The service of storing data that keeps websites up and running for users is web hosting. Every single website that is online has a host server, and almost all use a web host to manage that storage.
Importantly not all web hosts provide the same level of quality, though.
A shared web hosting service is an agreement whereby each user gets a certain portion of total available resources. Multiple domains are hosted by the same server, which means that the server’s capabilities are split between multiple domains.
Depending on the hosting provider this potentially means that these websites will not experience the same robust performance as that of a website hosted on its own dedicated server. In this situation all of the server resources are solely applied to the single website. The challenge is that if requests come in for multiple websites on the same server simultaneously, the server will only be able to transfer so much information at a single time.
Note for larger / more intensive data hungry websites, the delay can be significant. Whereas for smaller / lower-bandwidth websites, the delays will often be difficult to notice.
Web servers are critical elements of the internet, as every web site needs one in order to function. Put simply a web server is a device responsible for transmitting data from a web site to the site visitor’s computer. Without a web server your web site could not exist, because there would not be anywhere to store the data and send it to a visitors computer.
There are a variety of web servers available on the market, each designed to accommodate a different client needs. For your site to perform optimally, you need a capable web server.
A domain name is the actual name of a website, and every single website has a unique domain name. So for example www.silicone-solutions.co.uk and www.siliconesolutions.co.uk go to a different company compared to www.siliconesolutions.com.
To obtain a domain name, you need to purchase it through a domain registrar. Domains can cost anywhere from a few pounds a year to hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, based on the popularity of the domain.
Every domain name is actually pointing to an IP (Internet Protocol) address, which is a series of 10 numbers. As most people can’t remember 10 digits in perfect order, domain names serve as easily-remembered alias for visitors.
So for example a well known domain name is www.bbc.co.uk, and the BBC ip address is 212.58.226.75 . So next time you want to access the BBC website which would be easier for you to remember?
Bandwidth is the amount of data that is accessed while viewing a website. Every time a user views a website, data is transferred, and the measurement of that transfer is bandwidth.
Generally images, audio files and video files are higher in bandwidth than text. ( especially if they haven’t been optimised for web usage). If you have lots of imagery, video or streaming audio, you have a higher bandwidth requirement than someone with a simple text-only website. So text only websites will require less bandwidth, but are likely to be less attractive. Some web hosts offer a range of monthly bandwidth options i.e. 50GB, 500Gb or unlimited monthly bandwidth.
The amount of disk space you need is dependent on what type of media files and interactions you’ll be hosting through your site. Files may be any type HTML, images, videos etc and at any single given time, the total file size may not exceed the disk space.
Disk space refers to the total space available for a user to store files on at any time. So if you have had a website for many years that has grown in pages and images you may well find you have a large site. Additionally if you host you emails on the server, your email account’s storage is also counted in disk space. Therefore if you have large files that will sit in the account, that will boost your disk space needs.
So while you might not need much space now, its important to choose a hosting provider who has the capability of providing you with more space without the need to switch hosts.
One of the services you receive, when you purchase an account with a web host, is a certain number of dedicated email accounts for any domain hosted on that account ( typically you get 10 which allows you to names@, info@, sales@, enquiries@.
These email accounts are managed from the control panel of the web host and you can set up email accounts, change their passwords, and set up email forwarders, all from that control panel. You can also set up a dedicated email account to send from a web-based email service like Gmail or an offline service like Outlook.
SSL is a common protocol used to communicate information securely online. SSL protocol provides a safe path that runs between two Internet-connected machines or two machines on the same internal network.
SSL is a tool used by web browsers that need to connect securely to a web server, given the security challenges inherent with the Internet. SSL usually operates and sets up a secure session with little or no interaction from the person actually visiting the web site. The hallmarks of SSL doing its magic are the browser displaying a padlock or the address showing a padlock and a green bar.
This is a big question and depends on the web hosts. As with all things you get what you pay for.
The hosting that we provide for all our WordPress, websites, provides suspicious theme / plugin code alerts, PCI compliant hosting, malware scanning, 1 Tbps+ DDoS protection, web application firewall, brute force login protection, FTP security lock and 2FA.
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cPanel is a leading web management dashboard that lets users manage their hosting accounts with ease. It allows you to oversee and control email accounts, domain extensions, and install new applications if required, like WordPress. It gives you control over and to manage your entire web hosting account.
In Shared Hosting, as discussed before, the server’s resources like (RAM, CPU, and so on) are shared by multiple clients.
In VPS Hosting (Virtual Private Server Hosting), your data is still hosted on a common server, but you are assigned a pre-defined amount of server resources exclusively, according to your VPS plan.
Consider it like VIP access at the theatre ( having the Royal box). You show up for the same performance, but you have privileged access, more space and more resources. You will always have a dedicated amount of resources set aside to your account, so you’ll never be in competition for server resources.
One pressing concern for site owners when choosing a new webhost is whether or not their domain will function at the new host. The answer is yes, with a change of the DNS the domain will work with any host.
We recommend registering your domain names through your hosting company, as it can save you a fair amount of headache in security, updates and performance. Note by registering your domain with our hosting provider you benefit from free SSL.
For most companies, a website is a must, unfortunately free web hosting can often lead to disappointment and difficulty. Some domain name registries like GoDaddy.com will charge for the domain name registry and offer a limited amount of web space to build a website.
This website space is small and often comes with restrictions. Other sites will offer an amount of time in which the hosting is free but require that a credit card be entered. They do this in the hope that after your trial hosting period, you will have forgotten about stopping the service and these hosting sites charge the hosting fees automatically.
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Choosing website hosting is a crucial decision that can significantly impact the performance, security, and overall success of your website. There are several important factors to consider when making this decision.
First and foremost, reliability and uptime are paramount. A reliable hosting service ensures that your website is accessible to visitors at all times. Downtime can lead to lost visitors, revenue, and damage to your website’s reputation. Look for hosting providers that offer high uptime guarantees, typically 99.9% or above.
Secondly, performance and speed are critical for user experience and SEO. A slow website can frustrate visitors and negatively impact your search engine rankings. Choose a hosting provider that utilises high-performance servers, employs caching mechanisms, and offers content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure optimal website speed and responsiveness.
Thirdly, security is a fundamental consideration. The safety of your website’s data, transactions, and sensitive information is non-negotiable. Seek hosting providers that implement robust security measures, including firewalls, SSL certificates, regular security updates, and malware scanning. Backup and disaster recovery options should also be part of their security offerings.
Additionally, scalability and flexibility are vital aspects, especially if you anticipate growth or fluctuations in website traffic. A hosting provider that allows easy scalability of resources, such as upgrading plans or adding additional server resources, ensures your website can handle increased traffic and demands without disruptions.
Last but not least, customer support and service are crucial factors. Hosting issues can arise at any time, and having reliable customer support that is accessible 24/7 can be a lifesaver. Look for hosting providers with a good reputation for responsive and knowledgeable customer support through various channels, such as phone, live chat, or email.
When choosing website hosting, prioritise reliability and uptime, performance and speed, security, scalability and flexibility, and excellent customer support. A careful evaluation of these factors will help you select a hosting provider that aligns with your website’s needs and goals.
If you would like to know more about Web Hosting contact Andrew Goode MBA, MSc, FCIM Click here to arrange a call
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