Choosing Web Hosting

where to put your web site

Web hosting is a very important technical subject, especially for people who want their own websites.

When choosing a web hosting provider, it is necessary to consider a number of things, including:

  • The site’s budget
  • The site’s size
  • What technologies will be used on the site
  • What software is included in the hosting package

The site’s budget is very important to include, because different kinds of web hosting have different costs, depending on what is being offered. Differences arise from the operating system used, the amount of space available, or the technologies and software that is available.

It is first important to decide the operating system. Microsoft Windows Server hosting is more expensive than Linux hosting, but some technologies are only available on Windows Server operating systems. These include:

  • ASP
  • ASP.Net
  • MS SQL Server
  • Windows Media Services

It is then important to decide how much space is needed for the website. The more space there is on the hosting account, the more it will cost, and the bigger the website can grow. Very large, very complex websites may need very large hosting accounts to hold all their data and files.

Then, it is essential to decide what technologies will be used on a website. If Microsoft technologies are needed, such as ASP.Net or MS SQL Server, a Microsoft Windows Server hosting account that has all these features will be required. Not all Windows hosting accounts have all of these features, but non-Windows accounts never have these features.

Other technologies that can run on any operating system, including the cheaper Linux hosts, include:

  • Adobe ColdFusion
  • PHP
  • MySQL

Some hosts offer multimedia technologies that allow advanced capabilities for working with audio and video, and add price and features to a hosting account. The major choices in this area include:

  • Adobe Flash Media Server
  • Apple Quicktime Streaming Server
  • Microsoft Windows Media Services

Sometimes, users need specific software installed on their web host, such as:

  • blogging software
  • e-commerce software
  • message boards
  • calendars

These often come in software packages that may add to the price of the hosting account, or they may simply be a bonus.