Zero Downtime Hosting

When searching for a web hosting package, you will probably be looking for the one web hosting provider that is able to offer you reliable web hosting which isn’t going to suffer much if any downtime which could affect the performance of your website. Zero downtime hosting is now offered by many web hosting providers are such packages are normally aimed at businesses, although individuals who are running busy websites may be able to consider such web hosting packages for their needs. Zero downtime hosting can also be found in the form of high level dedicated server hosting or business hosting, since in both cases web hosting providers make use of special programs and technology to ensure that there is no chance of any downtime occuring on the side of the server, although in some cases network downtime can’t be prevented. Since shared and reseller web hosting services are gradually become more reliable as hosting providers put in more security measures to make their servers less prone to attack, zero downtime hosting is only really needed by those who need to be guaranteed a high amount of uptime for one reason or another. When it comes to considering a zero downtime hosting package, the main factor you will want to be looking into is the reputation of your chosen web hosting provider.

Zero downtime hosting is based on the idea that using two servers and special technologies, if one server fails then the other one can take up the operations of the affected server; the affected server can then resume its operations once it is bought back up, meaning that the second server acts as a permenant backup for the first server it fails. This scenario works fine for most web hosting providers, granted that both servers are able to be in constant communication. Based on the fact that you are guaranteed more or less 100% uptime, zero downtime hosting can provide you with many advantages such as:

• zero downtime - of course with zero downtime hosting you will have zero downtime, this effectively means that your website will always be available for your visitors to view and see, and that any downtime is completely unlikely unless there is a complete failure somewhere external to the hosting servers such as the network
• reliable servers - as well as being guaranteed 100% uptime, you should also expect more reliable servers in the way that they are of high enough specification to cope with the demands of a web hosting environment - if a server is of higher specification then it is less likely to go down because of a high load which could be caused by the websites that it is hosting
• a usable web hosting service - in some cases you may find that your web hosting account is unusable because the actions of others who are hosted on the same server as you since their websites have slowed down and overloaded the hosting server, which affects everyone who are hosted on the same servers as such users.

Although web hosting providers now offer shared hosting services which use reliable servers, with zero downtime hosting more than one reliable server is used in a cluster of at least two servers to ensure that at least one server will always be available if the primary hosting server fails. Zero downtime hosting also ensures that you have a usable web hosting account which will make sure that your website is available to your visitors all the time. In the case that your website doesn’t receive many visitors, then you may want to consider a cheaper shared web hosting package because you won’t require 100% uptime in most cases.

Zero downtime hosting is seen by many businesses and individuals as a way of ensuring that visitors will be able to access their website at all times of the day, and is seen as even more important by businesses who are running mission critical websites. In some cases businesses may be hosting websites which are an essential part of their main business, for example a majority of businesses are now using online shops to sell their products and services. If a business’s online shop goes down then they are unable to receive new orders, which in turn means that they are loosing money. In such a case, zero downtime hosting may be able to aid a business in ways such as:

• no need to constantly monitor the website - if you choose to use zero downtime hosting then you have no need to constantly monitor your website to ensure that it is always up, instead your web hosting provider will actively monitor the hosting server on your behalf and in the event of downtime, there will be a failover server to take up the service of the affected server
• seamless failover - in the event that the primary server does fail, then there will be at least one other server to take up the role of the affected server - these other servers will have the latest backups of the primary server meaning that the crossover to the second server after the primary one has failed will be seamless, and all data will remain intact
• reliable support - if your web hosting provider is going to be monitor servers 24×7, then they will be able to provide you with more reliable support which is central to most web hosting packages and is the deciding factor for many people - this means that you can contact someone with regards to any concerns you have 24×7.

As a business which is running an important website, then you will probably find that such advantages which come as part of zero downtime hosting will allow you to focus on the important task of running your business without the need to worry about your web hosting account, and whether your website is up or down. Since you may not have your own technical support team, it will be handy for you if you let your web hosting provider do the hard task of monitoring your website and servers whilst you run your business.

