Introduction To Web Hosting

For a web site to be made available on the Internet, it has to be hosted on a web server. This is where web hosting comes in. It's just like renting property. There are plenty of companies that will rent you space on a web server. The wide range of services start from free hosting to buying a server for your sole use. You could spend thousands of dollars a year on web hosting alone. 

Choosing a host is not an easy task. There are so many features, services and options to consider. The most important factor is making sure that the host you choose will provide everything that you need. 

Domain name
Every website needs a domain name. If you are a business, you ideally need your own domain name. If you are working on a personal homepage, a domain name isn't as important. Some people judge the quality of a website by it's domain name.

What types of web hosting plans are there? 
Web hosting plans range from free personal homepage hosting to large global corporate websites. Read on for the low down on the different packages.

Free Non-Virtual Hosting 
If you need somewhere to host a personal web site then choosing a web host is a much-simplified task. There are plenty of free hosts that will host your website at no cost to you, giving you space in a directory under their domain, e.g. www.thehost.com/yourname/. The catch is that you may have to carry some banners or mention the free hosts name somewhere on your site. 

Free Virtual Hosting 
If you are on a tight budget but want to have a web presence then free virtual web hosting is what you are looking for. You will be able to host your website with your own domain name such as 'www.yourname.com', or a sub-domain such as 'yourname.thehost.com'. The compromise is you may have to display your hosts adverts on your website. 

Virtual Hosting 
Virtual web hosting allows you to host your website using a domain name of your choice e.g. www.yourname.com. You will be given a certain amount of web space, measured usually in Mb on a server you share with other people. This gives a professional image and will allow you to change hosts with minimum hassle. 

Dedicated Server Hosting 
A dedicated server is one whereby you rent the use of a whole machine. This can be used to host one or more of your websites. Because you are renting the use of a machine, you have increased control over what software will be installed on the machine. You can even specify the set up. The major benefit is that this allows increased traffic to your sites. You could alternatively co-locate your own server at the host's data center who can look after it for you. 

Reseller Web Hosting 
Reseller web hosting plans allow you to be a web hosting company yourself. In fact, many web hosting companies themselves have a web hosting company host their server. Some web hosting companies provide a service where small companies can resell web space on their servers for a small fee. You may wonder why go with the smaller company rather than the big. Well the smaller companies may add on certain features to make their plans more attractive and provide more services. Resellers can sometimes be better. The important things to consider are support, reliability and competitive pricing. 

What's the most popular type of hosting plan? 
Virtual hosting is the most common plan purchased. It allows people starting a serious business or money making web site to get online at a low cost to begin with, and they can increase the services they require as their website grows. A typical virtual hosting plan can range from $10 to $30 per month, depending on the features that you require. 

What hosting plan do I need? 
Before choosing your hosting package, you should identify what your needs are. With all hosting plans, there will be some facilities that you need and some offered to you that you don't need. Make sure you focus on the essentials that are required to launch your website. You may want all the nice extras but will you use them? It's also a good idea to try and pick a host that will allow you to expand and increase your plan as and when your website grows. If you want to start selling online, an additional e-commerce option for an extra fee will be easier and quicker to implement than looking for and transferring to a new host.