Web Hosting

Dedicated Hosting: Managed or Unmanaged?

Here’s the conundrum: You’ve shelled out the extra money for the dedicated server, opening up worlds of business potential and enough bandwidth, storage space, and domain names to rapidly expand. However, just as you’re finalizing your hosting options, there’s one remaining problem to be sorted: Do you stick to managed or unmanaged dedicated server hosting?

It’s a complicated affair, and depending on how you answer, you may either streamline or exacerbate your future headaches. Choosing between either system is an important milestone for your business, and to help you along, we’ve compiled this handy guide to both managed and unmanaged dedicated hosting. No, no need to thank us—unless your thanks comes in beer form, that is!

What are Managed and Unmanaged Dedicated Servers?

There’s one key difference between unmanaged and managed dedicated servers: One puts all the effort on your shoulders, while the latter puts all the stress on the host’s end. With an unmanaged dedicated server, it’s up to you to perform server troubleshooting, maintenance, and security. If anything goes wrong, you’re on your own, Pilgrim. This sounds like a big downer, but the trade-off is that you have full control over everything that happens with your server, including what complex applications are installed there.

A managed dedicated server, on the other hand, is kept up by the hosting company itself. They’ll do all of the security implantation, whistle checking, and updating. This frees up your anxieties, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business, rather than your server. The other benefit is that you can call up your provider at any point in time and more or less demand something be changed. Just try not to let the power go to your head, King Midas.

So Which One is Right For Me?

The choice between unmanaged and managed dedicated server options really boils down to a few important points: If you have little time to worry about your site’s hardware, and would rather focus your efforts elsewhere, then managed hosting is the way to go. Likewise if you can’t afford to hire a server administrator, or don’t have the technical knowledge to perform maintenance yourself, managed dedicated servers are a no-brainer.

However, if you do have the resources to manage the server yourself—or hire someone else to do it non-server-side—and want the control an unmanaged server offers, then the choice is rather obvious. Also, if you hope to perform some downright Frankenstein-style stuff to your server, or want a specific software version, then having more control is a necessary function, leading to an unmanaged offering.

Get Out of the PHP Memory Error Rut with WordPress

We’ve all been there: You drag yourself out of bed in the morning, crawl to your computer, and boot up the oh-so-familiar blog space. But instead of finding your lovingly crafted website, complete with self-made logos and beautiful banners, all you find is this error:

Fatal error: Allowed memory size of ######## bytes exhausted (tried to allocate ## bytes) in /home/user/public_html/wp-includes/phpfile.php on line 80.

Before you start swearing at your monitor or worse—we’re thinking that stapler looks appropriately weighted for some hefty hucking—know that this issue is easily fixed, and doesn’t have to be the day-wrecker you feel it might be.

It’s worth noting that your exact error message may vary, but as long as it says something about your memory being more worn out than an obese man at a 10k, you’re golden: The issue has to do with available computing space, and you’re still reading the right tutorial.

The likely issue is that you’ve just installed a new plug-in or extension, and now WordPress is acting like an estranged lover. There are a couple of ways to correct the issue. The easiest is to disable any recently installed extensions and see if that corrects the problem. However, this is certainly less than desirable, as you likely want that new piece of code. With that in mind, you might try to expand the available memory space for your site. This can be accomplished in the following way:

Essentially, you’ll need to change the amount of memory available for PHP. This can be done in a number of ways, and it might be that there’s only one that works for your server. Always query your web host first—or if you’re feeling gung-ho, locate your php.ini file and do this to it!

Locate the following line:

memory_limit = 32M ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume

Change “32M” to “64M,” and then cross your fingers. Some hosts limit the amount of memory you can delegate yourself to PHP, so if this doesn’t correct the issue, therein may lie your problem. If you can’t acquire access to php.ini, you might try adding the same line to the .htcaccess file in your WordPress main installation folder.

If none of those are possible, then you’re in a sticky boat, Pilgrim: Call up the tech-support you’re paying for and get them to do one of the things we just discussed.

CloudLinux 6.1 Launches

A couple days ago CloudLinux, the cloud-based operating system developer, released the 6.1 edition of their flagship product—an hunk of code appropriately titled “CloudLinux 6.1.”

Obvious pieces of information aside, what is CloudLinux 6.1 and why the bloody hell should I care? Well, for starters, the operating system is designed for web hosts, and is built upon the 2.6.32 kernel, which provides updated security, stability, and compatibility. On the subject of compatibility, CloudLinux is fully ready to roll with Red Hat and CentOS, as well as almost every control panel you can name. This includes cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin, and a choice few others.

