Archive for the ‘Linux Web Hosting’ Category
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Windows and Linux are the two most prominent platforms in the web hosting industry and although some web hosting providers specialize in one platform, a vast majority choose to offer Windows and Linux web hosting services. Both platforms offer very different features, although they also share some features meaning that in some cases web applications are able to function on Windows servers as well as Linux servers. Either platform can be applied to any form of web hosting which helps to ensure that whatever your requirements are, you can select the appropriate form of web hosting that will be running the operating system that you require; for example, whilst Windows and Linux shared web hosting services are available, you can choose to have any version of either operating system installed on a dedicated server – both forms of web hosting are at opposite ends of the scale and market. Depending on what you expect of an operating system, it may be a good idea to consider a specialist web hosting company that will allow you to make the most of the operating system’s features; by doing so you will be able to make the most of your website and develop a system that will be able to provide you with a high level of uptime.
In terms of pricing, you are probably going to find Linux hosting to be more suitable for your requirements than Windows web hosting. As Linux is an open source operating system, web hosting providers can charge low prices for their Linux web hosting services as the overheads are rather low – the only cost that they need to consider is their own hosting costs, although in some situations they may be using additional commercial software such as control panel software. Windows on the other hand is a commercial operating system meaning that any Windows web hosting package is going to be slightly more expensive than a Linux web hosting service of a similar specification; however, this shouldn’t put you off using Windows web hosting as Windows has features to offer than Linux will be unable to offer you. The main idea is that the Windows operating system is targeted more at businesses that wish to make use of the enterprise level features that the operating system has to offer, whereas in terms of hosting, Linux is a more consumer-orientated solution.
The technologies that each platform is able to support are the main difference and are usually the factors that can affect the decision on which platform to use. Linux and Windows can both offer a wide variety of similar services; for example, PHP hosting and MySQL hosting are possibilities on both platforms as both technologies are available for Windows servers and Linux servers. However, there are applications and technologies that are also platform dependent meaning that they will work on one operating system, but not the other. A good example of a dependent application would be Microsoft SQL Server as it will only run on the Windows operating system thus meaning that if you wish to use MSSQL databases, you can only choose a Windows web hosting service. There are also applications that are specific to Linux distributions only; i.e. the cPanel control panel, a popular choice of many web hosting companies, will only work with Linux servers.
Both operating systems can also offer different levels of uptime and reliability due to the way in which they function, although you still need to consider that the hardware available will have an affect. Windows servers are usually restarted every time a new application or software update is installed and all of these restarts cost uptime meaning that the downtime can rack up over time; however, any inconvenience here can be avoided by changing the way in which Windows servers are managed. Linux on the other hand is much more forgiving when it comes to software updates and application installs meaning that you won’t usually need to restart the server, thus causing less downtime over all. The hardware available can also be an issue in some situations as low specification servers are always going to be more susceptible to downtime as it won’t take much to overload them; for this reason you should always consider a server that can provide you with slightly larger resource requirements than what you actually require.
In conclusion, Windows hosting services and Linux hosting services both have their own benefits and one of them will suit your requirements depending on what your needs may be exactly. As a business you will want to choose the operating system that can offer you the highest level of uptime in relation to what your needs may be; however, you may need to make some compromises if you have a tight budget that leads you to choosing Linux hosting over Windows hosting.
Tags: comparing operating systems, comparing web hosting platforms, Linux Web Hosting, server hosting, windows vs. linux, windows web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting, Windows Hosting | Comments Off
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Reseller web hosting allows you to host a large number of websites under a single web hosting package which is highly beneficial if you are looking to host websites for others or just want to host a number of websites for yourself. Although some shared web hosting services won’t cap the number of domain names you can host under a single account, reseller web hosting is different in the way that it will allow you to create individual client accounts for each website that you are hosting meaning that it is fairly easy to delegate control to others if you wish to. Reseller web hosting is available on both Linux servers and Windows servers meaning that regardless of what your specific requirements are, there will be a reseller hosting package available that will fit your requirements. You will find that reseller web hosting services will provide you with greater resource assignments than your average shared web hosting account, but the important thing to remember is that reseller web hosting accounts are usually hosted on the same servers as shared web hosting accounts meaning that you are open to the same disadvantages that affect the users of shared web hosting.
