How Good Free Web Hosting Servers Really Are?

There are a number of websites offering free web hosting. Tripod.com or geocities.com being the most popular among them. So, the question is : Are free servers really good?

Well, the answer is simple. You don?t get anything free in life and same goes for the net.

To be frank, some of the websites host you on really fast high-end servers even with your free account, but there are many drawbacks still.

To start with, nearly every free server puts up this huge banner right on top of every page in return for their free service. This is totally annoying and not desired at any cost.

To further increase their unusability they come with very limited bandwidth or monthly transfers. So, even if you get a healthy 20 MB for free, you are limited to a very narrow monthly transfer limit of around 50-100 MB a month. Huh ? What does that mean? It simply means and if you are serious about making money on the internet, a lot of people are going to visit your website. This in turn burdens your web server and a free web server, well, it will just collapse!

Thirdly, you get an ugly looking URL which no one save the program that generated can remember eg. www.freeserverxyz.com/abc/~uv/

And that by no means is acceptable. Some of the companies have gotten round this and provide you with a cleaner whateveryouchoose.freeserverxyz.com. This is at least better than the previous mammoth.

Fourthly, nobody trusts a website hosted on a free server. Would you for instance make a $50 purchase from a URL like www.freeserverxyz.com/abc/~uv/ ? I certainly think not. To come around this problem, some free servers allow you to host your privately registered domain name for free. There is a catch here too. For this you will either have to transfer your current domain to them or register a new domain, either ways, you are at their mercy for domain pricing and still stuck with a banner on top of your page with limited monthly transfers.

However, if you still tight on budget and at any rate cannot afford a paid hosting, then I sincerely recommend one free server to you. Netfirms (www.netfirms.com) is one of the most renowned free web hosting providers with the provision of hosting your own www.yourchoice.com.

You could check out http://www.0host.com though not a kind you would expect; it does have a pretty much exhaustive list of free web hosts.

Gautamm Mehra is a young entrepreneur and IT consultant. He was introduced to computers in 1989 and has since than had a passion for everything digital. You can write to him at gautam [dot] mail [at] gmail [dot] com

Inexpensive Web Hosting - Running Your Own Server Or Not?

As there are so many hosting companies competing for your business, you'd get far less troubles than if you tried to get your own one.

Are you technologically savvy? Do you understand what it takes to secure a server? Do you have access to a broadband connection? Are you willing and able to devote the amount of time it'll take to solve the inevitable glitches that come your way one after another?

To host your own server you will need: a computer that must be used ONLY as a server with enough capacity to manage the amount of requests that may receive, a Network Interface Card (NIC) and a broadband connection with a high upload rate, and an internet service provider (ISP) in conditions to handle web traffic.

If this sounds like it's trying to scare you, then you're following completely. If there are so many inexpensive hosting companies out there, you need a very strong motive to prefer doing it yourself. If one company didn't bring you the service they had promised, it's not enough to stop seeking any other way out. There must be another inexpensive hosting service out there.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about hosting. But don't be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

If your site is promotional in any way - whether you're selling a product, a service, yourself - an amateurish presentation fraught with technical glitches and poor layout could cost you your business. The average web-surfer has a 20-second attention span, and if they encounter one problem accessing your site, they are unlikely to return.

With minimal research, you can really take advantage of the fierce competitiveness in the inexpensive web hosting industry and find a service that offers mouth-watering promotions, and innovative features unique to your needs. Most likely, if you're considering running your own server it's because your website generates a ton of traffic on more than one website or application. Fortunately, running your own server is not your only option. You can find many inexpensive hosting providers that could assign you a dedicated server for a fee, of course.

Then you will have your OWN server and nobody else will be able to use it, you won't share it at all, either storage, memory or bandwidth. And the performance of your site will not be affected by the traffic and usage patterns of any other customer. With a dedicated server you will have your own IP address and root (admin) access. You have full control over server usage and software installation. Dedicated servers allow you an unlimited number of email accounts and databases and the speed is inordinately faster.