If you’re concerned (or even just interested) in making the swap to CloudLinux, the company promises it can be done in under ten minutes without any damage to your existing systems. Not only that, but until October 15, the company will even provide you with free installation or conversion.

But still, what’s so great about CloudLinux? Well, not only is it the sole commercially-supported (think better tech-support) Linux OS made specifically for shared hosting, but it also comes with a unique feature set. The service brands each user account with a dedicated Lightweight Virtual Environment (that’s an LVE for those with the savoir faire). Each virtual environment allows the superuser—that’d be you, web hosters—to limit the CPU, memory, and concurrent connections allowed for each tenant.

Essentially, this eliminates any negative feelings between neighbors, or bad vibes between you and your tenants. Never again will one of your delinquent users suck up all the bandwidth, or use more than their fair share of the server’s CPU. With total control over your consumers, you might actually start to feel like the virtual slumlord you are.

Not to mention that CloudLinux offers MySQL Governor for further control over available database resources. The developer will also soon release the first virtualized file system available for shared hosters. This system, titled CageFS, will take some large steps towards ensuring your consumers’ files can only be accessed by them, or their associates.

All in all, CloudLinux is shaping up to be quite the Linux-based operating system. If you’re looking to swap, now is the time, what with the free installation and conversion. If you’d like more information, feel free to shoot the developer a message here. They’ll answer your questions, and of course, try to hook you even harder than we just did.

To Blog Or Not To Blog: That is The Question

Having been in web design for a while, I’ve learned that most people want one of two kinds of website: Either they want a full-featured page with heaps of content, or they’ll want just a simple blog to post their daily thoughts, news, or complaints—mostly the latter.

With that in mind, the real question when choosing a web host, a web design, or even a content management system (like WordPress) is: What exactly am I going to do with this chunk of the Internet? Whether or not you want a full site or just a basic blog-style interface will even determine if you need a registered domain name or not. To help you move along the Deciding Path, use the guide below.

First Off, What is A Blog And What’s a Website?

Seems like an obvious difference, but what really is a blog, and what’s a website? I mean, what are they really?

A blog is a tool designed to make it easy to provide constant content updates. These could be anything from news articles to essays on proper ways to cook a turkey. This website, for instance, is a blog, because it provides periodically updated content pieces. A website on the other hand, is a more static chunk of code. It’s not likely to change as much, and provides a different function: It might serve as a digital business card, or it might contain an artist’s portfolio. It’s less focused on being updated, and more focused on being relevant.

So Which One do I Need?

The best way to think about it is this: What will you really be doing with your site? If you need a place where customers can go to view your products, or learn a bit more about your business, a plain website will suffice. Think of your site as a billboard for the information you want to get out. With that in mind, focus on a web host that delivers a lot of storage space and high bandwidth, as you’ll need both, especially if your site is a portfolio.

However, if you’re just going to use the Internet space to vent news, thoughts, or emotions, go with a blog instead. Not only will it be easier to facilitate your content, but you can focus on simplicity, too. Likewise, a simple .blogspot domain will be good, unless you’d like to create a specific brand for yourself.

Flash Sales – Serious New Trend or Flash in the Pan?

In the lighting fast changing world of E-commerce trends hop over each other like jumping beans.  Entirely new ways of doing business appear like wildfire, especially with retailers desperate to get access to the extra few free dollars still floating around in the dismal economy.  Into this tenuous economic climate appears the newly popular flash sale.

Think of it as the next generation of the Home Shopping Network, without the irritating announcers.  Amazing deals appear on products, but only for a limited time, with a timer usually right there next to the product.  The deals really are excellent, with 60-70% off discounts not uncommon.

So far so good

The early numbers indicate that it is definitely giving the E-commerce world a shot in the arm.  One study indicates that since 2009 visits to flash sale web sites have been more than doubling each year., with some of the central flash sale hub web sites quickly moving up the traffic rankings.  What’s more is that the same study indicated that these sites are popular across all income levels.

A greater sign that this is catching on is that the concept is spreading beyond the major flash sales web sites.  As usual, Facebook is leading the charge on the social networking front.  A plug-in already exists for Facebook store fronts to add flash sales to their site.  And major retailers themselves are now integrating flash sales into their own web sites.

