Web hosting can be as simple or complicated as the client wants it to be. Ultimately, the options a client selects are related to their immediate Web hosting needs. The technology is there, how it is used will determine how much benefit a hosting service provides.
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Assessing Your Needs
A large corporation requires a complex system with multiple forms of software combining to keep things running along with substantial tech support. If a client is just running a blog, single page hosting is sufficient and requires minimal maintenance.
A more complex setup requires more database support and application development platforms such as Java, Ruby on Rails, PHP, ASP.NET and ColdFusion. These platforms give a client the ability to install or write scripts for applications such as content management and forums.
The platforms and applications required for web hosting depend on what tasks you want to accomplish. For example, SSL is recommended for e-commerce.
Hosting Admin Panel
A control panel for Web hosting purposes is provided by the hosting company to allow you to manage all hosted services in one place. Common modules in a host panel include:
- Web-based file manager
- Access to server logs
- Managing databases
- Email account configuration
- Visitor statistics produced from Web log analysis software
- Details of available and used bandwidth and Web space
Some admin panels allow you to apply custom skins and change the appearance of the admin panel to match personal style or the style of a company. Customers can alter settings in the admin panel to suit their needs. The W3C maintains a standard format used for the server log files, but amendments to the information captured and presented in log files can be made.
Typical client additions include request date/time, client IP address, HTTP code, user agent and bytes served. Bandwidth in terms of Web hosting is more accurately reflected as data transfer, meaning the maximum amount of data transfer per month or during a specified period of time. The amount of allowable data transfer can be adjusted, depending on the type of Web hosting a client is using.
The most common adjustment a client makes to the admin panel is to visitor statistics capture via Web log analysis software. Some clients want very detailed statistics, other do not see it as relevant to their needs.
Software and Configuration
Some Web hosts provide very specific services for specific purposes. A file hosting service is only for hosting files. An image hosting service is just for images. The same concept continues for video and blog hosting services. Useful software for Web hosting purposes is directly related to a client’s needs.
- A client running a single Web page would use something like iPage.
- Justhost.com provides the most flexibility when it comes to the control panel. Bluehost is recommended for advanced Web hosting. However, the tools available with this software can be useful to clients with any level of experience with Web hosting.
- Clients who code in ASP tend to like EasyCGI.
- VSPLink is recommended for clients with a Website requiring more resources and server configuration capabilities.
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If a client has additional needs, software and configuration updates and changes are required. Common software updates include adding shopping cart software, e-commerce software and advanced Windows hosting features. Web host configuration depends on the type of server the Web host is using. For example, the typical configuration for a Linux server would be the LAMP platform, including:
- Linux
- Apache
- MySQL
- PHP/Perl/Python
Back-End
Some clients require more flexibility when it comes to back-end. Typical Web hosting services for back-end Websites offer a free domain, unlimited traffic, unlimited space and installation of back-end CMS. Back-end concerning Web hosting usually includes:
- Setup of a billing system
- Setup of order processing
- Setup of a support system
- Accounting and record keeping setup
The possibilities when it comes to Web hosting vary greatly depending on the type of hosting used. Free hosting is best for simple tasks such as running one or two Web pages. Cloud-based hosting is the most reliable. However, this type of hosting is characterized by a lack of centralization resulting in less control over where data is located, resulting in possible privacy and data security issues. The way a client accesses and uses Web hosting is directly related to both their immediate and anticipated needs.
Tommy Ramirez designs and builds websites. He recommends checking out these web hosting reviews for online comparisons of web hosting options for your business needs.
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