to a hosting platform. Common issues you might encounter are downtime, layout, displaying content; a.s.o. Corrective options may vary according to the problem experienced and may include loading a new version of your site, loading it into the correct folder, checking for valid index files or clearing your browser’s cache. Others may be that the hosting company is experiencing downtime or something has changed in the domain name.
Usually, web hosting companies have a direct line of contact to them where problems can be resolved quickly and effectively.
Server Uptime
The Server Uptime describes the time during which a server is operational and is usually measured in percentage. i.e. If the server uptime is 99.9% it means the server is operational that amount of the time.
It indicates the amount of time a web server remains fully functional and online. It shows the reliability and consistency of a web hosting provider. When a server goes into downtime, all websites hosted on it are also down until the problem gets resolved. Server uptime is a direct indicator that depicts. If you are regularly experiencing downtime, switch to a provider that ensures high uptime.
Server speed
Server speed is measured by testing its response time which is defined by the amount of time it takes for the server to respond to a request from a client.
The selection of the fastest web server available with respect to available finances is a vital decision for any software architect. The reason for this is that the web server is often the core of any web system architecture. Ideally, a good server response time is one of less than 200ms.
Windows or Linux hosting?
Reliability is always the main issue with web hosting providers and although both are good Linux provides better reliability than Windows. Simplicity is another key issue and, in this matter, Linux is easier and more user-friendly than Windows. Ease of use is also important and in this respect Linux uses MySQL, Perl, and PHP, all easy systems to use. Cheaper than windows hosting because it is an open source application and it can be installed for free on any computer.
Linux Hosting supports CMS like Joomla and WordPress, and in conjunction with good hosting providers, Linux offers a highly secure environment, providing website owners security from attacks by hackers.
