There are many different options when it comes to website hosting, including using a shared server, having a dedicated one or purchasing your own. Each of these choices offers different benefits and costs. The option you go for should depend on the type of website you are creating. For example, shared servers are typically not the best for e-commerce or social media sites that anticipate a high volume of traffic.
When you arrange hosting for your website, you should think very carefully about whether it will provide the service you need. There are several questions you should be asking to ensure you make the right choice. Some of the important ones are:
- Does the host meet your uptime requirements?
- Will the service scale to suit your business?
- Does the provider have a good reputation?
- Can you depend on the host’s service?
- What platforms do they support?
- Do they provide around the clock, real time technical support?
When deciding, you should look at the long term and ensure the option you choose gives your site room to grow. You might want to start off with shared hosting before switching to a dedicated server. If you go for this option, it is best to make sure the provider allows a smooth change and won’t surprise you with high charges when you do switch.
One crucial thing to look at is the bandwidth. Some websites demand lots of it, especially when they receive high levels of traffic. If the host can’t handle it, the site will slow down dramatically and could even be forced offline. You should calculate the daily bandwidth you will need and ensure the host can meet your needs. Remember to be conservative with your calculations and leave room for your site to grow in size and number of visitors. It is always better to have too much than not enough.
A final thing to think about is the disc space. On a shared server it will be split between the sites so you may only be allotted a small amount. Even if your allotment is 10GB many providers will give you an initial quota much lower than this until your site is established. As it grows they will add extra space in blocks as and when you need it. This could potentially leave you open to issues, particularly if your site grows quickly.