Website hosting provider

If you want your website to be visible to the world, you must store it on a web server.

Use your own hosting

Hosting your website on your own server is always an option. However, there are some issues that need to be considered:

The cost of hardware

To run a "real" website, you must purchase some high-performance server hardware. Don't expect a low-priced PC to do the work. You also need an uninterrupted high-speed connection to your office, which is expensive.

Software Fees

Don’t forget to calculate additional costs for software licenses. Keep in mind that server licenses are usually much more expensive than client licenses. Also note that some server software licenses limit the number of concurrent users.

labor cost

Don’t expect very low labor costs. Remember that you have to install the software and hardware, deal with bugs and viruses, and keep the server running in an "anything goes" environment.

Use an Internet Service Provider (ISP: Internet Service Provider)

Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common choice.

Renting a server from an ISP is the most common approach. The benefits of this are:

Connection Speed

Most providers have extremely fast Internet connections.

Powerful Hardware

Service providers usually have many powerful web servers that can be shared by multiple companies. They provide load balancing and necessary backup services.

Security and Stability

ISPs are experts in website hosting. They offer over 99% uptime, the latest software vulnerability patches, and the best virus protection.

Things to consider when using an ISP

24-hour support

Make sure the ISP you choose provides 24-hour support. Please don’t put yourself in a position where you have to wait for the next business day to fix an urgent issue. It's also important to be called toll-free if you don't want to spend a lot of money on long distance calls.

Daily Backups

Make sure the ISP you choose provides daily routine secure backups, otherwise you may lose a lot of valuable data.

Traffic Limitation

Please research the provider’s traffic limit terms. Make sure that if your site becomes popular, you won't have to pay extra for unexpected high traffic.

Bandwidth or content restrictions

Please research your provider's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish images, broadcasts or sounds, make sure you have the rights to do so.

Email Performance

Make sure the provider can fully support the email performance you require. (You can get more information about email performance in later chapters)

Front Page Extensions

If you plan to use FrontPage to develop your website, make sure your provider can fully Full support for FrontPage server extensions.

Database Access

If you plan to use a database on your website, make sure your provider fully supports the database access you require. (You can read more about database access in later chapters)