Windows reseller web hosting services are ideal for users that wish to host websites that have been developed using classic ASP or ASP.NET; furthermore, you will be able to create additional hosting accounts for others who wish to make the most of the features that Windows web hosting can offer. Microsoft SQL Server database hosting is also a standard feature of Windows reseller hosting and this will allow you to create dynamic websites that can utilize a scalable database server meaning that you won’t have to worry about the growth of any websites under your web hosting account as you can be guaranteed that the features and resources available will be able to cope with the growth.
Linux reseller web hosting services are usually offered through the cPanel control panel meaning that you will have complete control of your own reseller account as well as any sub-accounts that you create for others to use. A Linux reseller hosting account is ideal for the hosting of multiple dynamic websites that have been coded using PHP for use with MySQL databases; websites developed using both technologies perform at their best in a Linux web hosting environment meaning that it will be of benefit to you to use a Linux web hosting package for such a purpose. Linux reseller hosting packages may also be more attractive if you are to consider pricing, as Linux web hosting services are generally cheaper than Windows web hosting services.
If you wish to start your own web hosting company then reseller web hosting can be seen as a good starting point since you will be able to create web hosting accounts for others once they have paid you. Although you are going to be limited by your own reseller account resources, if you are able to make a profit from selling off web hosting accounts under your own reseller web hosting account then you will be providing yourself with a very good starting point prior to upgrading to something more powerful such as VPS server hosting. When choosing a reseller hosting account for this purpose you will want to be purchasing your web hosting service from a reliable web hosting company as the result of doing so will be a high level of uptime; one of the main features you will want to be offering your web hosting clients is a high level of reliability as this is one of the major deciding factors for most people.
A large majority of reseller web hosting packages will allow you to create your own web hosting packages based on the resources that you have available to you that you can then sell on to your own web hosting clients. Not only does this make the management of your reseller web hosting account easier, but it will also allow you to setup a larger number of web hosting accounts at one time, which will aid you with the growth of your web hosting business. It is recommended that you offer a wide variety of web hosting packages that all have varying resource assignments rather than just a single web hosting service.
Choosing a web hosting provider that can guarantee security for you and your reseller clients is also important as if their web hosting accounts get compromised, you will be the first one they will hold responsible. Most web hosting providers have high standards with regards to security meaning that if you choose a large and well established web hosting company, you are less likely to experience problems in terms of security allowing you to guarantee the security of your own clients’ web hosting data.
As a final point you may wish to consider the support that is on offer to you as the intermediary selling your own web hosting services. Most reseller hosting providers will be more than willing to provide you with full support which in turn will allow you to contact your web hosting provider’s support team in the event that you require a certain task carrying out. In some situations, as is the case with some of the bigger web hosting companies, they will also be able to provide your customers with a basic level of support related to the maintenance of their web hosting account; this can be highly beneficial for you of you lack a high level of technical knowledge or simply lack the time to deal with many queries.
In conclusion, you should choose reseller web hosting if you wish to host websites for others as well as yourself. Unlike standard shared web hosting accounts that allow you to host more than one website, a reseller web hosting account will allow you to create additional client accounts for the individual websites that you are hosting under your reseller hosting account. There are also benefits to be had in terms of resource assignments when using reseller web hosting.
Tags: linux reseller hosting, reseller hosting services, reseller web hosting, windows reseller hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting, Web Hosting, Windows Hosting | Comments Off
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Linux web hosting services are the most popular around and are offered by a large number of web hosting providers due to the fact that Linux web hosting packages are fairly cheap to offer and if done correctly can offer large profit margins. Linux is an open source operating system meaning that web hosting providers don’t have to pay a penny to use the operating system and if you choose to go for a Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server then you will realize that you won’t be required to pay extra for the operating system. As well as being cost effective, Linux web hosting services can also provide you with a greater level of uptime that will allow you to focus on more important business activities without having to worry about the availability of your website or any of the other services that you may be running off your Linux web hosting account. Security is likely to be one of your major concerns but as a user of Linux web hosting you won’t have to worry about viruses infecting the server that your account is hosted on as similarly to Mac OSX on the desktop, Linux servers are immune to Windows based viruses and the number of Linux-specific viruses around is fairly low.
Affordability is one of the major attractions to Linux web hosting for most web hosting customers. Those who have the most basic requirements aren’t going to be wanting to spend any large amounts of money on web hosting services meaning that they are going to be searching for the cheapest web hosting package available. Due to the fact that Linux is an open source operating system, it allows most web hosting providers to be competitive with their offerings of low cost web hosting services. Even though Linux web hosting services may be cheap, you will always be offered feature rich web hosting services that have support for PHP based websites as well as the facility to host at least one MySQL database.
