Welcome to online Web Hosting 101, an introductory beginner’s guide and Web Hosting Intro which will identify key concepts of the service.

To begin, web hosting is an online service which makes websites available for access on the internet. A web hosting service does this by allowing a user a regulated amount of space on one of their servers. A server is a powerful computer dedicated to web hosting which makes a user’s website accessible via the internet.

You may be wondering, since a server is just a dedicated computer, why can’t you use your own computer to host? You can, but hosting yourself requires an internet connection stronger than your usual cable modem or DSL connection.

Depending on your knowledge, self-hosting can possibly limit your page’s expansion options. To your advantage, hosting yourself means you do not have to pay a hosting fee, but unfortunately may run into more trouble than anticipated if you haven’t any previous experience hosting your own site.

Since we’ve identified and discussed the nature and structure of a web host in Web Hosting 101, let’s talk about how it applies to you, the user.

There are several characteristics of web hosting services to consider before choosing the best for you. If it’s your first time being introduced to web hosting, the user interface is probably the most important. If the learning curve or complexity of the interface is too high, you will only experience frustration. Most of the top hosting companies these days provide users with a very simple, user-friendly interface that makes it easy for first timers to navigate and accomplish tasks. Some, on the other hand, are made for the more experienced and may cause first timers nothing but headache.

Disk Space is one of the most important characteristics of a hosting service that needs to be considered. Depending on the nature and intention of your website, you may require more server space than others. A business site with multimedia elements will use more disk space than a simple, text-based site. Compare and consider the amount of file hosting space provided by the web hosting companies you’re interested in when making a decision.

Bandwidth is another option to consider when choosing a hosting company. Bandwidth is the amount of traffic that is allowed to occur between the internet and your website. The amount of bandwidth a hosting company is able to provide is determined by their internal data center network connections, and external connections to the public internet. Most of the top web hosting services allow unlimited bandwidth with their hosting plans, because they know that the average user will not be exchanging that much traffic.

Reliability and Technical Support of the web hosting service is also very important. When it comes to electronic operations on such an abundant level, the uptime of the servers is sketchy considering the possibility of blackouts and the loss of electricity. A 99.9% uptime of a web hosts’ servers is what you should look for when it comes to the reliability of a web hosting company. They should also have 24/7 tech support available on hand in the vent you are having a technical issue with your hosting provider.

Congratulations, you’ve completed Web Hosting 101. Hopefully this Web Hosting Intro has helped you if you’re trying to host your website. If you wish to take advantage of the services that a web host can provide, you must decide 1) the purpose of the site, and 2) what features (translated into server space) you may need to accomplish your purpose. The next step is to research possible web hosts based-on factors such as those mentioned earlier, service level, reputation, and how their payment plans are balanced based on cost vs. services.

Most web hosting services these days offer a plethora of beneficial features along with a free registered domain with the purchase of web hosting. When searching for a cheap domain name and web hosting option, make sure you weigh the features that come with your purchase to determine how each individual attribute will benefit you based on the purpose of your web site or hosting needs.

Technical Support and service may not be as important to you as it is to anyone else, but it is arguably the best option to consider since the reliability of any hosting service is never 100%. Any company that offers a cheap domain name and web hosting can attempt to promise you unlimited “fill in the blank”, but if they aren’t around to help you when something goes wrong, unlimited space and bandwidth won’t benefit you much.

Even though it’s not the most important feature initially, unlimited bandwidth is important, especially if you are planning to expand your business, add sub-domains, or add other spoke and hub businesses on your hosting plan.

Also, make sure you are given an unlimited space option as this comes in handy if you eventually would like to start storing large multimedia marketing files and archives for your business on your hosting site.

Lastly, a very important option to consider when searching for a cheap domain name and web hosting service is the expandability and update frequency of the features offered. Most great hosting services offer one button installation and updates of state of the art applications such as WordPress, Joomla, Wiki Sites, and other up to date applications.

Make sure the hosting service offers the latest updates and security patches for these hosting applications as well so that you won’t be left behind in the daily changing status of the internet’s many offerings.

Get one of these for yourself.

There are many reasons why a web developer would want to employ dedicated hosting for their websites.  Dedicated hosting allows the client to have an entire server without having to share the space with anyone else.  Having dedicated hosting allows the client to determine what type of operating system they want to use, the hardware they wish to employ, and complete control of any other applications.  The ability to have total control of one server provides a significant advantage to those with the means to afford a dedicated hosting plan.

As of now, there are no uniform standards when it comes to dedicated hosting.  Thus, it is important to understand fully what services the providers cover and what they believe their technical responsibilities are.  The best service providers will have engineers ready to handle any technical problems or difficulties that may arise.  However, it is the responsibility of the client to make sure that they have an adequate understanding of what is being offered and what can be expected.