As a business or individual utilizing zero downtime hosting, you will want to ensure that support is available as neeeded so that any issues which you may be facing with your web hosting account can be solved in a quick and easy manner. Although support isn’t a problem in the case of a majority of web hosting providers, you may want to ensure that there is always someone available to answer your queries to make your web hosting experience as reliable as possible. Although the main purpose of a support team is to fix things, in the case of zero downtime web hosting you may also find that your web hosting provider can do the following for you:

• script installations - if you are using a zero downtime web hosting package because you want to be able to get on with more important tasks, then your web hosting provider’s support team may be able to carry out other tasks for you such as the installations of scripts and programs that you need for your main website
• website monitoring - web hosting support teams will also be monitoring your website and the zero downtime cluster on which your website is hosted - this means that if you experience any problems with your website or if the primary hosting node fails, the support team will be quickly notified which will allow them to respond to the situation in a timely manner
• custom installations - in some cases you may find that your zero downtime web hosting package doesn’t come with a certain server side component or piece of software that you need in order for your website to function correctly - in most cases the support team will be able to install the component concerned which in turn will allow your website and web pages to function correctly in the hosting environment.

In some cases you may have access to your own support team or know someone who may be able to aid you in such cases where you do require assistance from your web hosting provider’s support team, meaning that you could probably make do with a cheaper zero downtime web hosting package that can still provide you with the same sorts of resources. If you require higher end support or custom configurations then you may be better off considering a server hosting service such as VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting for your needs.

In conclusion, zero downtime hosting can provide you with a reliable web hosting service similar to that which is provided by VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting. If you are a business or individual running a mission critical website, then you will probably find that zero downtime hosting is the one thing which your website needs in order to ensure that visitors can access it at all times. In some cases you may find that VPS hosting or dedicated server hosting may be more suitable for your needs - especially if you require secure web hosting services.

Ecommerce Hosting Service

Ecommerce hosting services are ideal for businesses who want to start selling their goods online, and for individuals who want to add a shop to their website so that they can sell items online and give themselves an extra source of income. Ecommerce is the term given to the process of selling goods online, although it is also an umbrella for other activities such as online payment services including credit card processing and electronic payment methods including PayPal. Ecommerce hosting services are more secure than other forms of web hosting, and the hosting servers themselves are normally PCI compliant to ensure that all information which is stored on the server is as secure as possible. In order to use some ecommerce web hosting services you may be required to provide some sort of hard proof to show that you do in fact want to use the web hosting service for ecommerce purposes; although something like this may seem ludicrous, it helps web hosting providers to ensure that no rogue web hosting accounts are setup that could otherwise compromise server integrity and uptime. Ecommerce web hosting services also tend to use secure hardware which is able to cope with sustained security attacks, such as DDOS attacks, to ensure that maximum uptime is provided.

When it comes to running an online shop, you will find that you will want to process credit cards and handle other personal information in order to allow your customers to purchase products from you through your website. Because of this, you want to ensure that you are able to find an ecommerce web hosting service that is reliable but also secure, so that you are able to accept orders through your shop at any time but also so you can make sure that all private information is held in the most secure of web hosting environments. In order to make ecommmerce hosting services, web hosting providers use a number of measures to make their servers more secure; these measures may include:

• PCI compliant servers - PCI stands for ‘payment card industry’, and are a set of standards set up by a specific security council which are supported by a large number of merchant vendors - many web hosting providers are now putting these measures into place on all their web hosting servers to ensure that any customer information that is being hosted is stored in the most secure of environments that can’t be compromised
• firewalls - firewalls are now an important security measure imposed on many servers for the reason that IP addresses which may be trying to attack a server can be automatically blocked, but firewalls can also block ports which could be more vulnerable than other ports on the server - having a firewall installed is also required in order for a server to be PCI compliant
• mod_security and other such measures - it is important for a web hosting provider to ensure that PHP, Apache and other related services which are publicly accessible are hardened since this will ensure that weak websites can’t be compromised in any way - the Apache mod_security module can also aid with this in the way that it detects possible script hacking attempts.

Such security advantages will mean that your ecommerce web hosting package is as secure as possible, and that even the most experienced hacker wouldn’t be able to gain access to the hosting server. If you use a PCI compliant web hosting provider that has been verified, then you can be safe in knowing that you can use your ecommerce web hosting account for the handling of private data including personal information and credit card information without the threat of a malicious attacker gaining entry to the server and stealing such information.

Ecommerce web hosting services tend to come with the same features as other web hosting accounts; although this may look to be a disadvantage, it can still provide you with an advantage whether you know how to manage an ecommerce web hosting service or not. The main thing that people want for their websites is the best, so by purchasing a feature rich ecommerce web hosting package, you will know that you are doing the best for your website and that at some point in time you will want to call on one of the many features that you are provided with. However, if you are new to ecommerce web hosting then there are some features that you can take advantage of straight away; these features could include:

• script auto installers - at some point in your web hosting journey, you may come in contact with script auto installers, whose job it is to carry out all the technical tasks of installing a program in a few seconds - these can come in use for ecommerce hosting services since you make use of the one that you have access to by using it to install a shop application for your website if you don’t already have one
• SSL services - by purchasing an SSL certificate for your ecommerce domain, you can give yourself an extra layer of security by ensuring that all the data which is passed between your website and your visitor’s computers is encrypted meaning that it will be unable to be read by any malicious parties wanting to do so, i.e. hackers
• control panels - in order to setup your ecommerce website correctly, you will need to make use of the hosting control panel with which you are provided access to when it comes to managing the different aspects of your web hosting account - this includes the setting up of databases for your website and email accounts for yourself and others.

