Web Hosting Box

Web hosting is simply a service that allows you to lease a web server, which can be used to provide server resources to all of your websites. Since each webmaster has a different set of needs and requirements, there are a plethora of hosting types and plans available on the market today. For the inexperienced or aspiring webmaster it can be extremely difficult to choose a hosting type without knowing the main attributes of each hosting environment. Although there are many sites online that review plans individually, very few actually explain the different types of hosting and how they relate to webmaster capabilities/requirements. It doesn’t make much sense to begin comparing plans and prices without first knowing the type of hosting that will be most suitable for your online endeavors. The following is an overview of the three main hosting types, which can be categorized into three levels of experience.

Novice (Shared) Hosting

Shared hosting is by far the most popular hosting type, and most people that have a shared hosting plan don’t even realize it. The shared hosting environment bears its name because you’ll be given access to a web server that is shared by dozens or even hundreds of webmasters simultaneously. Shared web servers utilize unique load-balancing technology to ensure that a single webmaster cannot overload the server with the tasks of their websites. While this prevents significant performance problems, it also limits your capabilities as a webmaster and makes it impossible to accommodate thousands of site visitors across a large network of sites. Thus, shared hosting is usually recommended for novice webmasters that only have a couple of websites.

Intermediate (VPS) Hosting

Although most webmasters start out with a shared hosting plan, it is extremely common for successful site owners to upgrade to a VPS (virtual private server) hosting plan after reaching the limits of their shared plan. VPS hosting is by far the most diverse hosting type, with plans ranging in cost from $20 per month to $200 per month depending on the capabilities and allocated server resources. Virtual private server hosting is similar to shared hosting in that you will be sharing a web server with other webmasters, however the way the server is shared is very different. Rather than sharing the entirety of the server you are given a specific partition that is solely devoted to the tasks of your websites. This enhances performance and eliminates the possibility of another website affecting the performance of your sites. VPS hosting is an economical option for webmasters that need a powerful solution but cannot yet afford a comprehensive dedicated hosting plan.

Advanced (Dedicated) Hosting

Dedicated hosting bears its name because it gives you dedicated access to a web server that is solely used to power your websites. By having access to an entire web server the amount of tasks that your websites can perform are seemingly limitless, as a vast amount of bandwidth and disk space can be accessed at any time. In fact, many large corporations and Internet entrepreneurs utilize dedicated hosting plans to host hundreds of websites simultaneously without error. Since the cost of dedicated hosting can range anywhere from $100 to more than $400 it is usually a service marketed towards advanced webmasters that have an established online business presence.

The majority of novice webmasters allocate a very limited budget to their beginning endeavors online, as they are not yet confident in their ability to generate web traffic and bring in a residual income with their websites. In fact, many novice webmasters don’t even know how to build a website, have never owned a web hosting plan before, and are therefore understandably cautious about the amount of money they want to invest in web hosting. While more experienced webmasters may opt for hosting types such as dedicated hosting (which provides access to a server which is solely dedicated to the websites of a single webmaster), inexperienced webmasters usually opt for cheaper hosting types such as shared hosting. When trying to find the hosting type with the cheapest startup cost it is important to consider two types of hosting – shared hosting and VPS hosting.

The Startup Costs of Shared Hosting

Although shared web hosting provides the cheapest monthly costs, with prices starting at as low as two dollars per month, the start up cost of a shared hosting plan is usually much more. It is important to note that, the longer you pay in advance, the lower the monthly cost will be, and many shared web hosting providers will require you to pay at least one year up front. If you choose to only pay a year, it is very unlikely you’ll receive a price as low as two dollars per month, as the average price (when paid on a yearly basis) is about $5-$10 per month. Thus, the minimum startup costs associated with shared hosting are usually about $60-$120, plus any additional setup fees that may be charged by the hosting company.

The Startup Costs of VPS Hosting

Although the monthly cost of a VPS hosting plan varies widely at about $10-$200 per month, depending on the plan capabilities and hosting provider. However, the majority of VPS hosting providers do not require you to pay a year in advance, and instead will allow you to pay on a monthly basis. Thus, the startup cost for VPS hosting plan is no more than the cost of the first months hosting (which can be as cheap as $5-$7 in some cases). It is important to realize that you can also pay in advance of VPS hosting in order to receive a lower monthly cost, just as you can but shared hosting. It should also be noted that some VPS hosting providers do require payment for a year in advance, so it is important to shop around to find a VPS hosting plan with a low start up cost.

Conclusion

While shared hosting is ultimately cheaper than VPS hosting the long run, it is cheaper to purchase a monthly VPS hosting plan for $5-$10 per month if you are on a strict startup budget for your first web hosting endeavor. If you find that you would like to continue with your online endeavors, VPS hosting gives you the advantage of being able to cancel your plan without losing any of the money that you would have paid in advance.

Most webmasters understand the importance of protecting their personal computer from viruses, as a compromised operating system is the first security flaw that often leads to stolen hosting credentials and hijacked domains. However, many people aren’t aware of the fact that web servers that are responsible for hosting sites can also be infected with malicious scripts rather easily. Although web hosting providers take all the necessary precautions to ensure that this does not happen on a regular basis, it remains rather common, especially for webmasters that utilize cheap shared hosting services. When a website is infected with a malicious script or virus it can be impossible for visitors to access pages, as their antivirus software, or the integrated protection included within some search engines such as Google, may automatically notify them that the page is high-risk. To prevent loss of traffic due to such an occurrence it is important to follow the tips below to keep your website free of malicious scripts.