Dedicated hosting is more expensive than traditional hosting plans.  Yet, you get a server to yourself that will allow you to host a number of sites with a variety of IP addresses and domain names.  In addition, you get unparalleled technical support.  Dedicated web hosting allows you focus on the more important job of building the best site possible and providing content that benefits your users.  If these are your goals, dedicated hosting takes all of the fuss out of doing what is most important.

ASP Hosting

Keeping pace with rapid technological advances can be daunting.  Since ASP.NET has been the rage since the early 2000s, many people want to know what is ASP hosting.  ASP.NET is a web application framework that was designed by Microsoft.  The beauty of ASP.NET is that it is based on Common Language Runtime, which makes it a highly adaptable and intuitive code.  Programmers using ASP.NET can use any .NET language to write code.  In essence, this is a programmer’s dream.  These sites are engaging, dynamic, and cutting edge.  If you are seeking to create a website that is fully Web 2.0 integrated, then ASP hosting is exactly what you need.  Hosting with ASP support can greatly enhance the things that you can do with your website.

ASP hosting provides web designers with a great deal of freedom to create and design wonderful websites.  Microsoft has some of the most innovative programming designs and ASP hosting allows adventurous web designers the ability to build websites with a number of innovative features.  Many hosting providers support ASP.NET and provide you with instructional videos that will help novices begin constructing websites that take full advantage of the ASP application framework.

If you are not a programmer, but want a site that takes full advantage of the newest design features, make sure that your hosting provider supports ASP.NET.  Chances are that the website that you are in love with and want your site to be just like utilizes ASP.  For those who still want to know “What is ASP hosting” it is the difference between having a site that attracts many visitors and one that simply is ignored.

Virtual Hosting

Virtual hosting allows web servers to host more than one domain name on the same server.  Virtual hosting is gaining in popularity because it is cost-effective and inexpensive.  As opposed to dedicated hosting, which assigns one server to one client, virtual hosting allows multiple users to share server space.  This decreases the overall costs for everyone sharing the hosting space.  Those operating under a budget with modest requirements for their website should obtain virtual hosting information, as it may be the key to their hosting needs.

Virtual hosting is a wonderful option for those with small websites with moderate bandwidth requirements.  Larger companies whose business revolves around providing hosting space for other people often employ virtual hosting.  Other businesses use virtual hosting for their internal structures in order to save money and space, while allowing each part of the business have separate websites.  As a business solution, this hosting model is extremely flexible and useful.

Saving money on technical problems, administrative costs, and other overhead costs is the goal of most for-profit enterprises.  In addition, having an Internet presence is integral in today’s business environment.  Thus, creating and building websites is an important expenditure that can reap rich rewards for a business or entrepreneur.  Having virtual hosting information and being able to determine what your exact needs are, is an essential aspect of anyone trying to create a successful Internet presence.

Web hosting software solutions.

After having settled your web hosting problems and purchased your domain name, it is time to find the best hosting software.  Having the proper software and tools for your website and blog development should be the next step.  Obtaining this software can be a daunting task for the uninitiated. 

With a tremendous range of freeware, adware, and paid software, as well as the numerous amount of open and closed source tools, add-ons, and widgets, it is not surprising that many eager web designers find themselves hopeless.  However, by knowing the best web hosting software, you can circumvent much of this frustration.

The very first software you should decide on is your publishing platform.  There are various publishing platforms available; however, the most popular ones are Wordpress and Blogger.  Deciding which one is preferable is a matter of need and personal preference.  A publishing platform allows you to modify and change your website without working at the code level. 

Each empowers you to easily publish posts or articles with one click.  Wordpress has certain advantages over Blogger, such as being more customizable. Installing a Wordpress CMS on your hosting service will give you absolute control over what you can do with your blog and the amount of revenue that you can create.

If you choose Blogger, you will be faced with the task of simply redirecting your Blogspot address to your domain name and will lose total control over your revenue capabilities. However, after experimenting with both, the choice is yours.

There is other software that may benefit you.  An important tool for every burgeoning web designer is some type of web traffic analysis software.  Web traffic analysis is vital to the successful operation of any blog-oriented website, whether it is an ecommerce site or an affiliate-marketing website. 

Web traffic analysis software allows you to obtain unique and vital information.  This web hosting software not only lets you optimize and tweak your website and web pages, but it also allows you to change your web hosting needs as your blogging or website business grows.  Learning how many visitors are coming to your website allows you to make business projections for the future, as well as get an idea of how large an audience your blog or website is reaching.