Such features are normally standard with any web hosting package, meaning that there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to find an ecommerce web hosting service that has the same sorts of features that can meet your needs. However, if you choose to go down the dedicated path with either VPS or dedicated server hosting then the chances are that you will have to pay extra for features such as control panels and script auto installers - you normally need to pay for SSL certificates in any situation.

When it comes down to managing an ecommerce hosting service, you will most likely find yourself in the situation of shared hosting meaning that you don’t have to manage a server or anything, but you still need to have a rough idea on how to manage an ecommerce hosting service through the use of a control panel. At all stages along the way you will find that you need help, and that is where your web hosting provider’s support team steps in. In terms of ecommerce hosting, a support team can benefit you in ways such as:

• identify security holes in your setup - if you are using dynamic server side scripts on your web hosting package, then the likelihood is that you are going to need to ensure that you have the correct permissions set on your scripts to reduce the chances of them being compromised - a support team can normally aid you in this area by advising you on the exact permissions you should be using
• fix program problems - if you go for a fully managed ecommerce hosting service then your web hosting support team can help if you if there seem to be problems with a program that you are using on your web hosting account, although in some cases the problems have to be caused by mis-configurations server wise
• general network and server support - if you choose the shared route then you will find that your web hosting provider’s support team are responsible for the management on the hosting node, although when it comes down to dedicated forms of hosting you will find that you may have to pay extra in order to receive the level of support that you need to run your server correctly.

When you are using shared ecommerce hosting services, you tend to take support for granted which can shock you a bit if you choose to upgrade to an unmanaged server hosting service. If you want the most secure ecommerce hosting services available then VPS and dedicated server hosting is the best route for you to take, although when it comes down to support you may want to consider using a third party server management team since this will allow you to focus your mind on more important tasks other than server management.

In conclusion, ecommerce hosting servers are now more secure than ever with the introduction of PCI compliant hosting which means that your chosen web hosting provider is following a set of guidelines to ensure that all data which is stored on a server is stored in the most secure environment available. Firewalls are now also being used to deter hackers from trying to gain access to servers. In terms of VPS and dedicated ecommerce hosting services, advance features allow you to manage your ecommerce hosting service remotely and allow you to get started in seconds; however, support may not be everything its made out to be.

Should I be considering shared hosting?

Shared hosting services are the cheapest available, and most base packages that are old by a majority of web hosting providers are in fact shared web hosting packages. Shared hosting services are normally cheap, meaning that a good deal which suits your needs can be picked up at a price which also suits your needs; however, you must also take note that some web hosting providers do ‘oversell‘ their services meaning that they are selling off more than they have. Shared hosting services are normally designed for the hosting of one website in most cases, although web hosting companies do provide you with the facilities to host multiple domains if needed; however, if you wish to host a large number of domains and websites under separate accounts then you can consider using a higher up reseller web hosting account. Shared hosting can be used by anyone since web hosting providers allow you to manage your website hosting account in many different ways, and one of these ways is likely to suit your style of management. Since you don’t have to pay much to use a shared web hosting package, you shouldn’t expect server reliability to be great, although you can probably rely on the help of a dedicated support team as needed.

In order to know whether you should be considering shared web hosting services or not, you need to evaluate your requirements so that you are able to be sure of what you need excactly - although this may not seem much, it can certainly help you get a better deal in terms of what you pay for your web hosting service. If you feel that shared web hosting is for you, then it is important that you take into account several different considerations since they could affect your decision. Although considering the features of shared hosting may sway your overall decision, it may benefit you in the long term if you choose to go with another form of web hosting. Such considerations that you may have to make in relation to shared hosting may include:

• disk space - shared hosting accounts generally come with low amounts of disk space since web hosting companies want to try and fit as many shared hosting accounts onto one server as possible - if you feel that low amounts of disk space aren’t what you need, and that you need large amounts then you may have to consider server hosting
• bandwidth - the amount of bandwidth that you will require is dependent on how many visitors you receive to your website, although it can also be affected by how ‘image heavy’ your website is - shared hosting packages come with more than enough bandwidth to cover the needs of most website administrators
• reliability - shared web hosting servers are more prone to security attacks than any other form of web hosting, which means that server reliability won’t always be the best - however, if you do choose to use a web hosting provider that is able to offer web hosting servers that have been properly secured then you are unlikely to face any problems - its just up to you to ensure that your scripts and websites are also secure.

