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Affordable Linux Hosting Plans
You need a reliable business partner when it comes to outsourcing your critical internet infrastructure like website hosting service. A partner who can act like an extension window of your organization, provide you with 24/7/365 technical support and capable of rapidly handling complex issues. More importantly, the partner should not in any way end up being a burden on your company’s balance sheet.
If you are a small business owner, the success of your website depends a lot on how you choose partners at each step of its development, right from incubation, implementation and hosting of your website.
As a new entrepreneur, you may have to take so many important decisions based on which the edifice of your business will stand tomorrow. Any weak stone in the foundation may lead to the tottering, fall or premature death of your business.
If you have decided to choose Linux hosting plan, you have begun well with a cost effective business decision. But simply deciding or choosing any Linux hosting plan will not do you any good. If you want your investment in web hosting to yield maximum returns, then you have to ensure your web hosting company is offering you the followings features:
Control Panel:
This helps you to manage your web space. An admin interface is provided to you by the web hosting company to maintain and monitor the hosted website. Some of the commonly available modules in most control panels:
- Visitor statistics using web log analysis software.
- Details of available and used webspace and bandwidth.
- Web based file manager.
- Email account configuration.
- Managing database.
- Maintaining FTP users’ accounts.
- Access to server logs.
Visitor Statistics:
Whatever is the objective of your website, your goals can be realized only when you have visitors on your website. The web analytics software can tell you how many visitors are hitting your website, places from where traffic is coming in, the time an average visitor spends on your website, the activities performed, on which page he/she makes a buying decision, etc. You can use this analytics to understand visitors’ behavior and in turn take important business decisions.
Webspace and Bandwidth:
Depending on the nature of website, there can be many ways to use your webspace. You can use the space for collaborative work such as file sharing, versioning, and comments apart from storing or publishing files online.
When choosing a host, the amount of bandwidth you choose to purchase is very important for the success of your website. Generally speaking, the more bandwidth you have, the more traffic your site will be able to handle at one time.
POP3 email Ids & Aliases:
yourname@yourdomain.com is an example POP3 ID. You must be provided with ample of POP3 email ids depending on your package size for better mail administration.
FTP Accounts & Virtual FTP:
You can upload new files or make changes in your existing website with an access to password protected FTP accounts. Make sure you have handful of FTP sub-accounts to provide your clients/users with password protected directories. This is very much useful wherein your clients/users can use the FTP to upload /download files from designated password protected folders.
Protection For Your File:
What if you or any of your employees by mistake delete some of the important folders while accessing the server? To avoid such irreparable mistakes, ensure your website is hosted on a server that automatically takes backup of files.
PHP & Mysql Support:
This feature is required when you want to store data pouring in your website. All the Linux Plans support PHP & Mysql. Make sure you get this free of charge when you are buying the hosting plan. However, a few hosting providers do charge extra for MYSQL Database Support & PhpMyAdmin.
Mail Delivery System:
Email becomes an integral part in your life once you launch the website. Check if the hosts provide WEBMAIL (mail.yourdomain.com) to check your mails through a web based interface using Squirrel mail or Horde. Corporate users prefer downloading mails thru Email Clients such as Eudora or Outlook Express. Only if SMTP or IMAP support is enabled you can use this option. Hence check if SMTP support is provided
Spam Protection:
Unsolicited messages, generally of a promotional nature can flood your mail boxes. Check in your Linux web hosting plan if necessary spam filters are installed in the web hosting server or not.
Dedicated IP:
If you are making your customers to put in their valuable and confidential information, you need to have dedicated IP with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) support. Most of the websites are hosted on shared IPs. Your web hosting company may charge you a few extra bucks for providing you a dedicated IP and SSL support. SSL support helps you to gain trust of your customer and ensure safe transaction on the net.
Note:For SSL you need to buy a Digital Certificate.
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