8/26/11

Finding a Host for your PHP Website

By Matt Ewing


People are reading this article because they look for a good web hosting service. And naturally you would like to receive the best agreement, which you can work with. A web hosting service is a big decision, which will have lasting effects, because you can use it, in order to support your business long into the future.

In the present times, PHP web hosting has become very cheap and offers a host of benefits which make it very attractive.

The key issue will follow later but basic knowledge of PHP would help proceedings. It is an extremely well liked programming language which can be embedded in HTML. Its popularity was supported by the following characteristics:

a. It is free.

b. Easy to learn and use.

c. It is a fully object oriented language.

d. It can be used on a variety of platforms

e. It has a rapid pace on the Linux server and this can be used effectively in utilizing and constructing complex web applications.

f. It works well with programming of an advanced nature and can be easily used with pages of a web site.

g. MySQL is a program that is able to be integrated well with PHP

Before receiving the PHP service to host a web site, first you must take many issues onboard. Firstly, and especially, it can be difficult to get a good PHP service for hosting web sites. The majority of web hosting companies are in the matter for a fast return on their money. They do not want to offer a full service, so it is common to be without PHP for 2-3 days. Equally, you can do nothing about this as support was unavailable, which is often the case. Finding the right PHP host solution can take many attempts to find the best solution. A reason in this is that not all the firms are commonly known or discussed.

The above facts may present a daunting picture, where selecting the right PHP web hosting service provider is concerned. But there are some tips following which one can land up with the right solution very easily.

A PHP provider you can trust will offer these issues:

a. Issues of a technical nature. Applications such as MySQL, Perl,PHP, Cron, Python, or CGI should be provided to you. These things may not mean a lot to you but it is good to have them, so don't worry about them.

b. Bandwidth: Bandwidth is the volume of files (in gigabytes or megabits per second) that are transferred in and out of your server on a monthly basis - and ultimately determines the number of visitors that can view your website in any given month the more bandwidth, the more users. In this case a bandwidth of 75 GB is a good starting point; though many websites can use 1,000GB, 10,000 or more.

c. Cost: Free does not always equal to good service quality, and 'cheap' does not automatically mean that, you have to make do with inferior service. A good price would be around $10 per month, which provides you with satisfying service.

d. Who uses your web site. Having true statistics regarding usage of your site and where it is linked from can be a massive help to your site.

e. Script installers for PHP web hosting. It is vital to be aware of these and include them in any search you undertake. An installation pack should be obtained for free from your provider. Do not trust providers that ask for a fee for this service.

Coming to the free PHP web hosting service providers- they can have a number of disadvantages associated with them. Since the web hosting company is providing the services for free, it is not possible for them to sustain the services for long, without any source of revenue. This revenue is generated by them, through advertisements put upon your website. These advertisements can be in the form of:

a. Banners

b. Pop-up adverts appearing on screen

c. Advertisements placed within new frames

The web site owner would have no control over these advertisements. This would clearly be a bad situation for a great number of firms to be in. Anecdotal evidence tells of the time one firm had advertisements for a rival product appearing on their site and this is not good. Unfortunately, as the service is free, there is not much that can be done to complain about it.

It is also true to say that free sites quite often crash. If the host caters for a great number of sites, this is likely to occur.

Equally, as there is no charge, it is usually impossible for the PHP host to offer services, even services that a cheap host may be able to offer.

These factors suggest choosing the paid option is the way to go. Although it may cost a bit, the benefits will make it worthwhile.

To fully grasp the situation regarding the best web hosting provisions of cheap providers, try to consider these issues:

i. You should look for balance among the benefits you aim for. This is because when you opt for a low cost service, you have to make some sacrifices which may affect uptime, customer service or even security. So think about it and determine what would be the ideal combination of benefits you would like to have.

ii. Cpanel is a feature that is useful for installing tools like blogs, discussion forums, shopping carts. It is also used for handling MySQL databases and support centers.

iii. Services of support: 24/7 has to be your requirement. You can never predict a crisis so having this support is vital.

iv. Available space on the disc: Depending on how much content will be on your site, how much disc room you will require will alter greatly. It is also good to consider future development when planning how much disc space to have.

v. Email Accounts: If a web hosting company acts cheap with essential facilities like email accounts, you should not think twice before dumping it. Web site hosting is a very competitive business, so you will be easily able to get a provider that offers unlimited email accounts.

There is always more research to be done and it still matters at this stage. You should look for firms providing offers. Does a firm with 30 day money back guarantee sound appealing to you? Would you be more interested in a firm that provides a guarantee of uptime? These firms are not always easy to find as they all require a level of money to make these promises. However they are available and if you can find them, they could be a good reason for choosing that firm.

These ideas should be added to your own research to make a decision on who best to sign up with to meet your needs and budget.

Now if you have gone through the whole gamut of analysis and research, and finally signed up with a PHP web hosting service provider, how do you know, whether you made the right decision? This is simple- if the rates make you happy, because they are so low, you have at your disposal unlimited email accounts, and reliable 24/7 support, you get free statistics about the traffic at your site along with windows and PHP option, then you have taken the right decision!




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