Bandwidth and disk space are resources which are generally supplied with any web hosting account that is sold, however, you should ensure that the package you are purchasing comes with sensible amounts of both and not ‘unlimited amounts‘. Although ‘unlimited’ web hosting may be very tempting and cheaper for you, the server reliability will be even less because the web hosting provider that you have chosen to use is selling off resources that they don’t have.

Central to most people’s decision on shared web hosting is whether or not they’ll be able to use the programs that they need, and whether important scripting languages that are used by many will be supported. Some web hosting providers choose not to support certain server side components and scripting languages for shared web hosting services since they want to aim such packages at people with low level technical knowledge and may not need to use such features. If important features are missing then you will most likely choose to use a web hosting provider that is able to offer you more in a shared hosting package, although it is of course dependent on your requirements. Although the features that aren’t offered by web hosts may differ, a majority tend not to offer important features such as:

• PHP - this is an important since many programmers use it to build their websites and web based applications, although some web hosting providers choose not to offer it since it is seen as a feature that will only be needed by advance users who are more likely to go with reseller hosting or a form of server hosting
• MySQL - MySQL databases are normally used in conjunction with PHP websites and scripts, and since some web hosts don’t allow the use of PHP on shared hosting services, you will find that MySQL databases have also been disabled by the same web hosting providers - however, this means that your web hosting account is likely to be cheaper because of it
• low amounts of disk space - since some web hosting providers see shared hosting as a starting point, they only provide their web hosting accounts with low amounts of bandwidth so that they don’t end up provisioning accounts with large amounts of disk space that are unlikely to be ever used up in full.

In some cases you may find that you require PHP and MySQL with your web hosting package in order to allow your website to function correctly. However, if you only want to use of shared web hosting accounts for testing then you will find that low amounts of disk space are more than enough for you; this will also allow you to find a cheaper web hosting package if you only need one which has low amounts of disk space and important features that you don’t need disabled.

Unlike higher level forms of web hosting, your web hosting provider are responsible for the management and security of their shared hosting servers. The only thing that you have to worry about is the security of your own scripts and web pages as well as the management of your own web hosting account. This normally means that your overall web hosting account however is fully managed, allowing you to carry on with more important tasks whilst your web hosting account is managed by your web hosting provider’s support team - this also means that you can contact them regarding any queries you may have about your shared web hosting account. Fully managed shared hosting packages can come with many advantages such as:

• less downtime - if there is a support team always available to take care of any server problems then there is going to be less downtime since your web hosting provider will be able to respond to any server problems immediately, meaning that there will be less time that the server will be down - however, it is dependent on the problem
• quicker response to any queries - if you have queries regarding your web hosting account, then you are guaranteed that a member of staff will be able to reply to your question within a given period - this means that you can ask quesitons day or night and be guaranteed that you can get the answer that you need
• secure servers - fully managed shared hosting servers are likely to be more secure, meaning that you can be safe in the knowledge that all the data which you have stored in your web hosting account is in the safest of web hosting environments, and that the server on which you are hosted is very unlikely to be hacked or compromised in any way.

Although full support is unlikely to influence your decision on shared hosting, it clearly shows that if you have no idea on how to manage a website hosting account that shared web hosting may be for you since it will allow you to call on your web hosting provider’s support team as needed. Shared hosting with fully support does ensure that you are able to receive support for any issues you may be having, but unless the support team is available 24×7 then you may find that it isn’t everything that it is cracked up to be.

If you feel that you don’t need the high resources that are provided with other forms of web hosting then you should be considering shared web hosting, but if you are after a scalable hosting solution which will help your website expand rapidly then you should be considering higher end web hosting services. Shared hosting services do tend to come with low amounts of disk space, although when it comes down to it you don’t need that much unless you are going to be hosting an image heavy website. You may also find that certain features are disabled, but such measures are unlikely to affect you.

