The host with the most

• Jonathan Crossfield
• 27 June 2008
• Page 1 of 2 : single page

The internet appears to pull information out of the air, but every webpage, every byte of data and every image is stored on a computer hard drive somewhere, waiting for your browser to access it. This hard drive is called the server, and the process of storing the data is called hosting.

Many people are unsure what to look for in a hosting package, especially as many web host companies explain their packages in technical terms, rather than listing the benefits to you as a customer. For the non-technically minded, the flood of specifications, data limits, bandwidth levels and so forth can be extremely confusing.

A clear understanding of the issues involved in selecting a hosting package will allow you to take more control of how your website works – and even save money by finding a great deal.

Overview

Do you want to:

• Beginner: include interactive features such as shopping carts or blogs?
• Intermediate: add video or other large data files in your website?
• Expert: secure your website from failing when your company hits it big?

If I buy a new car, I don’t need to know how the engine works. Instead, I talk to someone more knowledgeable who can recommend a car that does what I want. If it’s red, has a decent stereo and gets me where I want to go – I’m sorted.

A hosting server is the ‘engine’ of your website, and you shouldn’t have to become an IT whiz kid to select the right one. By knowing what you need from your server, you can ask the right questions and choose a hosting package that delivers the best performance for the best price. 

Beginner

Is it for you? 

• You need a reliable hosting package
• You want an automated website
• You need to reduce administration

Approach

Campbell started mmamerchandise.com.au after identifying a gap in the Australian market for a specialised mix of martial arts merchandise. “I was buying my stuff from the US and the orders were taking months to arrive. In fact, I still have a couple of things outstanding from over two years ago.”

The website was a success, and Campbell built a solid customer base. But problems with his previous hosting company prompted him to look for a better solution.

“There were a couple of occasions when the website went offline without warning. I would find out after a couple of days that there was a problem, which wasn’t good service from the hosting provider.

“With the website down, I was losing business with every minute, so it was important to get a hosting provider that could both keep the website live and also communicate with me when there was a performance issue.”

There were other opportunities for improvement as well.

“I was spending hours every day updating the stock inventory on the website. I had to change each listing manually when someone bought a product and it was becoming a real pain. I needed to find a way for the website to do the work of tracking inventory for me.”

Solution: business hosting, $29.95 per month

• 200MB space / 10GB transfer
• Ideal for dynamic websites and content management systems
• The ability to create more functional websites that attract customers
  

After talking to Sam at Netregistry, Campbell decided to upgrade his hosting package from a static to a dynamic server. This would allow him to add a Content Management System (CMS) to his new website, which would automatically update changes. Netregistry’s stable infrastructure and on-site technicians meant that problems could be fixed quickly, avoiding or reducing website downtime.

Although the Business Hosting plan costs a little extra each month when compared to a static server, the difference is more than made up by the extra business the website now brings in.

Conclusion

“On top of my other business as a personal trainer, I was spending hours every day working on the website. I now have that down to less than an hour a day. The website does it all for me. It updates stock, sends automatic emails to customers, and adding new stock to the site is much easier.”

Campbell also credits the new flexible website with the massive upswing in sales he experienced in February. “The customers love the new site and the hosting hasn’t failed once.”

Intermediate

Is it for you?

• Your website includes lots of video or other large files
• Your website is growing fast and needs more space
• You need to reduce the risk of problems

Approach

Glen Jackson launched swop.com.au in 2007, offering an alternative to the usual auction sites and online stores, and providing a facility for people to swap, buy or sell goods and services. As the first website of its kind in Australia, Glen hopes swop.com.au will grow into a strong brand offering unique opportunities for a wide range of users.

One way Glen hoped to make swop.com. au more attractive was by including a video facility. “I added a feature so that you can video your car and upload it to the site. This makes it easier for someone to make a choice. They can see clearly what they’re getting in a video – it shows a lot more than a couple of pictures will.”

Allowing visitors to upload video and images meant that Glen needed a larger and more reliable web server solution. He was also having problems with his current web developer. “If I needed changes to the website, he would say it would be done by next week. Three weeks later he would still be working on it and charging by the hour. It was a nightmare.”

Solution: premium hosting, $99.95 per month

• 2GB space / 20GB transfer for extra space and flexibility
• Shared SSL Certificate for customer security
• 300 email accounts
• Scripting and database support 

After doing some research, Glen contacted Netregistry. “When dealing with Sam, I just say what I need. Sam sends me a quote and takes it on. Everything is clear. I know exactly what the quote covers, what is included, how much it costs and when it will be done by. And that is exactly what happens. Much better service.”

Sam spent time understanding the website and suggesting solutions to Glen's hosting problems. By putting Glen onto Netregistry's Premium Hosting package (formerly Enterprise Hosting) Sam could provide a large 2GB of space for data storage as well as the database features and dynamic tools swop.com.au would need. More storage allows for video content. But as viewing video online can use a lot of bandwidth, the Premium Hosting package also provides a higher bandwidth limit, reducing the risk of extra payments when the website has a lot of visitors.