Of course, there are many other tools and software that can help enhance your website or blog.  Among these are various plug ins and components.  For example, using iTunes as a podcasting software can help to increase readership, as wells as provide better information to your audience.  

Another example would be the use of video or flash plug-ins to provide your website or blog’s visitors with multimedia presentations about various products and/or services.  Software for website and blog development does not always concern aesthetics.  Often, using these tools to improve the content and increase access speed to your content is also a form of website development.  

In today’s information-hungry Internet age, surfers gravitate towards quality content rather than mere appearance.  Finding the best hosting software for website and blog development can definitely help you get a useful advantage when building your site.

Make an informed choice.

Before looking for online hosting reviews, it is important to know what constitutes a good hosting service.  Good web hosts do not necessarily come cheap; and cheap web hosting plans are not always good.  A good web host should provide credible and quality service, rather than merely cheap services.  Unfortunately, a common mistake made by website owners just starting out is to pick the most inexpensive web hosting package available, opening themselves up to a whole host of technical problems such as downtime.  Online hosting reviews can provide you with much useful information.  However, you will be unable to utilize the advice unless you have a good idea of exactly what your needs are.

Make sure that the review informs you about the number of users using the server.  This allows you to determine if the network of the web host is overpopulated, which can lead to latency and network problems for your website.  Find out about the server technology being used so that you can know the quality of the servers.  Good web hosts keep their systems updated and well maintained.

The online hosting reviews should also give you an idea of the technical support that is offered as well as the hosting package.  If you have a good hosting package, not only do you have a number of options to enhance your site, but you also have access to 24/7 technical support.  Good hosting packages also have more than one connection to the internet in order to resolve network redundancies.  Thus, if one connection goes down, your website does not disappear off the internet, as it can still be connected by rerouting it through other connections.

When reading online hosting reviews, make sure that you are looking for a hosting package that best suits your needs.  Signing up for redundant features will only serve to increase clutter when modifying or changing your website and drive up your hosting costs.  Use an upgradeable hosting solution so that your website’s space, bandwidth, and functions can grow along with your business requirements.

Find out if the web host backs up your website data on their own servers.  This allows your website to be up and running even when a crash occurs on the main server network.  Also, make sure that you own your domain name.  You should never let your web host have administrative control over your domain.

Overall, a good, but cheap web hosting plan will have all of these features and precautions taken care off, leaving you to focus on your business or your website.  Online hosting reviews help you navigate this tricky terrain and will allow you make the most informed decisions possible.

Stack your pennies.

Many beginning web designers are curious about web hosting on a budget.  When setting up a website, the most important thing that you can do is pick a good web hosting company.  The web host is the foundation for the website and without a good one, the website will end up running into all sorts of problems in the future.  Thus, picking a quality one is of utmost importance.  We all know that cost is also a major factor in picking your web host.  It is not always practical or feasible to pick the most expensive web host because of cost considerations.  Learning to find cheap web hosting plans that are reputable is of paramount concern.

If the quality of the web hosting service is not important, then using a free web host would definitely be the best option.  Web hosts such as 007sites and 0catch are among the better ones.  The free providers often are funded by advertisements.  As a result, if you have no requirement for formal web hosting, you should consider a free service.

However, free web hosting may not always be the best choice.  There are many cheap web hosts these days, with costs going as low as $2.00 a month.  Sometimes you need to pick the cheapest possible web host that is of suitable quality.  Nevertheless, before committing it is also wise to check for any additional fees.  Most cheap web hosts charge a fee for the domain, as well as start-up costs.  These cheaper web hosts provide better service with higher bandwidth and more web space than the free ones.  However, even the cheaper web hosts usually provide little more than the standard web space, bandwidth, and perhaps the occasional site builder or content management system.

The mid range web hosts would likely be the most suitable choice for anyone who wishes to have a proper website hosted.  Websites like Host Monster and Blue Host offer cheap web hosting for just $5 and $6 respectively.  Considering the top-end quality service, this is a real bargain.  Furthermore, if you opt for a 12-month plan, there are no start-up costs.  As expected, these higher end plans offer much more than their cheaper counterparts.  With Host Monster, you are entitled to various domain privacy services as well as technical help, site builder, and many more services.  This obviously is ideal for anyone who wishes to set up a formal web site, yet keep their hosting costs low.

In any case, picking which web host you want to subscribe to is largely a function of your particular needs.  For a low-end private blog, the free web hosts would likely suffice, however for formal, nonprofit, and even certain smaller business websites, the cheaper or mid range paid services would be ideal.  As with anything else in life, finding web hosting on a budget is an art not a science.