Reseller Hosting vs. VPS Server Hosting

Although reseller hosting and VPS server hosting may be two completely different forms of web hosting, they are still the two that are used by many web designers and businesses who wish to sell off their own web hosting services or are hosting multiple websites. Reseller hosting is a form of shared web hosting because many reseller accounts are hosted on one server, while VPS hosting is a form of shared hosting and server hosting because you are sharing the hosting node with many other VPS servers although you still have your own dedicated environment. Reseller hosting accounts can be used by almost anyone since they work in a similar way to shared hosting accounts, although VPS hosting servers normally require certain skills in order to manage them - they work in a similar way to dedicated servers, meaning that advance server knowledge may be needed in some cases. Although VPS hosting may cost more than reseller hosting, it does have its adavantages - especially if you want to install specific programs to your server which aren’t available with reseller hosting packages; reseller does have its advantages, but only if you feel that you won’t need the resources that a VPS server comes with, and don’t have the necessary knowledge either to manage a VPS server.

Reseller web hosting services are based on shared hosting servers, therefore meaning that it isn’t unusual for a web hosting provider to host both standard shared hosting clients and reseller web hosting clients on the same servers. Reseller packages are used by people wishing to host multiple websites under separate accounts, those who wish to start out in the web hosting industry as well as website designers who may host their clients websites as well as designing them. Reseller hosting packages tend to be a little more expensive then a shared hosting package, meaning that you can upgrade to a higher end solution from shared web hosting by increasing your budget a bit. Reseller web hosting can provide you with many advantages, such as:

• no servers to manage - unlike VPS hosting, with reseller hosting you don’t have any servers to take care of since the job of managing reseller hosting servers is that of your chosen web hosting provider, which means that you can get on with managing your web hosting account safe in the knowledge that the server is being managed properly
• feature rich hosting - unlike VPS hosting, you don’t have to pay any extra costs in order to receive a fully featured reseller web hosting account that will allow you to get started with creating your own hosting package in no time - features such as script/program auto installers, control panels and spam filtering come as standard with most reseller web hosting packages that can be purchased these days
• lower running costs - a monthly or yearly fee for a reasonable reseller hosting package is going to be cheaper than that for a VPS server, meaning that you are more likely to get what you need and want at a cheaper price if you go with reseller hosting, whilst if you go with VPS hosting you are more likely to end up with a high specification server that contains resources that you just don’t need.

Reseller hosting is generally used by those who want to resell hosting services but don’t have the need for a dedicated server or VPS hosting server. Although server hosting does have its advantages, reseller web hosting does have its advantages in the way that you don’t have to worry about server management, and that you can get a feature rich service at a lower cost.

If you think that reseller hosting might just be what you need, then you should wait a minute and see what VPS hosting can offer you. As a cheaper form of dedicated hosting, VPS hosting servers generally come with a majority of the features that dedicated servers can provide you with - the only difference being that a VPS servers resources are virtual, whilst a dedicated server has physical resources that can be manually upgraded. VPS hosting services tend to be used by more professional users who want to be able to install the programs that they want on their servers, and can manage them in the way that they want to. However, VPS hosting can still offer the regular consumer a number of benefits including:

• dedicated environment - central to any hosting service is the dedicated environment that you are provided with access to, since it is in this that you can install any programs that you wish to, therefore enabling you to configure your VPS server to run the way that you want it to - the entire server can also be controlled from a dedicated environment
• root/administrator access - when you purchase a VPS server, you are provided with root access to it in the case of Linux VPS hosting, and administrator/RDP access in the case of Windows VPS hosting - with such access you are able to carry out any task you wish to, allowing you to effectively manage your VPS hosting server without the need for any help from someone else who may be experienced with server management
• greater reliability - since VPS hosting servers are their own separate entity, they are more reliable then reseller web hosting accounts for the simple reason that you have your own guaranteed resources which only you can use - however, multiple VPS servers are hosted on a single node, and it only takes a single VPS to take the entire hosting node down.

VPS hosting does require more management than a reseller hosting account since it is up to you to keep your VPS server secure, although when it comes down to it, if your needs justify a VPS server then the higher reliability might just make the extra management needed and slightly higher costs more acceptable. However, if you feel that you don’t have the necessary knowledge to manage a VPS server then you shouldn’t feel pressured into purchase one just because your requirements need you to do so - search for other options that might also suit you.