Uptime (sometimes referred to as reliability) is one of the biggest benefits of using Linux web hosting as Linux web hosting servers are generally more reliable than Windows web hosting servers. Some of the reasons for this increased level of reliability include:
- Software updates and patches – with a Windows server the chances are that you are going to be required to restart the hosting server every time you install a new application or application update and all of these restarts can collectively add up to a large amount of downtime – the difference with Linux servers is that you probably won’t be required to restart your server every time you install a new application or update to an existing application, although you may be required to for larger updates that affect how the operating system itself interacts with the hardware and/or the software that you are running
- Better use of server resources – Linux as an operating system is generally more conservative of the system resources that it has available to use meaning that there are going to be more spare resources available for the applications that you use the most to use – a larger amount of free system resources will also mean that if there does happen to be a load spike at any time, there are still the resources there to be able to cope with this spike whilst maintaining the server and a low load constantly to help ensure stability overall
- Better control of web hosting accounts – reliability is also something that can be affected by the number of web hosting accounts that are hosted on a single server – the software available for Linux servers such as the cPanel control panel can provide web hosting providers with a much better way of managing individual web hosting accounts to make sure that a single web hosting account isn’t able to overload the entire server using a single, badly coded PHP script or website.
The reliability available to you is likely to influence how visitors respond to your website as a website that is constantly down isn’t going to get a second visit in the eyes of most internet users. However, if you are able to offer a content rich website that is always available then you will be able to build up a good base of returning visitors.
Regardless of whether you are going to be using your website to handle sensitive information of any type, you should still be concerned about the level of security that your web hosting provider will be able to offer you. The main security features of a Linux web hosting package are likely to include:
- CSF firewall – this is one of the most widely used firewall applications for Linux servers for the simple fact that it is open source and therefore free to use, but at the same time it is also effective in fulfilling its primary purpose as a firewall – most web hosting companies use CSF to block the IP addresses of any servers or computers that try to hack into them, thus meaning that this firewall application plays a large role in keeping your Linux web hosting account and the data stored in your web space safe
- Mod_security – this is an additional module to the Apache web server and can be highly effective in the prevention of web based attacks through compromised PHP scripts and MySQL databases – any web hosting company offering Linux web hosting is going to be using mod_security to a good extent to help keep their servers safe from any SQL injections or other forms of web based attack that could take place – in order for mod_security to be effective, a large rule set needs to be used
- Your own scripts – if you are going to be hosting a dynamic website that you have scripted yourself on your Linux web hosting account then you may wish to double check your coding for any possible loopholes prior to publishing it in an active hosting environment – when developing a website quickly it can be very easy to use coding methods that are either outdated or insecure when compared to other methods that are available and for the most part it is important for you to be using code that can’t be compromised by potential hackers.
Security is something that you won’t have to worry about with a Linux web hosting service, although in order to receive the highest levels of security possible you should consider using a highly reputable web hosting provider that has a good track record with security.
Tags: cheap web hosting, Linux Web Hosting, low cost web hosting, mysql web hosting, php web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting | Comments Off
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Low cost web hosting services are there to meet the requirements of those that require web hosting but don’t require large resource assignments that are offered by more substantial web hosting packages. Low cost web hosting is something that can be found easily if you browse enough web hosting providers looking for what you require; it is a good idea to consider that Linux web hosting services are generally the cheapest available therefore meaning that they can offer you the best value for money. However, if your requirements dictate that you need a Windows web hosting service then you should be prepared to pay a premium for a Windows web hosting package.
The main advantage of being able to use a low cost web hosting package is that you won’t be paying a great deal in order to setup a web presence meaning that you can easily spend your money on things that could be even more useful to your business. It is important to consider that cheap doesn’t have to mean nasty and low cost web hosting services that represent good value for money can be found – it’s more a case of selecting the right web hosting provider for your requirements when choosing a low cost web hosting service.
Low cost web hosting packages can represent good value for money if you select the right web hosting service for your requirements that will allow you to receive disk space and bandwidth assignments that meet your needs appropriately. It is recommended that you compare various web hosting providers that are able to offer you web hosting services that meet your requirements as it is the smaller features of web hosting services that may make a difference to how effective a web hosting service is in meeting your web hosting requirements.
A low cost web hosting package is unlikely to come with any restricting contact which will be of benefit to you since it will provide you with a way of cancelling your web hosting package if you find that it no longer meets your requirements. Having a 30-day rolling contract with a web hosting package is probably the best way to go since it means that you can cancel any time without having any penalties incurred as would be the case if you were to take out a web hosting service with a longer contract, i.e. a yearly (12 month) contract.