These services, offered by many inexpensive providers, can be "managed" or "unmanaged". In the "unmanaged" ones, you are the administrator, so you must have time and skills, that's why most people opt for the "managed" package. i think you should consider an inexpensive dedicated server as a viable alternative to keep your business running smoothly and yourself well rested.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on hosting.

Sandra Ruiz-Aguilar is a Native Spanish Speaker and Systems Analyst from Argentina doing freelance English - Spanish Translations for fifteen years. Lately getting into Internet Marketing. Website: http://englishspanishtranslation.4t.com

Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting

A virtual private server, also known as virtual dedicated server, provides one of the ways of partitioning one server computer into multiple servers. By this, each server has the facade and capabilities of running on its own dedicated machine or computer. In each virtual private server hosting, a full-fledged operating system can independently run and reboot each server.

Virtual private server hosting is not a new technology as it had been in common practice in mainframe computers. However, it has its rebirth with the improvement of virtualization software and technologies for other architectures. In all, virtual dedicated server hosting acts as a bridge between shared web hosting services and dedicated server hosting services. The biggest advantage of using virtual private server hosting is its cheaper cost, in comparison to a dedicated server.

A virtual private server hosting generally runs its own copy of operating system with customers having super-user-level access. Above all, in virtual private server hosting, you can easily install almost any software that runs on the OS. At times, certain software does not run well in a virtualized environment. This includes firewalls, anti-virus clients, and even the virtualizers.Having said that, Arachno Net provide their virtual private servers, complete with raid disc mirroring, a secured /tmp directory, firewall and brute force detection system already installed.

Recent time has witnessed the massive increase of the number of virtualization clients. These virtualization clients, usually, run on a single machine. A virtual private server web hosting generally has limited processor time, RAM, and disk space. You will be surprised to know that at times virtual private servers are also employed as honeypots. These honeypots allow a machine to purposely run software with known security flaws. They, of course, make sure that it is done without endangering the rest of the server. Multiple honeypots can be quickly set up through virtual private servers in this fashion.

While choosing a virtual private server hosting company, ask the following questions. Finalize your selection only if you are convinced:

1. What are the specifications of the host server, that is, the RAM, CPU, and network throughout?

2. How many virtual private servers are run on the host server that you'll be on?

3. How is resource contention handled? In other words, what happens if all the other virtual private servers on your host server are running CPU/RAM-intensive processes?

4. Last but not the least, do you have a dedicated minimum amount of RAM/CPU/Network usage? If so, how much?

All these questions are satisfactorily answered by virtual private server hosting provided by Arachno Net. Arachno Net provides network monitoring, daily data backups, 99.7% uptime through multiple oc3 Internet connectivity, and backup power UPS and generators. For more information on virtual private server hosting, virtual private server, virtual dedicated server, and dedicated server hosting, just click www.arachnonet.com .

Reg is a well known author who writes for http://www.arachnonet.com, about evolving trends and practices in web hosting technologies.

HQHosts dedicated and shared web hosting: economical Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte services

HQHost, a web hosting provider, informs about its high end Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte services for its dedicated and shared web hosting clients. In order to decrease their outlay on web hosting, HQHosts clients can control their hosting funds by creating their own web hosting packages.

August 5, 2004 HQHost Company, a high end web hosting provider, makes clear the advantages of its economical Server Wizard service for dedicated server clients and Per Gigabyte web hosting service for its shared hosting clients to be able to create their own suitable web hosting plans.

Any web hosting can be economical if taken sensibly. HQHosts Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte web hosting services are vivid examples of economical approach to your hosting expenses. Both dedicated server clients and shared hosting clients can benefit from these services by creating their own web hosting plans with the required bandwidth and storage space.

These services are especially designed to cater to the needs of web hosting clients. No more long bills. You pay only for what you have used, not more not less, says Serg Sabetyev, CEO of HQHost Company.