When considering reseller hosting or VPS server hosting, you will probably find that support is one of the central points that will help you make your overall decision regarding the form of hosting that you choose to go with. The levels of support available for reseller hosting packages and VPS servers can differ because they are both different forms of web hosting, but if you evaluate your needs then you should be able to work out just what level of support you will be needing. The support teams that web hosting providers employ can normally cope with anything you throw at them, meaning that if you choose the right hosting provider you should be able to benefit from a high level of support with regards to either form of hosting. However, there are certain factors that can affect your decision with regards to support, such as:

• 24×7 support - if you choose a web hosting provider that is able to offer 24×7 support, then you can almost be guaranteed that any issues there may be with reseller hosting servers will be sorted in a reasonable amount of time, whilst you can contact them 24×7 support with regards to any issues you may be facing with your VPS server meaning that you can have your issues sorted at any time of the day
• full support - in the case of reseller web hosting you are provided with full support because the management of the server is the sole responsibility of your web hosting provider, but when it comes down to VPS server hosting, you should check that you are entitled to full support since it could help you a lot if you feel that you don’t have the necessary knowledge to manage a server.

The support team is your first port of call when you face a problem with your reseller hosting account or VPS server, although if it is a problem that you have bought on yourself then you may have to try and sort it out yourself. Support teams have to deal with many different requests per day, making it important for them to be able to prioritise each support incident to make sure that the most urgent queries are dealt with first, whilst those that can wait are put to one side. In the case of reseller hosting, unless there is a problem with the server then related queries may be put to one side for while, however with VPS server hosting such issues may be dealt with in a fast manner.

The question of whether you should be using reseller hosting or a VPS server is dependent on your needs, and only one that you can answer yourself. If you have no idea on how to manage a server then you should by all means consider reseller hosting, the main reason for this being that it is a form of shared hosting meaning that you don’t have to worry about managing any servers.

In conclusion, your overall decision has to be based on which form of web hosting you feel may be best for you. Reseller hosting is good for beginners, whilst only professionals would be considering VPS hosting servers. Such factors which can effect your decision may include the level of support that is on offer as well as server reliability, since the most important thing for most webmasters is to know that their websites will be online for as much of the time as is possible. Your budget may also affect your choice since reseller hosting accounts are cheaper than VPS servers.

Choosing the Right CMS System for You

CMS stands for ‘Content Management System‘, and such systems are now used on some of the worlds largest websites to enable administrators and webmasters to be able to manage their websites effectively without the need for constant modification of static HTML pages. CMS systems are in general much easier to use for those who just want to manage their websites since it allows them to setup multiple users who can manage different parts of a website, without the need to update multiple static pages once new content has been added to the website or existing content has been updated. There are many different factors that can affect your choice of CMS, most notably the kind of web hosting account that you have chosen to use; because of this, it is important to research the different CMS systems available to see which one is able to offer you exactly what you need. CMS systems are available in different forms, for example some have been written using one scripting language whilst others have been created using different languages since some web developers like to use different web hosting environments, dependent on their requirements. As well as the core CMS system, many applications can be expanded through the use of custom add-ons and themes.

Some CMS systems will work on certain web hosting packages only, whilst others will be able to function on any kind of web hosting package. Although you will probably choose to use an open source CMS system, you still need to be sure that the applications which you are going to use will work on your web hosting account since you don’t want to create extra work for yourself by having to install multiple applications for testing purposes. You can normally check the specifications required by a CMS system in order for it to run correctly on the website that you purchase or download it from, which will allow you to make sure that your web hosting account can support it before installing it. Such specifications you will need to take into consideration will include:

• operating system - normally you will have your web hosting package on either a Windows or a Linux web hosting server - because of the components needed by some CMS systems, they are unable to run on certain operating systems, Linux being a good example in the case where the CMS system concerned has been written and designed for use with Microsoft technologies
• scripting language - a majority of CMS systems are built and coded using the PHP scripting language and are normally intended for use with a MySQL database backend, meaning that such systems can be used on both Windows and Linux web hosting servers - however, CMS systems that have been written using classic ASP or ASP.NET will only be able to function on Microsoft Windows web hosting accounts and servers
• features - a majority of CMS systems come loaded with features once you have them installed as default, but you should also ensure that your chosen CMS has a good collection of add-ons which you can use to modify your installation if you wish to add extra features so that you can extend its functionality.

If you take the above factors into consideration then you may be able to find yourself the right CMS system with ease and only need to install it once. If you are short on time then having to install a CMS system multiple times can be a pain which is why you want to make sure that you have the right one selected early on. You should however ensure that you have made your decision on the hosting package that you are going to use beforehand.