When searching for a web hosting service that is capable of hosting a small to medium sized website, a low cost web hosting package is probably the type of web hosting service that you will be considering primarily. A low cost web hosting package should be able to provide you with support for PHP based websites that use a MySQL database as generally most web hosting packages will come with at least one MySQL database – a web hosting package that isn’t able to offer you this can generally be regarded as not offering good value for money.
Linux tends to be the operating system of choice for web hosting companies that wish to offer low cost web hosting as it is open source, thus meaning that they won’t have to pay any fees to use it. Similarly most web hosting providers will also use US based servers to host customers on their cheapest web hosting services as US based server hosting services tend to be cheaper than UK server hosting services, allowing web hosting companies to offer you as the consumer the lowest price possible.
In conclusion, low cost web hosting packages can generally offer very good value for money, although this is reliant upon you choosing the correct web hosting provider for your requirements. Although a low cost web hosting service is going to be cheap, it is important that you don’t come to expect too much in terms of uptime and stability from your low cost web hosting package. All in all it’s about choosing the right web hosting service that will meet your requirements and being able to do this requires research and having a clear cut idea of what you expect of any web hosting package you are considering.
Tags: cheap web hosting, Linux Web Hosting, low cost web hosting, shared web hosting, us web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
Domain names form the basis of most websites as they are the address that your visitors will type in to visit your website. Domain name registration services are offered by a large number of web hosting provider to supplement their domain name hosting services which will allow you to keep all the services that are related to the running of your website with a single web hosting company. Domain names can be registered based on a number of different principles including the TLD (Top Level Domain) that you wish to use as well as the actual domain name (this is the only part that you will be able to alter manually). Domains are by no means free and you will have to pay to register a domain name – prices will normally vary depending on the TLD that you use; domain names that use an important name and are under a popular TLD can go for big money as they can be very beneficial to those who are looking to make the most of SEO. When choosing a domain name you will want to be sure that the address that you choose to register will be easy to remember because the key idea is that visitors will constantly return to your website – something that is unlikely if they can’t remember your address.
In order for a domain to be effective you need to hook it up to a web hosting package of some sort so that you are able to setup email accounts, FTP accounts and more importantly, so that you can host a website under your domain name so that people have something to view when they type your domain name into their web browser. Web hosting providers will generally offer you the choice between Linux web hosting services and Windows web hosting services – both will be able to offer you the same core features, albeit hosted on different platforms using different applications.
Although you’re going to have to pay for a domain name, securing a name that is important to you could be the difference between getting your business known online and forgetting about building a sustainable web presence. In some situations business men will simply build up a portfolio of well-defined domain names that they can then sell on as they wish to those who would like to purchase them as by doing so they can make a profit. If you are only using web hosting for the first time then you may wish to consider a web hosting package that will provide you with a domain name for free to begin with.
In order for a domain name to even stand a chance of functioning correctly, you will need to point it to DNS name servers that will be responsible for hosting the DNS records that will then point requests to your domain name towards the correct servers. DNS records are key for the delivery of email and to allow people to view your website as when someone types your address into their web browser, the DNS servers will respond to that query with the IP address of the server that is hosting your website. Email servers will make similar queries when attempting to deliver email to your domain name, as they will ask the DNS servers for the IP address of the servers that responsible for managing your domain name’s email.
DNS hosting is a standard feature of most web hosting packages and will allow you to ensure that everything is setup and configured correctly – however, if you are wanting to take things a bit further then you can always use your own DNS servers if you have a VPS server or dedicated server as this will provide you with a greater level of flexibility. Other features standard to most web hosting packages that will allow you to make the most of any domain name include email hosting and website hosting. It is important for you to also focus on the other less clear aspects of any domain name web hosting package that you may be considering, such as disk space and bandwidth; these are the two measures that you should always keep an eye on as they are usually the main effectors of the price of web hosting services.
In conclusion, domain name hosting will allow you to make the most of any domain names that you choose to register since it will provide you with a way in which you can setup a website and email accounts under your domain name. Domain names and web hosting services cost money but in the long run you will be able to reap the benefits of having established your web presence as those wishing to find you online will be able to do so with ease.