Standard web hosting packages advertised everywhere demand a fixed price for certain amount of bandwidth. The burning question is if a client is able to use all the gigabytes ordered. In case of non-exhausting the limit, the client will pay the whole fixed cost of the package. In case the client exceeds the limit, he pays much more per additional gigabyte. There is the third alternative. HQHosts Per Gigabyte web hosting service applies to the shared hosting customers http://www.hq-host.com/en/virtual.html. Calculate the required bandwidth for your site and pay only those gigabytes you are going to use.

As compared to shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting is a high level secure service. Large corporate websites put up great funds into dedicated web hosting on different reasons. Some of them have sensible information to deal with. The others have complicated ecommerce software. The prevailing factor is high traffic. Whatever reason for huge dedicated server outlay there can be, dedicated server web hosting can be affordable. Any client can arrange its own rational dedicated server package with HQHosts Server Wizard service http://www.hq-host.com/en/ded_wizard.html.

According to Serg Sabetyev, CEO of HQHost Company, this is an advantage-ground for those websites that have a seasonable traffic slump. They can arrange any web hosting packages suitable for them with Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte services. If your site traffic is high at rush season only, you can benefit by HQHosts unique services.

HQHost (High Quality Host Company), a web hosting provider, was founded in 2001. HQHosts data centers are located in the United States and assure absolute visibility of its clients websites worldwide. HQHost is a privately owned company with headquarters in Sacramento, CA.

For additional information, please contact:

Serg Sabetyev
HQHost Company CEO
Address: Fast Internet Technology, Inc.
5325 Elkhorn Blvd. PMB # 8227,
Sacramento, CA 95842, USA
URL: http://www.hq-host.com/
E-mail: manager@hq-host.com

# # #


August 5, 2004 HQHost Company, a high end web hosting provider, makes clear the advantages of its economical Server Wizard service for dedicated server clients and Per Gigabyte web hosting service for its shared hosting clients to be able to create their own suitable web hosting plans.

Any web hosting can be economical if taken sensibly. HQHosts Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte web hosting services are vivid examples of economical approach to your hosting expenses. Both dedicated server clients and shared hosting clients can benefit from these services by creating their own web hosting plans with the required bandwidth and storage space.

These services are especially designed to cater to the needs of web hosting clients. No more long bills. You pay only for what you have used, not more not less, says Serg Sabetyev, CEO of HQHost Company.

Standard web hosting packages advertised everywhere demand a fixed price for certain amount of bandwidth. The burning question is if a client is able to use all the gigabytes ordered. In case of non-exhausting the limit, the client will pay the whole fixed cost of the package. In case the client exceeds the limit, he pays much more per additional gigabyte. There is the third alternative. HQHosts Per Gigabyte web hosting service applies to the shared hosting customers http://www.hq-host.com/en/virtual.html. Calculate the required bandwidth for your site and pay only those gigabytes you are going to use.

As compared to shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting is a high level secure service. Large corporate websites put up great funds into dedicated web hosting on different reasons. Some of them have sensible information to deal with. The others have complicated ecommerce software. The prevailing factor is high traffic. Whatever reason for huge dedicated server outlay there can be, dedicated server web hosting can be affordable. Any client can arrange its own rational dedicated server package with HQHosts Server Wizard service http://www.hq-host.com/en/ded_wizard.html.

According to Serg Sabetyev, CEO of HQHost Company, this is an advantage-ground for those websites that have a seasonable traffic slump. They can arrange any web hosting packages suitable for them with Server Wizard and Per Gigabyte services. If your site traffic is high at rush season only, you can benefit by HQHosts unique services.

HQHost (High Quality Host Company), a web hosting provider, was founded in 2001. HQHosts data centers are located in the United States and assure absolute visibility of its clients websites worldwide. HQHost is a privately owned company with headquarters in Sacramento, CA.

For additional information, please contact:

Serg Sabetyev
HQHost Company CEO
Address: Fast Internet Technology, Inc.
5325 Elkhorn Blvd. PMB # 8227,
Sacramento, CA 95842, USA
URL: http://www.hq-host.com/
E-mail: manager@hq-host.com

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7 Key Points to Consider When Choosing a Web HostKyle DusangWith literally thousands of web hosting companies in the industry all vieing for your business, carefully consider these key points to ensure you make the most well informed decision possible.