Create Routine Backups

The first step in protecting your website’s data from being affected by malicious scripts is to create routine backups. By doing this you can effectively eliminate the possible negative repercussions associated with having your site infected, as you’ll be able to instantly restore it to the state it was in before the security lapse. Some malicious scripts are specifically designed to erase data on the server, while others give the hacker access to the server and allow them to “deface” the site by placing their own content on the home page and other pages. Fortunately, within your control panel you’ll be able to use the backup utility to backup your entire portion of the web server or a specific website individually. In addition to storing these backups on your local hard drive, it is recommended to have redundant copies stored on external media like a USB flash drive, external hard drive, or even an online file hosting service.

Utilize Reputable and Powerful Hosting Plans

It is well known that the most reputable hosting providers are the most secure, and have the most qualified staff to deal with security issues 24 hours a day. If you choose to utilize a cheap form of web hosting, such as plan that operates within the shared hosting environment, you’re placing your website at a much higher risk. This is because with shared hosting you are sharing a web server with dozens or even hundreds of other webmasters, and if one of their sites becomes infected with a malicious script and proper safeguards are not in place, it is possible for the script to become “contagious” and begin spreading to other sites on the server. In fact, this is the most common cause of websites being infected with malicious scripts.

What Do Malicious Scripts Do and Why Is It Important to Avoid Them?

Malicious scripts can perform a variety of functions for the hacker, including gaining administrative access to a server or site by installing a fraudulent login page that collects the credentials of the website owner, defacing the site with embarrassing or inappropriate content, installing spyware, adware, or viruses on the computers of individuals that visit the site, and simply causing site downtime and loss of sales for competition. If you do not take the proper precautions and deal with a web hosting company that is known for providing top-notch security, you could experience a significant loss in sales and reputation.

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Bolt Web Hosting recently announced they will be offering unlimited shared web hosting monthly plans. These will immediately replace the shared hosting plans currently in place. The new unlimited plan will provide customers with as much disk space, bandwidth and data transfer as they need. The previous plan imposed limits on the amount of resources a single account could consume.

Automatic Migration

Current customers have automatically had their accounts changed to feature the new unlimited plan without any fees being incurred. For those who were previously billed at a little less than $4 per month for limited hosting are receiving the best deal because they are getting a significantly larger plan for the same amount each month.

Expansion Decisions

According to the CEO of Bolt Web Hosting, these plans for expansion were made months ago. The change was implemented due to market research that revealed customers favor unlimited shared hosting plans. Therefore, the company wanted to align their monthly plans with what customers want. Pretty simple idea right?

Additional Services

In addition to this change, the CEO also hinted at providing reseller, VPS and dedicated hosting plans. Although there is no official public launch date, there will be an announced within the next few months with customers being online with these new hosting opportunities by the end of 2011.

A High-Quality Product at a Low Price

Due to the extreme competition of the web hosting industry, Bolt Web Hosting has taken it upon themselves to give clients what they actually want and need. Since Bolt was formed in late 2010 by former web hosting customers, the company knows exactly what the masses want. They have taken their experience and skills to provide a high-quality, low-cost web hosting solution.

The founders feel they can offer an excellent web hosting product as a result of their extensive background in technology, web hosting and customer service. The founders also feel they can offer a service superior to most others in the hosting industry.

This company is off to an excellent start as they are offering a service that no other web hosting company is willing to do for the low price. However, it is likely these unlimited plans are going to change the game. Once a single web hosting provide makes a major change, the competition usually follows. Therefore, as the pioneers of the inexpensive unlimited hosting plan, they will have the jump on all other providers.

Site downtime is a normal part of the web hosting industry, and is a common problem associated with less reliable hosting plans like shared hosting and free hosting. However, some hosting providers and plans are more unreliable than others, and even hosting companies that uphold a 99 percent uptime guarantee can have as much as eight hours per month or three days per year downtime without violating this promise. It is important to realize that hosting companies make these guarantees on a monthly basis, and even when an uptime guarantee is violated, may hosting companies provide no retribution. Thus, it is imperative to ensure that frequent uptime does not become a routine problem, as there is no way to turn back time and regain the site visitors that you could lose during the downtime. If your site is experiencing downtime at the moment here are some questions you can ask your hosting provider to assess the situation.

What is the Cause of the Downtime?

Determining the cause of the downtime is extremely important, especially when it lasts for more than a couple of minutes. It is a good habit to call your hosting provider’s support line immediately any tie you notice that the site is down, in order to inquire about the downtime in a timely manner before it is resolved. The most probable cause is server maintenance and resets, however downtime can also be a result of more serious issues like server crashes and security issues. If the downtime is the result of a security lapse on behalf of the hosting company it may be time to find a new hosting company.

How Long Will the Downtime Last?

Length of downtime is another important factor to consider, especially if you own an eCommerce site that generates profit based on the numbers of daily visitors. Note how long the downtime is expected to last based on the opinion of the customer service representative, and if the downtime lasts longer than this, call back to inquire about the status. Repeated lengthy sessions of  downtime without an explanation and or false predictions is unacceptable and a sure sign of an unreliable host. Most cases of downtime last for less than an hour and resolved without data loss, however there are rare occurrences in which an entire site can be lost and/or offline for several days. If you own a shared hosting plan, the downtime could also be the result of a server shutdown due to abuse by one of your fellow webmasters. IN which cases the hosting company would work with you to find the best course of action to get your site back up and running.

Will I Receive a Discount?

If the downtime lasts for longer than an hour and you suspect that you have lost a sale or some sort of revenue as a result, you should inquire about possible reparations in the form of hosting discounts or a free month of hosting. If the hosting company refuses to offer compensation for the downtime then it may be time to consider another company that is more serious about being loyal to their customers. Many times a customer service representative simply does not have the power or jurisdiction to offer discounts or compensation of any kind, so it may be necessary to speak with a supervisor that can deal with the situation.