Tags: dns records, dns servers, domain name hosting, Web Hosting Posted in Domain Names, Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting, Windows Hosting | No Comments »
Saturday, May 1st, 2010
Linux web hosting services are the cheapest available and are the most effective in meeting the requirements of users who are on low budgets but are looking to maximise their web presence. Web hosting companies will often offer Linux web hosting services to begin with as they are cheap to setup and relatively easy to manage on a small or medium scale, this does mean however that there are many smaller web hosting companies rivalling the larger players in the web hosting industry on the prices of their Linux web hosting services. A Linux web hosting service promises to be able to offer you the support required for most PHP applications – most web hosting providers will also be able to offer you access to a wide variety of third-party PHP components that you can then make use of to help develop certain areas of your website.
What are the advantages of using Linux web hosting services?
Linux web hosting services are able to offer users many advantages over using other web hosting platforms. The main advantages include:
- Price – Linux is an open source operating system meaning that any Linux web hosting service is going to be cheaper than a Windows web hosting service of a similar specification – for most people the cost of a web hosting service is important and for those considering Linux web hosting the chances are that their website isn’t of the upmost importance to them in terms of performance – however, if you are a business then you are going to value your web presence meaning that you will want to consider expanding your budget to allow you to consider large-scale Linux web hosting services such as Linux dedicated servers for your requirements
- PHP and MySQL support – PHP and MySQL are two popular development tools used by web developers to create dynamic websites with PHP being an open source scripting language and MySQL a popular open source database server – when combining PHP and MySQL based websites with a Linux web hosting service you are able to create a highly cost-effective web solution that will allow you to make the most of what PHP and MySQL have to offer, thus allowing you to create the best website possible for your requirements – it is a good idea to take note of the fact that PHP and MySQL based websites will function best on Linux web hosting servers
- cPanel web hosting – if you are considering a Linux shared hosting package for your requirements then the chances are that the web hosting service that you are considering will provide you with access to the cPanel control panel so that you will be able to manage your web hosting package effectively – there are many features that help make cPanel one of the best web hosting control panels available, but the important thing to consider is that it will be able to offer you a high level of security whilst at the same time being able to use.
The advantages of using Linux web hosting ensure that it offers good value for money for those with basic web hosting requirements but at the same time can offer businesses the sort of reliability and features that they will require in order for their web presence to work effectively.
What are the disadvantages of using Linux web hosting services?
As with any type of web hosting that is available, there can be disadvantages to using Linux web hosting services that you should be aware of prior to purchasing a Linux web hosting package. Such disadvantages could include:
- ASP support – classic ASP and ASP.NET are two popular scripting frameworks that have been developed by Microsoft over the years, although ASP.NET remains the only one of the two that is still in active development – as these two scripting frameworks are seen as commercial entities by Microsoft, web pages and scripts created using either will only function correctly on Windows web hosting servers meaning that if you wish to use either on a Linux web hosting service, you will be unable to
- Management – if you choose a Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server for your requirements then you may face problems with the management of your server since this can only be done via SSH – managing a server via SSH requires skill since you need to be sure of the various commands that are available on Linux since using the wrong one could have a negative effect on your server and could even cause damage.
In conclusion, Linux web hosting services are ideal for both businesses that have high requirements from their web hosting services as well as for individuals who want the cheapest web hosting package going. Most Linux web hosting packages are expandable so that you receive the resources that you require, but at the end of the day the likelihood is that you are going to be using a budget web hosting service that provides you with adequate resource assignments anyway.
Tags: budget web hosting, cheap web hosting, Linux Web Hosting, linux web hosting service Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
MySQL is an open source database server and is one of the most popular database servers available due to the support that it can offer for both Windows web hosting servers and Linux web hosting servers. When developing a website it is always a good idea to use open source technologies as they can save you time and money in the long term; for example, PHP is a very popular scripting language for developing dynamic websites as it is open source and MySQL databases can be integrated seamlessly into PHP websites and web applications. MySQL web hosting is something that can be achieved when using either Windows or Linux servers, but to help save money you may wish to consider Linux web hosting package for your MySQL web hosting requirements.
