Choosing a web host can be a scary prospect as there are so many
hosting companies on the net to choose from.
This article may help you find the right hosting company for
mambo
What do I need to host mambo ?
Most Unix, Linux web hosting companies offer the following functionality for hosting mambo but you may need to confirm the following noted below before purchasing a web hosting package.
You MUST ensure that PHP has been compiled with support for MySQL and Zlib in order to successfully run Mambo.
Compare hosting plans
When you have identified between 3/4 hosting providers I would advise comparing the hosting plan's they offer to ensure you get the best deal as the hosting market if very competitive and you can find some great hosting packages on the net.
Money back guarantee ?
Most hosting providers, or shall I say "legitimate hosting companies" offer a Money back guarantee so you can test the hosting service out before making a commitment. I would strongly advise you choose a web hosting companies who offer the above safe guard.
Web hosting history and background
New hosting companies start up every year offering great services to attract new customers at low prices. If you are serious about investing in a commercial web site, do some research first about the hosting company you are spending your money with. Look at the company history, how has it being around for and so on. New hosting companies can be great but they can also go bust overnight leaving you and your customers in the dark.
Web hosting reviews
It's always worth visiting some forum's and checking out the web hosting reviews for each host. This will give you a feel for the service they offer plus some real feedback from the customers.
Customer support
I believe this is the key to a good web hosting company. If you sign up to a web host and they never respond to your e-mail's or take 10/15 minutes to answer the support hot line then you have got problems. During the Money Back Guarantee why not try out the customer service, give them a call, send them an email and see what the response time's and technical support is like.
Storage space
web host's can offer between 50 - 2000 MB of web space which you can store your data, files on. If you are hosting Mambo between 200, 500 MB will more than sufficient. You can always upgrade if you plan you upload large files for download or storage. But if you plan to upgrade in the future make sure you check what the cost is for purchasing extra space. Don't fall for the sales pitch " we offer unlimited space " with each hosting package. In the end of the day you get what you pay for. Bandwidth/Data Transfer
Bandwidth/Data Transfer refers to how much data is sent to or received from your hosting account on the server over a period of time this is Usually normally measured monthly. Many hosting providers now offer between 20 - 40 GIG of data transfer each month. When you choose a web host give this item some thought, if you are running an MP3/movie download site which becomes very popular then think about a package which offers a higher data transfer. But to be honest 20/40 GIG will be sufficient per month you can always upgrade and remember. Do fall for the marketing pitch " we offer unlimited bandwidth "
Web site speed
Web site speed both upload and download speeds are important factors when choosing a web host. If your site becomes popular and with lots of people visiting it the last thing you want is for them to leave your site because its to slow. Again use the Money back guarantee to test out the web hosting service.
You can also use a number of free tools on the net to check the speed of the web hosting company.
Shared servers
If you are not planning to spend 100 UK
pounds or above per year you will be hosted on a shared server. This mean's your web site will be hosted on the same server as maybe 20 / 30 other web sites. This is common practice for most web hosting companies. One question you could ask is how many clients share the same server. This will give you a good feel for the service they offer. The less clients per server the better performance you will get.
SLA - service level agreement
Ensure your web host offers an SLA ( service level agreement ) or a contract between you and them. If any thing goes wrong you can refer to the SLA
Server Uptime
If possible try and choose a host which offer 99% uptime. No host can offer 100%.
Web hosting Cost
In the end of the day hosting companies are not running a charity, they need to turn over a profit to stay alive. If a company is offering unlimited space, bandwidth and lots more for 5 dollars a month then my advice is don't touch them. You get what you pay for so shop around the hosting world is very competitive and you can pickup some good deals. Spend some time comparing the hosting companies and the services they offer.
Expect to pay between 7 to 10 dollars per month for a web hosting solution.
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