n order for people like right for your needs and your own
you or I to get web pages pocket. Having said that, you can
put onto the Internet, we use the services of a free web
need to have access to a web hosting provider if you are new
server. This is basically a to building websites. The
computer which is continually downside to this is that you have
connected to the internet and is no control over any advertising
capable of supporting many that they may place on your
websites contained on its hard website (after all they need to
drive. Essentially, it can be recoup their money from
quite expensive to run because a somewhere).
special internet connection
(other than the broadband The web hosting provider will
connection that you are have their computers set up so
accustomed to) is required. that all your web pages are
Should a connection go down, then stored safely and that anyone
someone really needs to be on typing in your website address
hand to get it running again. onto a web browser will
Therefore, unless you are automatically find your website
technically gifted in this area, (ie www.your-website.com).
it is better (and cheaper) to get However, if you are using a free
someone else to do the web service, your website address
hosting for you. might end up something like
www.free-web-hosting-provider.com
The web hosting can be done by /homepages/personal/your-website/
any web server in the world so it index.html! So you really need to
does not have to be on your own think about what the purpose of
doorstep. This is great news for the site is before spending a lot
you because it means that you can of time putting it together.
shop around to find a service
You can also purchase your own wait a few seconds longer for
dedicated domain name (ie your web pages to open. This
www.your-website.com) which can happens when more than one or all
also vary in price depending on of the websites on that one
which web hosting solution you server are being accessed at the
choose. There are many good ones same time. If your your web
to pick from (and, unfortunately presence is critical to the
many not so good ones too. When operation of the business, then
you purchase your domain name, you will need to opt for what
you pay an annual fee (anywhere they call dedicated or managed
between "£2 and "£10, depending servers.
on whether it ends in com, co.uk,
org, org.uk, biz, info etc). A Although both types of web
good web hosting provider will hosting means that you will have
give you sound advice on which a whole server to yourself, there
one to choose from. is, however, a slight difference
The good thing about using a web between the two. A dedicated
hosting provider (as opposed to server means that you (or whoever
setting up your own server) is you appoint as your website's
that it frees up your time and webmaster) will have full control
resources and can be very cost of what goes on behind the scenes
effective to run. (known as the backend of the
server). A fully managed hosting
What has been discussed so far is plan means that you have full
shared hosting. This means that technical support which includes
the web hosting provider can keep the server maintenance and back
your running costs down by having up support if or when the site
many websites on one server. This runs into technical difficulties.
can mean that anyone accessing
your site will sometimes have to In conclusion, you need to decide
on the following before getting not slow down during peak times
started: then do not go for the shared
hosting option.
Does it matter if you have third
party advertising placed on your Do you or any of your staff know
site? If it does, then do not for enough about web servers and how
the free website option. to maintain the backend of the
domain? If not, then do not go
Is it necessary to have your own for the dedicated server option.
domain name? If it does, then do
not for the free website option. If all of the above solutions are
unacceptable, then paying a
Is the website absolutely little more money for a managed
critical to the overall success hosting solution.
of your business? If it is
essential that your website does
About the Author:
Brian Simms has taught Information and Communication Technology since 1989. His client groups vary from one-to-one tuition to large corporate groups including seminars. Website Laboratory (http://www.websitelaboratory.co.uk), is his mission to help budding webmasters by providing invaluable guidance.
Read more articles by:
Brian Simms
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