Advantages of MySQL Web Hosting
MySQL web hosting can provide web developers with many benefits when it comes to hosting their database driven websites if they choose the right web hosting package. Some of the main advantages of using MySQL web hosting include:
- Low cost – if you choose to go for a Linux web hosting service that can provide you with the facility to host MySQL databases, you will find that you won’t need to spend a large amount of money on your web hosting package as Linux is an open source operating system, thus reducing the costs that web hosting providers need to factor into the overall prices of their Linux web hosting services – cheap web hosting may be seen as cheap and nasty by some, but for the most part you can be sure that you will receive good value for money, granted that you choose the right web hosting provider to use from the outset
- No limits – as MySQL is an open source database server you can be sure that you will be able to use the application fully without having to worry about any limitations as would be the case if you were using a free edition of Microsoft SQL Server – this means that if you are running a high traffic website that will be putting a high load on the database server, you can be sure that the database server will be able to handle all of the requests thrown at it and can process the data appropriately – however, the only limit there is to be found will be the physical resources of the database server that you are using and a high specification server may be needed to handle the highest loads
- Ideal for PHP web hosting – MySQL web hosting services are usually specially optimized to handle the hosting of PHP websites that make use of MySQL databases to power their backend – regardless of whether you choose a Windows web hosting service or a Linux web hosting service, the chances are that you will be able to host your PHP based website on your web hosting package without facing any issues – any web hosting service capable of hosting a MySQL database will have the necessary PHP modules installed to allow you to host a website that will need to connect to a MySQL database on a constant basis.
The advantages of MySQL web hosting will allow you to make the most of the web hosting services that are available today. However, in some situations MySQL web hosting may not be what you require as you may choose to use another database server or application as the backend for your website.
Disadvantages of MySQL Web Hosting
There are some disadvantages to using MySQL web hosting services that are worth considering before you commit to purchasing a web hosting service. Such disadvantages could include:
- Limit of number of databases – depending on the web hosting service that you choose to use, there may be a limit on the number of MySQL databases that you are able to host under your web hosting account – for most people this shouldn’t be an issue as a single MySQL database will normally fulfil most people’s requirements – if you require a large number of MySQL databases then some web hosting providers will be able to provide you with the facility to host an unlimited number, but you do need to be aware of the fact that your database usage will contribute towards your overall disk space usage
- Features – in some situations you may find that certain features you require of MySQL server may not be available which could cause compatibility issues if you have developed your website in a particular way – if you require specific features of MySQL server that may not be available in some situations then VPS server hosting or dedicated server hosting would be a recommended choice for you.
In conclusion, MySQL web hosting services are a good choice for web developers who create websites using both PHP and MySQL. If you choose a Windows web hosting service then your web hosting package will also provide you with support for ASP scripts and Microsoft SQL Server databases, although Linux web hosting is recommended as a more cost effective form of MySQL web hosting.
Tags: database server hosting, Linux Web Hosting, mysql web hosting, php web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting | 1 Comment »
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
PHP is probably one of the most popular scripting languages available and has been used for the development of some of the largest websites on the internet. As PHP is an open source scripting language you can use it for free; you will also be able to modify the core code of the system if you wish to have PHP run in a certain way. As PHP is open source it can be used on any platform and is supported by both Windows and Linux; this provides you with a wide variety of web hosting services to choose from if you require PHP web hosting. However, PHP functions best when used in a Linux web hosting environment and so LAMP (Linux, Apache MySQL and PHP) setups are popular with both individuals that have small budgets but also for larger businesses that want the most cost effective solution available.
What should I look for in a PHP web hosting package?
There is a combination of factors that will help to produce the best PHP web hosting package for your requirements and so it is important for you to take into consideration the different factors that could affect a PHP web hosting service. It is important for you to look for the following:
- Support for MySQL – MySQL is the main database application used in conjunction with PHP and if you wish to create dynamic websites using PHP then using MySQL as your database backend is going to be a wise move – MySQL is an open source database server that will function well on both Windows and Linux servers – MySQL performs best with PHP and is used by some of the world’s largest websites to power their operations, although in such situations the likelihood is that the core of the application has been modified to use less system resources
- cPanel hosting – if you are looking to make the most of PHP web hosting then it is recommended that you choose a web hosting provider that is offering cPanel web hosting services – cPanel is the most popular control panel for Linux shared hosting services and can provide you with advance support for PHP by providing you with various features related to the scripting language including a script editor that is part of the File Manager – cPanel will also be able to tell you which version of PHP is running on the server that your web hosting account is hosted on as some applications are only able to function with certain versions of PHP
- Third-party components – in some situations you may wish to make use of third-party components that can be integrated into PHP scripts with ease, or the use of the components may be a requirement if you wish to use an applications that has already been developed – some web hosting providers will be able to offer you premium components as a free extra with some of their web hosting services, but if you have a specific component or PHP module that you need to use but isn’t available then you may have to consider your own VPS server or dedicated server in order for your web hosting requirements to be met.
