Hosting Tips
January 28, 2010 Web Guide & Tips
Deciding on a web host is not always an easy process. There are a multitude of factors for software developers to consider when selecting a hosting provider. It can be difficult and frustrating to switch hosts later, so making the best possible selection in the beginning is very important. And even more importantly, the wrong decision can cost you in lost sales, and can negatively effect your search engine ranking, if the selected host turns out to be unreliable after you’ve established your website with them.
1) Test the host
Use tools to test the speed in which the host responds to web enquiries. Reliability is a critical factor when selecting a web host that has an exceptionally good track record.
2) Test support
Pick up the phone and call the web host’s technical support. Keep in mind that support is all about response AND
resolution, so finding a phone number and placing a phone call is just the first step in assessing a potential web hosts’
support policies.
3) Length in business
In order to determine how long a web host may have been in business, search the whois.net database to see when the
host’s domain name was created. Also, use the Wayback Machine http://www.archive.org and the various search
engines to get a feel for the company’s longevity in business.
4) Research
Once you have narrowed down your web host selection, do your research. Review webmaster and hosting forums to
see what customers are saying about specific web hosts. Customer experience speaks volumes, and you might learn
how reliable and dependable a host is based on the experience of others.
5) References
Talk to other developers about their hosting experiences. A third-party recommendation from an impartial hosting
customer can go a long way to lending credibility to a web host.
(This article was extracted from http://www.developer-resource.com/hosting-tips.htm)
