| When looking for a host, it will be useful to obtain | | | | your website. Say, your website has been |
| as much information as possible about the web | | | | launched and you get 50 unique visitors or more |
| hosting company itself and the services they | | | | than 500 visitors per day. Whatever the case |
| offer. These pre-sales questions are a way to | | | | may be, you can view the report using Statistics |
| check several things about the web hosting | | | | Application that run in the server backend. A |
| company. You can obtain detailed information | | | | popular web statistic software is Webalizer. |
| about the services they offer - the web hosting | | | | · PHP & Mysql Support - PHP is a scripting |
| plans they have, the features included there, etc. | | | | language that is especially suited for Web |
| These days hosting plans on the web are getting | | | | development and can be embedded into HTML. |
| very competitive and features of each plan are | | | | PHP is mainly focused on server-side scripting, so |
| comparatively the same among web hosting | | | | you can do anything any other CGI program can |
| providers. Whether novice or expert, you can find | | | | do, such as collect form data, generate dynamic |
| some useful information in this article to learn | | | | page content, or send and receive cookies. |
| about some of the considerations to look at when | | | | MySQL is a true multi-user, multi-threaded SQL |
| you choose a web hosting service. | | | | database server. MySQL is fast and flexible |
| In this article I will not talk about things like space | | | | enough to allow you to store logs and pictures in |
| ,traffic and prices since there are plenty of | | | | it. Its main goals are speed, robustness, and ease |
| related articles nowadays rolling around the net. | | | | of use.All the Linux Plans support PHP & Mysql. |
| My goal will be to clarify some of the most | | | | Make sure you get this free of charge when you |
| important features you have to look for when | | | | buy the hosting plan. Few hosting providers offer |
| choosing your web hosting provider. | | | | good of MySQL Database Support & |
| The following are 10 basic features that can be | | | | PhpMyAdmin. |
| found in a Unix/Linux hosting plans that every | | | | · Webmail & SMTP - A web based email |
| serious hosting provider should offer you. | | | | program. Most web hosting companies do provide |
| · Control Panel - This is where you manage | | | | webmail access to their customers. Often it |
| your hosting account. In the context of web | | | | comes with addressbook, rich text editor, spelling |
| hosting it is an on-line application that give us the | | | | checker, and all the features of any other email |
| user ability to control many aspects of his web | | | | program offers. Email becomes key part in your |
| hosting account including, but not limited to: | | | | life once you launch the website. Check if the |
| creating mailboxes, setup email forwarding, | | | | hosts provide with Webmail to check your mails |
| uploading and editing files, creating sub domains, | | | | thru a web based interface such as Squirrelmail or |
| park additional domains, automated installing of | | | | Horde. Checking email will be faster if you |
| ready to use scripts and programs, managing | | | | download the mails thru email clients such as |
| databases, setup shopping carts. You need to | | | | Eudora or Outlook Express. Only if SMTP or IMAP |
| check what exactly is included in a given control | | | | support is enabled you can use this option. All our |
| panel with the web hosting company you have | | | | recommended hosts has this feature. |
| chosen to go with.Some hosts use a third party | | | | · SPAM Filter - No email user is free from a |
| control panel like cPanel or Plesk. Others use an | | | | spam attack. It is the Email equivalent of junk |
| inhouse developed control panel.The moment you | | | | mail. It is becoming one of the biggest problems in |
| signup for a hosting package, you must be | | | | the Internet today.Hence you need to have spam |
| provided with a CP to manage your webspace. | | | | filters installed on the server where your website |
| · POP3 email accounts & aliases - is an | | | | resides. |
| example POP3 email. POP3 is an electronic mail | | | | · HTTPS (SSL) access to your hosting |
| protocol used to retrieve messages stored on an | | | | account. SSL is used for secure communication |
| Internet/intranet e-mail server. Whenever a client | | | | between the user browser and the server. The |
| wants to check for messages it connects to its | | | | information is encrypted and secure. SSL is usually |
| Internet Service Provider's e-mail server and uses | | | | used for eCommerce sites and sites that require |
| POP3 to login to its mailbox and download its | | | | submission of other sensible information like |
| messages. | | | | usernames and passwords. To have an SSL on |
| · FTP Accounts & Virtual FTP - This is where | | | | your site you can use the shared SSL certificate |
| you upload your files, delete them, update them. | | | | provided by your hosting company or you can |
| This again comes along with the CP. Make sure | | | | purchase an SSL certificate for your site and ask |
| you have handful of FTP sub-accounts also to | | | | the host to install it. |
| provide your clients/users password protected | | | | · Shell (telnet or SSH) access to your |
| directories. This is very much useful wherein your | | | | account. SSH is used for secure access to your |
| clients / users can use the FTP to upload | | | | account. SSH is usually offered on Unix hosting |
| download files from particular password protected | | | | plans. You can zip, unzip files, change permissions |
| folder of your website. | | | | of files, run certain programs on the server. |
| · Backup - Most of the Hosts take | | | | · Sub-domains for creating sub-sections to |
| Automated Backups. But users do not take much | | | | your site without having to use directories in URLs |
| care on this while choosing the hosting plan. This | | | | · Shopping Cart - A shopping cart is a piece |
| feature is as essential as any other in this list. | | | | of software that acts as an online store's catalog |
| · Web Statistics - Analysis is of your website | | | | and ordering process. |
| visitors plays a important role in the success of | | | | |