Linux versus Windows

Many people want to compare Linux hosting with Windows hosting.  Previously the difference between Linux and Windows hosting made a huge difference.  Deciding on which operating system to host your website made a difference in what you could do with the server and what you could accomplish with the website.  However, in today’s context of cross-system web hosting little separates these two operating systems.  Now, Linux hosting and Windows hosting are comparable.  Yet, those who want hosting on Linux would be well advised to understand the differences.

The first difference is how you access the server.  Generally, both offer FTP access to your files.  Yet, Linux is the only one that offers telnet or ssh access.  This is probably due to the target audience that each operating system has amassed.  While Windows is targeted to the mass public, Linux is more focused toward the features that are demanded by programmers and people who are confident of their computer knowledge.  In any case, while this may seem like a fundamental difference, there really is very little to separate FTP from telnet or ssh in the practical sense.  While FTP allows you to download the file to work locally, telnet and ssh allows you to modify the root file on the web server by using UNIX commands.

The second difference between Linux and Windows hosting is that they support different languages.  Linux tends to be associated with PHP, Perl, and CGI, while Windows is usually associated with ColdFusion and ASP.  The database languages are also usually different, with Windows favoring Access while Linux users use MySQL.  Windows also writes its pages in .htm format and Linux writes its web pages in .html.  Ultimately, these differences are minor, but can make significant difference if you are particular.  Trying to modify Access files while you are using a computer that only has Linux can often be a surprising exercise in futility for the beginning programmer.

You can compare Linux hosting in other areas.  In terms of security, people tend to argue against Windows, citing a whole host of vulnerabilities.  In a sense, they are right.  Linux tends to have the same amount of vulnerabilities.  Yet, they are patched and updated faster due to it being open source and free.  Windows vulnerabilities are usually patched every time a new service pack is released.  Security also depends largely on your network administrator.  With good administrators, your website is safe regardless of the OS you use.

The choice is yours to make.  Even if you prefer Windows or Linux, it is better to pick a web host based on the features and service it offers rather than on what operating system it is running on its web servers.  Especially since the difference between the two is negligible.  If your website requires a certain language because the programmers you work with prefer it, then it would be prudent to check for system compatibility before subscribing to a web host.  Yet, if you do not require such specific details, you should simply sit back and let the web host handle these complicated technical details and focus on creating the best website you can.  Instead of trying to compare Linux hosting with Windows, work on creating content as it is more important than the programming language or the OS of the web servers.

Upgrade your video hosting.

There are many reasons why you would want cheap video hosting.  Whether for multimedia advertisements, podcasting, or hosting a fan submitted video, there are myriad of reasons why you may need to host video.

You may simply want to host a video for your friends to download, stream a video to share with others, or simply remotely host a video for your website.  Be aware that there are many ways to get this done.

Before deciding which cheap video hosting service to choose, you must determine what the primary purpose of your site will be.  This will make finding a cheap web hosting plan that much easier.

For example, someone wanting to host fan submitted video or videos to share with the general public may want to use the various online streaming video hosts such as Veoh, Megavideo, YouTube, and other similar providers.

These websites allow you to host the video online and allow users to stream the video from there.  This gives you a larger audience because there is no need for people to download unnecessarily.

In addition, these sites have a large community that visits those websites regularly.  Thus, you will get the publicity that you need.  However, a few disadvantages arise from this approach.  These include the poor quality of the videos hosted, the poor video resolution, and the small size of the video.

Another cheap video hosting option would be to host a video for your friends to download via providers such as RapidShare.  While this method does not lend itself to many viewers, it does allow you to preserve the original state of the video.

A variation of this method allows you to host videos through torrent networks.  You can allow people to download your video via torrent making it unnecessary to host the video.  It is hosted on the computers of the people who belong to the torrent network.  This may be a good option especially if you want the large-scale viewership that torrents can provide.

If you to host a video remotely for your website that you can link to or stream from, you may want to explore using web hosting to host your video.  The usual web space that is allocated with each hosting plan will usually be sufficient for this purpose.

However, if you are subscribing to a cheaper plan or if the space is insufficient, you may need to host it elsewhere.  There are providers that allow you to host video files remotely such as FileAve and FlickCabin.  These providers allow you to host your files on their directories and you can then hotlink to the videos from there.  This not only saves you bandwidth but also lets you upload files simply and easily.

The choice for cheap video hosting providers ultimately depends on your requirements.  Picking a suitable provider to match your purpose is very important, because you must ensure that your time and resources are invested wisely.  Otherwise, you may have to make adjustments later on, which would be a huge waste of time and effort.