What are the disadvantages that could affect the functionality of a PHP web hosting package?
It is important for you to take into consideration the factors that could affect the functionality of PHP based websites. It is a good idea to consider the following disadvantages of some web hosting services as they could have a negative impact on you:
- Security measures – the security measures implemented by some web hosting providers could have an adverse effect on the functionality of your PHP based website – some web hosting providers may choose to disable specific PHP modules that your website may require if it is to be able to function correctly – mod_security is another security measure that could restrict your ability to accept certain data that is entered into forms on your website, although on the other hand this is something that can be disabled by request with most web hosting providers
- Disk space – the disk space that you have available to use could greatly limit you if you wish to create a website that relies upon a large database as the amount of disk space that your databases use will eat into your overall disk space allowance – it is a good idea to go with a PHP web hosting package that will be able to offer you a disk space allowance that doesn’t put the hosting package out of your budget but will still be able to sustain the growth of your website.
In conclusion, PHP web hosting services are available for a low cost and will offer you the resources that you require to sustain the growth of your website on a budget. Most PHP web hosting services are feature-packed which will help you to ensure that you are getting good value for money.
Tags: Linux Web Hosting, mysql web hosting, php web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting, Windows Hosting | No Comments »
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
A budget web hosting package is going to be the cheapest web hosting service offered by most web hosting providers and although you may think that cheap is going to mean nasty, you do need to take into consideration that budget web hosting services are there to fill a niche in the market meaning that web hosting providers are going to want to offer a good level of service. The most popular web hosting platform for budget web hosting packages to be hosted on is Linux as this helps to reduce the overall costs that web hosting providers have to factor into the price of their budget web hosting services; this also means that a budget web hosting package will be feature packed allowing it to represent good value for money.
Why should I choose a budget web hosting package?
A budget web hosting package will be able to offer you a feature packed web hosting service for a low cost meaning that a cheap web hosting service can often represent good value for money. Some of the benefits of using a budget web hosting package include:
- Low cost – a budget web hosting service can be picked up for a relatively low cost which will benefit you in the long term since it means that there won’t be a need to spend a large amount on the web hosting service that you use – it is a good idea to take into consideration that the web hosting provider you choose will affect how good value for money your budget web hosting service presents, and although you won’t be paying a great deal for your web hosting package it is still important for you to be sure that you are getting the most for your money – it is important to shop around as there will always be a low cost web hosting service available to beat your existing web hosting package in terms of cost
- Features – budget web hosting packages are generally feature packed since they are aimed at users with a low budget who want a web hosting package that will be able to offer them a wide variety of features – feature packed web hosting services are also more appealing to consumers since they are led to believe that they are getting better value for money if their web hosting package comes with many features – as budget web hosting services are aimed at those who are using web hosting services for the first time, included features may allow you to create a website using a web-based wizard rather than having to code your own or having to use a desktop editor, you will also find that script installation applications are also a popular feature
- Good starting place – a budget web hosting package is the ideal form of web hosting to use if you are starting out with web hosting for the first time since a budget web hosting package should be able to provide you with the environment that you require to test and upload a basic database driven website – a budget web hosting package will provide you with the most basic features that will allow you to get started with web hosting such as email accounts so that you can make the most of your domain name as well as FTP accounts so that you can upload files directly to your web space.
Budget web hosting packages can provide first time users with many benefits in terms of cost and value for money. Unless you have clear cut requirements it is recommended that you choose a budget web hosting service as your web hosting service of choice if using web hosting for the first time.
What are the disadvantages of using budget web hosting?
Although you aren’t going to be paying a great deal for your budget web hosting service, there are disadvantages to using budget web hosting that you need to be aware of. Such disadvantages could include:
- Reliability – the likelihood is that your budget web hosting packages is going to be hosted on a server with many other budget web hosting packages meaning that you shouldn’t come to expect too much in terms of reliability – as web hosting providers aren’t going to be making much profit on each budget web hosting service that they sell, they are going to fit as many web hosting accounts as they can on a single server as this will allow them to maximise the profit that can be made from the sale of each individual budget web hosting package
- Security – web hosting providers may also skimp on security in some situations as this is an area where it could be easy for them to save money, and so if your website is going to be used for the processing or storage of personal data of any kind then you may wish to consider a higher end form of web hosting for your requirements – the number of websites that are hosted on the same server as yours could also pose a potential security risk since it is going to be hard for your web hosting provider to guarantee the security of each individual website.