CMS systems are available both for free and for a cost; free CMS systems normally available under an open source license meaning that such applications can be downloaded and modified as per your wish, paid systems however are normally much more stricter on such rules and are designed for small to medium sized businesses in the main. Free CMS systems are normally more than enough for beginners since a reasonable amount of technical knowledge is needed to have the application installed initially - modifying the source code to make it run the way you want it to is a completely different story. However, there are also other differences between free CMS applications and commercial ones, such as:

• level of support - free applications don’t come with any official support since there is no company earning any income from the application to actually be able to pay for support personnel - paid applications on the other hand do come with official support which can benefit you in the long term, especially if its 24×7
• security - you may find that there are security holes in any free application that you are using since developers only have a small amount of time to contribute to the development of CMS systems on the other hand and aren’t being paid for what they’re doing - commercial CMS systems on the other hand are developed much more securely since the developers who are building the application are paid to do so, and have more time to do so
• updates - updates for an open source CMS system may be few and far between, simply because the developers involved in the project don’t have enough time to contribute in order to being the application up to date and to make it more secure - when it comes down to commercial applications, the stance of such companies is normally the same as it is with security since they pay their staff to keep their applications up to date and secure.

With regards to these differences, they certainly say that if you are a home user or a small business user who doesn’t want to splash out on a CMS application then you should just consider an open source alternative. However, if you are a medium to large business wanting a CMS application then you should be considering a commercial alternative to ensure that your business website is as secure as possible.

The two different forms of CMS application come with completely different levels of support, and the support that you are eligible to receive is something that could affect your overall decision on the kind of system that you choose to use. Support is more of an issue for beginners who may not know how to manage the different aspects of a CMS application, however for experienced developers support isn’t such a big issue since they are normally more than capable of managing a CMS system - just as long as they know it is secure and is regularly updated. However, such forms of support that you may come across for any form of CMS application may include:

• ticket support - although this is something that is only offered by commercial CMS application vendors, there are some unofficial websites that may also offer it for open source CMS applications, but at a cost - this is normally the most intellectual form of support available and will provide you with answers the quickest
• forum support - for open source CMS solutions there are normally unofficial support forums available in which experienced developers give up their time to provide users with solutions to any problems they may be facing - official forums are offered by commercial CMS application vendors for use by their customers
• phone support - this is something that will only ever be offered by commercial vendors, but allows users to have an in depth talk with someone who knows the application concerned inside out, and can normally provide users with the answers that they need to ensure that their installation of the CMS application concerned is working correctly - some companies do charge for phone support though, meaning that it is a wise idea to email them before you phone them.

Support forms the heart of many industries these days, and it is important that in any case you make sure you are able to receive the right level of support for your needs. You should ensure that you don’t end up paying too much for a support package that you don’t need, or that you don’t have a support package at all when it would probably be better that you did. A certain period of support is normally provided for free in most cases, but after that period is over you are forced to extend it by paying.

In conclusion, the main decision that you will need to make when choosing a CMS application is whether you go for an open source application or if you pay for one. You will need to consider the level of support that you will be guaranteed, as well as whether your chosen application will provide you with the features that you need in order for your website to function correctly. If you decide to use a free application, you should ensure that you use an active application since this will ensure that it is updated on a regular basis and that is as secure as possible.

Is dedicated server hosting right for me?

Although dedicated server hosting is mainly aimed at businesses who need a web hosting service that can guarantee them a respectable level of uptime, they can also be used by individuals who are running busy websites; however, the main boundry with dedicated server hosting is the cost - the price of dedicated servers can be anything from $50 to $500, meaning that some are able to afford them whilst others won’t be able to. Dedicated server hosting is the next step up from VPS hosting, meaning that if you are starting to outgrow your high end VPS hosting package, your best bet will be to consider a low-mid range dedicated server that will be able to meet your requirements. Dedicated server hosting does generally tend to be more reliable than any other forms of web hosting available, which is something that makes it popular with those who are after greater uptime. However, dedicated servers do need to be managed by someone who knows what they are doing; this means that they have to kept secure and that all the software which is being used must be updated on a regular basis. Many different web hosting providers sell dedicated servers these days; although this may mean that there are many different offers to choose from, it means that you can get what you want at a price that suits your budget.