The Danger – An exhausted consumer base

In addition to the fact that liquidity is becoming a thing of the past (ie, we’re all broke or in debt), the success of this trend has the potential to be its undoing.  One study reports that more than 50% of subscribes to flash web sites are finding themselves overwhelmed by the number of offers they are receiving.  Clearly this is an economic tactic that is more sensitive than normal to saturation.  The whole appeal to this type of tactic, after all, is its spontaneity.  When spontaneity becomes the expected it defeats its own purpose.

One solution – integration

If you are someone who is running a store front and thinking of integrating flash sales into your business, one suggestion that some observers remind you of is to link this idea with the power of socialization.  This does not so much mean a major networking site.  It simply means giving consumers a way to communicate with each other, to share thoughts about a product, as well as to just make it more of a social occasion.  There are more products out there today that integrate this into their ecommerce technology.

At the same time don’t shy away from social networking as a tool here.  Twitter, in particular, is especially attuned to being useful to these ends.  Nothing will help sales to your product like a shout out from someone to 500 people who trust them that a certain product a lot of them like is available for dirt cheap for another 4 hours.

In short, while there are always pitfalls to any new idea, the early verdict seems to be that flash sales as a marketing technique have serious potential; and thus, the serious ecommerce user should be taking a serious look at using them. In addition, make sure you pick reliable hosting for your ecommerce website.

Avoiding Domain Name Scams and Dead Ends

One of the first thing that any new web master thinks of for their potential web site is its domain name.  The domain name is among your companies main forms of branding, and hence, focusing on the domain name is understandable.  What we have to remember is that along with it comes the people willing to milk these new users out of their cash with the lure of something “new” that will give them an edge. You can check the domain name availability on pcnames.com.

As of December 2009 more than 84 million .com domain names alone existed, meaning that those new to the game are finding all of the best words and phrases long since squeezed out.  The desire to find an work around this problem may seem tempting.  Here’s why, for the most part, you don’t want to fall for such tactics.

Beware of new formats

Now and then you’ll get some exciting piece of spam mail or other advertisement talking about the new top level domains that exist and how you need to register. “Register www.oh.yes right now before someone else does!”  The businessman in you may want to beat other people to the punch, but hold your horses.  This is almost always a mirage.

If the exciting solicitation is over a new top-level domain, know that the adoption of these is a slow, agonizing process that often takes years to extend over the web.  Even if the new top-level domain does exist, often its zones are not picked up by everyone, meaning that not everyone will see your site even if the domain is otherwise operational.

Even worse sometimes only alphanumerics and dashes (“-”) are allowed.  The reason this is worse than the top-level domain problem is that in addition to your domain not necessarily propagating, server software may not be setup to handle this new syntax, and with the potential security problems inherent to it no host would change this setting just for you.

Stay away from the reselling racket

You might instead get an offer to purchase a domain name.  These aren’t scams: they are domains which are valid, correctly registered, which work and which can be safely transferred to your name for operation.  That doesn’t, though, mean that it’s worth the price.  It’s now commonplace for domain names to be simple combinations of words and numbers that are easy and catchy to remember but which aren’t yet taken (example: westernsaturn.com).  Domains are cheap enough now that paying more for someone’s leftovers usually just isn’t worth it.

Don’t even think at this point about trying to get into this market, either.  As stated, most good names are taken, and there are tons of people fighting for the expired ones.

If it becomes obvious that some top-level domain is well supported, such as .CO, and is being used by the business world in a serious capacity, only then should you consider jumping in.  If not, there’s no reason not to stick with what works for everyone else, and just go with modernmachomanlyman.com (indeed, that’s available too).
If you have number of domains think of choosing multiple domain hosting and host unlimited domains on one account.

Using cPanel to Change File Permissions: How and Why?

One option that you might have seen when exploring cPanel is the ability to change your file permissions.  You may know that setting file permissions is important to security, but you may have been overwhelmed by the number of options.  So let’s take a quick refresher course on this topic, because you are right: it is important.

First, let’s make sure everyone is up to speed.  To set a file’s permissions, first go to the File Manager, click the name of the file (or directory) that you want to adjust, and on the top menu on the File Permissions page you’ll see a link that says “Change Permissions”.  Click on it and let’s get started.

Three user levels

There are three user types.  First the user called “User,” which is whoever is listed as the owner of the file.  Skipping the second for a moment, the third is “World,” meaning anyone who might have the ability to access this file: other users on your server, server applications, or external users if the file is a web page being accessed across the web.