1. Server Space

First, think about how much space your site will take up on a server. Unless you are planning on running a software repository or an image gallery, the files that make up your website will probably only use between 1 and 5 megabytes of disk space. Many companies will offer several hundreds of megabytes of webspace for a very reasonable price in attempt to out perform their competitors, but ask yourself "Do I really need that much space?". Though it's true that you should allow your site "room to grow", don't opt for what seems like a great deal on a massively sized account if you'll never use all of the space offered. Chances are you'll find an even better deal on an amount of space more suitable for your site size.

2. Data Transfer Allowance

This decision should be based on the same principal as above. Though you may be convinced that your site will be the next Amazon or Yahoo and receive a gazillion visitors a day, you really shouldn't need an extremely high data transfer allowance unless, as stated above, you're running a software download site or a large image gallery. Even heavily trafficked normal HTML sites usually only use a few gigabytes per month in bandwidth allowance. Don't go overboard just because it seems like an awesome deal. You may also want to be wary of companies who offer "unlimited" data transfer as there are usually some fine-print stipulations that make this claim not entirely true. Be sure to read their terms and conditions very carefully before opting for this type of account. A five or ten gigabyte bandwidth allowance is usually plenty enough for a small to medium sized business or personal site.

3. Technical Support

A very important point to consider when choosing a web host is the types of technical support offered by the company and how easy they are to contact when you need them. Ideally, a company should offer 24/7 toll-free telephone support and email. I have seen companies that do not even offer a telephone number on their website. You should look for a company that is very easily accessible in your time of need. Nothing is more frustrating than being in the middle of working on your site and needing an important piece of information to finish the job and not being able to contact your hosting company to find it out.

4. CGI-Bin Access

No matter what type of site you are planning on running, chances are you will eventually need to install some type of CGI script. Whether it be a mailing list management script, contact form processor, or maybe even a fancy credit card processing script, your hosting account will need to allow you to install and run them. This requires access to a special folder on your server called "CGI-Bin". Some hosting accounts will only allow you to use "pre-installed" scripts as a security measure. These are scripts that the owners of the company have installed and configured so that they know that they will work properly and not adversely affect their server's performance. That may be all you need, but if you have the knowledge, it's always nice to have the ability to install your own scripts and configure them to suit your individual needs. You should also be sure that the account you choose supports the language in which your scripts are written, such as PHP, Perl, etc.

5. Up-Time Guarantee

Another very important issue in determining the value of a hosting company is how often and for how long their servers "go down". No matter how good a deal you get on server space or bandwidht allowance, or how wonderfully the company's tech support takes care of you, your site can't receive visitors or produce revenue if the machine on which it is hosted is not up and running. Naturally you want a company who can guarantee the highest up-time percentage possible. Servers are taken down briefly from time to time for maintenance or upgrading, so no company can ensure 100% up-time, but you want your site to be hosted on dependable, well managed machines that are not constantly having problems which require them to be down for long periods of time.

6. Email Accounts

Again, like data transfer allowance and server space, some companies will offer you loads more email accounts than you will ever use. Some offer hundreds or even unlimited email accounts as a selling point. This is an important factor if you are Bill Gates and have thousands of employees, each who need their own email box, but not such a big deal if you're just one person or a small company. You should be okay with 10 or 15.

7. Reputation

This is probably the most important factor to consider when choosing a web host. Do your homework. Pay attention to any negative feedback you may hear or read about a particular hosting company. There are several sites arount the Web that feature discussion forums that allow people to discuss and critique various hosting companies. Ask specific questions about any company you might be interested in using to see if anyone else has had any negative experiences with them. As a beginning webmaster, I had initially contracted the services of a particular web hosting company to host my first site, who promised very good, dependable service for a very cheap price. Then one day, for no apparent reason, decided to delete my entire site without warning or explanation. Only then did I visit some hosting forums and find that many others had similar negative experiences with that company. Don't make the same mistake I did, find out for sure from the start that your hosting company is not going to let you down.

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