Dedicated server hosting is the only form of web hosting in which you don’t have to share server resources with any other users, unless you explicitly wish to do so for one reason or another. As well as that, there are other advantages that can come with dedicated server hosting such as full support and an increased amount of uptime, which at the end of the day is probably one of the main reasons that you have chosen to use dedicated server hosting. There is no point in considering dedicated hosting if the advantages that come with it are unable to help you in any way, since you will just be wasting your money on an expensive server that you don’t need. Such advantages provided by dedicated server hosting include:

• reliability - since you don’t have to share your server’s resources with anyone else, you should have greater reliability just as long as you have your server configured correctly - the only reason for your website to go down will be if there are network or power problems external to your server, although such issues are normally very rare because of the redundant infrastructures now being used by many web hosting providers
• support - a majority of dedicated servers come fully managed which allows you to get on with more important tasks while your server is managed by your web hosting provider, such management tasks may include keeping the server secure and ensuring that all software is up to date - however, it is important to note that cheaper dedicated servers are unlikely to come with any high level of support because of the low cost of the server
• isolation - by having your own isolated dedicated server, the actions of other users are unable to affect the performance of your own server - however, the speed for the connection to your server can be affected by other factors such as if another server on the same network as yours is being DDOS’d (attacked).

A majority of users can make use of such advantages that are provided by dedicated server hosting, although if they aren’t going to help you then you should be considering VPS hosting for your needs. Dedicated servers are able to provide you with a scalable web hosting solution that can be upgraded as needed, and can be as redundant as you would like it to be.

However, although dedicated server hosting can provide you with many advantages, there are still disadvantages with this form of web hosting, regardless of which side you look at it from. The main thing that puts many off dedicated server hosting is the high costs that are involved, since a majority of people require high end dedicated servers which can cost anything up to $500, which is just too much for many individuals but some businesses can just about justify that amount. For some, the level of knowledge needed to manage a dedicated server effectively can also be offputting, although only the most experienced of people usually consider dedicated server hosting. All in all, the main disadvantages that can arise from dedicated server hosting can include:

• cost - when you rent a dedicated server, the overall cost that you are paying includes the cost of the server that you are using, as well as the power that is required for your server and the bandwidth needed to make it accessible - the costs of the individual things which make up a dedicated sevrer rental fee are high, which makes the actual server rental cost high - in some cases you may also find that your dedicated server rental fee may rise and fall sometimes
• support - although you have nothing to worry about if you purchase a dedicated server that comes with full support, if you purchase a lower end server which doesn’t come with any support then you may find it hard to manage your dedicated server because of the necessary knowledge that is needed to do so - however, there are third party management companies that you can hire to do the task for you
• network and power problems - network and power problems can affect dedicated servers mroe so than other web hosting services since they tend to be hosted on different networks to shared and reseller web hosting servers, meaning that the network itself may not be redundant or as well equipped as any other.

Don’t let the disadvantages of dedicated server hosting influence your decision too much, since at the end of the day if your needs justify the requirement of a dedicated server then you will probably find that your website’s reliability will increase greatly. And as long as you can hire a third party support team to manage your server for you, you should be sorted in terms of support.

Since you are provided with your own dedicated environment in which you can install any program of your choice with dedicated server hosting, this means that you can effectively use your dedicated hosting server for anything you want, just as long as what you wish to use it for falls in line with your web hosting provider’s AUP. Since dedicated servers some with root/administrator access, you can install pretty much anything you want, just as long as it is able to run on the server operating system that you have chosen to use with your dedicated hosting server. Depending on your dedicated server’s specifications, you may want to use it for things such as:

• media streaming - because of the low bandwidth caps on shared hosting services and the low resources that come with VPS servers, you can only perform media streaming services via dedicated servers meaning that you can use your server to offer online radio solutions as well as being able to stream media on demand to your visitor’s computers - such solutions normally come free with operating systems, such as the Windows Media Server that comes with Windows Server 2003
• file server - since you are unable to use shared hosting services for file hosting, you may want to consider using your dedicated server as a centralized storage server for all your data so that it can be accessed as and when needed, allowing you to access all the files that you need to view regularly from any itnernet connected location in the world
• web server - you may simply want to use your dedicated server as a web server, which can be of benefit to you if you wish to modify the source files of the web server that you want to use in order to make it run the way you want it to - in this case you would probably be using the Apache web server on a Linux operating system.

Unlike other forms of web hosting, dedicated servers can be used for almost any purpose which means that you can purchase a dedicated server and use it solely for one service unless you wish to use a control panel such as cPanel with it to enable you to use and manage multiple services on your dedicated hosting server.

In conclusion, the question of whether dedicated server hosting is right for you or not is dependent on what your requirements are. If you need a more reliable web hosting service that will allow you to do what you want then by all means consider dedicated server hosting, but if your website doesn’t receive many visitors then it would be better for your pocket if you choose a lower end form of web hosting such as reseller web hosting or VPS server hosting. However, you may find that the overall cost of dedicated server hosting is too much for you, which means that you may have to consider VPS hosting.