The second, “Group,” takes some explanation.  Sometimes you want to restrict certain types of access to only certain people.  For these people, you create a “group.”  Each file already belongs to some group by default.  Whatever group it does belong to, any users listed as part of that group have the access rights that you afford to them, which can be different from those associated with either “User” or “World.”

Three access types

The access types are a little more well known.  “Read” means just that: you (“you” meaning whoever is trying to access the file) can see the file and its contents.  “Write” means you can alter the file’s contents.  “Execute” means that you can run the file as a program.

Three times three equals … a lot of questions

A file thus has nine (3 times 3) total permissions that it can turn on or off.  Your goal in deciding which of these to set how is to make sure that everyone you want to access the file can, and everyone you don’t can’t.  How do you?

This one area in which you are going to want to contact your service provider.  Your files are often not just accessed by web surfers, but also by a host of on-server resources, and sometimes some of them will break if your files aren’t set the way they should be.  One example is as follows; If you have a directory in which logs of hits to your web site are kept, and you set the directory to give no one but you any permissions, then the server might not be able to send your your logs each night.

When in doubt, make it read-only

A good rule of thumb is that you want to make sure that you always have full permissions, but hold the group and world access levels to read-only.  This reduces the chance that anyone can fool around with your site, but still leaves it accessible to anyone who truly just needs to read its contents.

Nonetheless, check your cPanel web host online documentation as they will often have information listed about which files and directories need which settings.  If you don’t see what you’re looking for there, ask them.  Trust me, bad file settings can potentially be just as much of a headache for them as it could be for you.

Why You Should Consider Web Hosting Software

Good web hosting is of prime importance if you want to see your online business reach its full potential. However, it is not necessary for you to have the precise technical knowledge of managing your web hosting features, here is the example of hosting features. Latest reforms in the field of web hosting have made it possible to run your Internet marketing business successfully, even if you are not good at the technicalities of web hosting. One such helping hand is web hosting software. Such software has garnered massive popularity among online business owners due to its simplicity, great ease of use, and a host of benefits that come along with it.

Benefits of Web Hosting Software

There are many benefits derived from web hosting software. Some of the benefits are discussed below in brief:

• Web hosting software will make your website popular among the top search engines. It will help you in attracting your niche and/or targeted audience onto your website. This in turn will generate larger revenues, and make your products and services more popular.
• It makes the maintenance of your website easier. Thus, you can save some time and utilize this time in more productive tasks. It also plays an instrumental role in securing your personal files and other vital details stored in your website’s admin panel.
• Last, but not the least, good web hosting software will help your website remain intact 24 hours a day. This will make your website more appealing to your potential visitors.

Choosing the Best Web Hosting Software

Not all web hosting software packages can provide you with the above-discussed benefits. You need to consider the following factors in order to pinpoint the best hosting software for you:

• You need to devote some time in researching the best software for your specific needs. Several websites offer software programs for free. In such a scenario, you need to check the authentication and reliability of the website. The software may contain undesirable contents that may harm your website.

You need to answer some basic questions before choosing web-hosting software. What is the quantity of traffic you desire? What page rankings are you aiming to achieve? How much time can you devote in management of your website? If these things are kept in mind, you will surely get the right software, precisely meant for your website.

From Dedicated Servers To Managed Hosting – Life In The Fast Lane

The world of web hosting has seen many drastic changes in the past few years, and the speed at which changes are being roped in to make the whole concept more efficient and useful is always increasing.

Managed Web Hosting is a term that would certainly interest many webmasters who seek hosting plans to develop and sustain their online businesses. This service works in close conjugation with the concept of dedicated servers. Though dedicated servers are great resources to have in your arsenal of web hosting plans, there are some technicalities associated with the same that dampen the buzz to a great extent. Managed web hosting jumps to the rescue and does exactly what it claims – it simply manages the web hosting.

The Need Of Managed Hosting

When the traffic on your site becomes almost too much to handle and strains the servers, you should consider a dedicated server, and this is where you might also examine managed hosting providers. Maintaining a dedicated server would mean that you have a lot more to chew than what you initially agreed to, and this is where managed hosting makes life easier by providing all the services such as monitoring, reporting, load balancing, database handling and security concerns.

Finding The Right Managed Host

Remember, many people have made the move you are about to make, i.e. shifting to a managed hosting plan. Therefore, their reviews become the best resource of guidance for you. Invest some time in scanning through the reviews of the managed hosting providers and try to locate those that would suit your needs. Also, you would do well to research as to which dedicated hosting providers offer you managed hosting services as well.

