If you're new to the world of running your own website, and looking around at different web hosts, you've probably noticed that many hosts offer many different things within their hosting packages. And while it's easy to become overwhelmed by all the different terms and features offered, most of them break down into some pretty basic features that are all very similar to each other. Here's what those features are.
The platform
The platform? is the general term for what operating system you want the server holding your website to be running from. The most common are Linux and Windows, although you can also find Mac and Unix hosting as well. When choosing the platform you want to work with, you need to consider a number of things. Do you want a user-friendly experience, or do you want to take advantage of open source software? Is security your biggest concern, or easy installation? Each platform comes with different pros and cons, and in some cases the type of website you're running may determine the platform you use.
Uptime
The concept of uptime is very simple - it's the amount of time that your website is actually running. Of course, you want this percentage to be as close to 100% as possible. While it's near impossible to have a website running 100% of the time all year long, it is possible to have it running 99.99% of the time.
Bandwidth and data transfer
These are two very similar concepts, and they work hand in hand with each other to help your website transfer its data to the use's website. Many people make a huge deal out of these two features but truthfully, unless you're running a lot of videos or high-resolution images, they most likely won't be an issue with your site.
Storage space
Storage space refers to the amount of space your website will take on the web host's server. Again, this is a very important feature because without server space, your website doesn't have a home. However much like bandwidth and data transfer, unless you're using a shared hosting plan, storage space most likely wont be an issue.
Technical support
While some website owners might be too focused on bandwidth and storage space, they may lose sight of technical support in the process. However, this is a huge area of importance. If your website crashes and you need help, you need to know that your web host is there for you, no matter what time of the day; and you also need to know that they're going to be competent and capable to help you.
These are the main components of most web hosting packages, although of course you can find many specialty types of hosting as well, such as ecommerce hosting, that come with their own specific features. These standard features are all also going to have their own limitations and capacities, depending on the web host that you choose, so it’s important to examine each package carefully.
by Edmund Brunetti
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