In conclusion, budget web hosting services are ideal for those who are using web hosting for the first time. In order to make the most of a budget web hosting package it is important to ensure that you are getting the most resources possible for your budget.
Tags: budget web hosting, cheap web hosting, low cost web hosting, shared web hosting Posted in Linux Web Hosting, Web Hosting, Windows Hosting | No Comments »
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
The most basic form of web hosting offered by most web hosting providers is going to be Linux shared web hosting services, and even then web hosting providers offer Linux distributions as an optional web hosting platform with most other forms of web hosting. Linux is seen as the most secure and most reliable web hosting platform available and will allow you to host a large number of websites on a low to mid-specification server without having to worry about the uptime or stability of either the server or the websites. Linux web hosting services are very cheap and can offer you many benefits; Linux can be used on VPS servers and dedicated servers meaning that if you are looking for a low-cost dedicated web hosting service, you should consider using the Linux operating system over a version of the Windows operating system.
What are the advantages of using Linux web hosting?
There can be many advantages to using Linux web hosting, although this will depend on exactly what your requirements are and what you are plan on using your Linux web hosting service for. Some of the main advantages of using Linux web hosting services include:
- Cost – the price of most Linux web hosting services is the main attraction for mot since they are able to offer excellent value for money and Linux shared web hosting packages are ideal for those who are after web hosting on a shoestring budget – the main reason for Linux web hosting services being so cheap is the fact that web hosting providers don’t have to pay for the Linux operating system as it is open source and therefore free to use – all Linux web hosting services can be found for a very low price regardless of whether you are looking for a shared web hosting package or a dedicated server, but at the end of the day you do need to consider that the prices of web hosting services will go up with the higher the form of web hosting you choose to use
- Security – a Linux web hosting environment will be able to offer you a higher level of security than a Windows web hosting environment and this is one of the reasons why most people tend to consider Linux web hosting services over Windows web hosting services – there are many security measures that can be taken on Linux servers to help ensure the security of both the server and the websites that the server is hosting with most tools allowing you to stop attacks that are aimed directly at the server as well as any that may be attempted through hosted websites that have been coded insecurely – however, these applications and modules need to be installed and configured correctly if they are going to be of any use which means that if you choose a Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server, experience with server management would be ideal
- Reliability – the reliability of a web hosting service is an important factor for businesses these days as they want to be sure that their website will always be available to use when it needs to be – Linux is probably the most reliable server operating system available as the operating system itself and most of the applications available make good use of the server’s resources – open source operating systems and applications can also have their core modified so that they are optimized to make more effective use of the resources that they have available, leaving some available for when the server suffers load spikes.
The advantages of Linux web hosting show that a Linux web hosting package will be able to meet the needs of most users, but it is important to consider that Windows web developers will only be able to use Windows web hosting services therefore meaning if your website has been developed using Microsoft technologies, you shouldn’t consider Linux web hosting.
What are the disadvantages of using Linux web hosting?
There can also be disadvantages to be aware of when considering Linux web hosting, although the low cost means that they are unlikely to impact you greatly if you are using a Linux shared web hosting package. The main disadvantages that you could face when using a Linux web hosting service include:
- Microsoft services support – a Linux web hosting server will not be able to support popular Microsoft technologies such as classic ASP and ASP.NET, nor will you be able to host databases that have been created in Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server – as both ASP scripting frameworks and Microsoft database systems have commercial value, websites that have been developed using either will only function correctly on Windows web hosting servers and this can be an added cost since Windows web hosting services are generally more expensive than Linux web hosting services – if any Linux web hosting service claims to support any of the aforementioned technologies then the chances are that the support offered is either very limited or it is just a selling gimmick
- Security restrictions – in some situations, the security measures that are put in place by web hosting providers actually have a negative impact and instead affect the performance of the websites that are hosted on the server concerned – if you find that the security restrictions put in place by your web hosting provider affect the performance of your website then you may wish to consider another web hosting provider for your requirements since in most situations web hosting providers are unwilling to back down over the security measures that they implement.
In conclusion, Linux web hosting can be highly effective for those who are on a budget but wish to be able to make the most of what web hosting has to offer. You can purchase anything all the way from a Linux shared hosting service all the way up to a Linux dedicated server meaning that whatever your level of requirement may be, there will be a Linux web hosting service available for you.
Tags: linux dedicated server, linux server hosting, linux shared hosting, Linux Web Hosting Posted in Dedicated Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, Linux Web Hosting, VPS Server Hosting | 1 Comment »
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