Pick A Reliable Hosting Provider

You need to be assured that there would be help available when needed. In order to test a prospective managed web hosting provider out, send in a query and ask a few tricky questions. A prompt and thorough reply is ample reason for you to further consider the services of a managed hosting provider confidently. However, there is food for second thoughts if the reply is delayed and not satisfactory.

Add-Ons That Will Save Your Web Hosting Business

To quote my grandfather, “Things is heating up all over!” Yep, Pappy, this economic climate sure is a nasty one: Advertising spots are being put on a premium, stiff competition from small-time hosts is getting nasty, and more and more users are ditching traditional hosting for WordPress.

With such oppressive conditions, how on Earth are you to improve your web hosting business’ numbers? Well, it’s not time to bring out the End is Near signs just yet: Use the following add-ons to up-sell to your customers, increasing their productivity and improving your marketability while raking in revenue cash.

Video Conferencing:

Companies the world over are advancing video conferencing as a viable alternative to traditional travel. An over-the-Internet conference is cheap to free, whereas a plane ticket and a hotel room is anything but.

Video conferencing has grown in the workplace by 15% each year. Pretty soon, you won’t be able to walk ten feet in an office without finding someone on Skype. You should tailor your web hosting services to match. Include programs like Voxwire — which is our favorite video conferencing provider—in your standard features set. Voxwire makes it easy to collect revenue off your consumer’s streams, allowing both parties to win-out in the end. If Voxwire doesn’t sound like your thing, you can also try WebEx or GoToMeeting.

Search Engine Optimization:

If you aren’t on this one, then shame on you, Web Hoster Joe! Search engine optimization (or SEO) is one of the hottest topics around, and almost every web designer you meet will be worrying his head off about it. Thankfully, most SEO providers also include referral programs that will land cash in your pocket while making it easy for anxious consumers to streamline their sites.

All good web hosts should provide at least one recommended SEO service—some of the best offer three or four. Feel free to offer a basic program like the I Need Hits reseller brand, and if that just doesn’t quite cut it, look to create a partnership with a larger marketing firm. You never know what you’ll find until you start poking around, and even if you can find a freelancer willing to work for a flat fee, that will be just fine with your consumers.

Just remember that adding services for your consumers doesn’t have to be a painful (or expensive) process. By up-selling products to your users, you can earn cash via referrals, and strengthen your brand name, to boot.

Alternative’s to WordPress – Other Content Management Systems do Exist

WordPress may be the ten-gallon hat and eight-hundred pound gorilla of Content Management Systems (or CMS, for the tech-savvy and initiated) but that doesn’t mean it’s the only kid on the block. In fact, there are quite a few other PHP-based management systems out there that are more than capable of getting the job done. We’ve compiled a few of our favorites here, and as long as you’re feeling brave enough to go outside the box, we’ve got the roadmap.

Geeklog

We know Geeklog may not look the prettiest, but this CMS is every bit as functional as WordPress and then some. Popular sites like Mac OS X hints have been using it for years, in case you need a reference. Geeklog is a ninja when it comes to mySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL, as well as content syndication, mass user deletion, forums, and multi-language support. Not to mention the word “geek” is in the title, which tickles our pickle five ways to Sunday.

concrete5

This CMS has been garnering an immense amount of attention for its ease of use and feature-rich editing. The system allows users to edit pages directly from the management software without having to go through any kind of complex administrative filter. Even images can be mangled straight from the source, making it easier than ever to manipulate your media. Not to mention that concrete5 is completely free and open-source, meaning you’re free to soak your hands in its code any day you’re feeling particularly daring.

Drupal

Ah, Drupal! It’s been reported that this CMS is being used by one in every 66 sites around the world, including some heavyweight, multi-national government institutions. It’s a weighty offering, and one that’s every bit as feature-rich as WordPress. It works with every kind of database server you can think of, and is also compatible with every operating system known to man. Not to mention its huge list of features, including multi-user file editing, multiple sites, and massively useful security restrictions. Drupal also supports one of the best user communities around (a fact touted by the developer often) making it accessible and and functional, especially when issues arrive.

That’s all we’ve got for you today! If you’re still suckling the WordPress source, maybe you’ll look into a few of our other favorites for future projects. No matter where you go, though, quality CMS isn’t hard to find. Whether open-source code, a massive user community, or a gorgeous user interface is your kick, you can always find something to match.

Feel free to post a comment if we left any killer WordPress alternatives out!