Open vs Closed

Microsoft owns and develops all of the windows operating systems. This means that this source is only updated by Microsoft. That is one of the primary differences between Windows and Linux. Linux, however, is completely open sourced and generally speaking free. This means for a hosting company it’s generally more expensive for the licenses to run Windows machines. This is why you typically see a bit of disparity between the prices of Windows and Linux machines.

All PCs Need Windows

A bad assumption by some new web developers is that if the target audience runs Windows then the server mush run windows as well. This is far from the truth. In fact, the client will never know which server you’re running. As a web developer however, there will be stark differences in the way each system runs and operates. Some may find that Linux is a little too complicated and stick with Windows instead. This is a valid argument.

Reliability is a Myth

One argument against Windows is its reliability over Linux. The main reason Windows gets a bad reputation is the sheer number of users on Windows makes the operating system a natural target for hackers.  However, Linux is the most common server platform and has just as many attacks made on it. The bottom line is the security of the server is solely based on the performance of its administrator.

Server Side Code

The primary thing to consider here is what do you want to do with your hosting? It really depends on what kind of site or platform you want to use. Microsoft has a ton of plug in style systems like ASP.Net, Access, Windows Streaming Media and MSSQL that can help with the development of a site. Linux has all of these functions as well, but they are usually expensive and a little less on the features that their Microsoft brothers.

Choosing your server platform really is just a matter of preference. Choose what you’re comfortable with operating as well as what you’re comfortable with building sites in. Everything else is just a mild foot note.

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• November 15, 2011 – The Resurgence of Apache
• November 3, 2011 – Ubuntu 11.10 – A Linux Misstep?
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Knowing which aspects of web hosting plans are most important can help you save time when comparing the most essential attributes and features of each plan. The following four crucial aspects should be considered when examining any prospect of a web hosting provider or plan.

Web Hosting Platform

First and foremost, it is important to decide whether you need access to a web server that utilizes the Linux/UNIX operating system or the Windows operating system. This decision should be based on your individual website needs and the development technology you use(d) to design and create your web pages. Websites that are developed using Microsoft technologies such as ASP and VB will require access to a Windows server to function, while the majority of other open-source programming technologies such as PHP, Python, and Perl can function optimally on Linux-based operating systems.

Web Hosting Features

After deciding which web hosting platform would be most suitable, it’s best to begin comparing the most essential features between each plan. Some of the most important features to compare include the amount of disk space, bandwidth, databases, e-mail accounts, and domains allowed with each plan. As mentioned, it is also important to consider which programming languages and platforms the web hosting plan is compatible with. It is also important to look for features such as uptime and money back guarantees, as well as server redundancy and scheduled server backups.

Plan Affordability

After establishing your web hosting needs and narrowing the list of prospective plans, it’s time to begin comparing the prices of each plan. Unfortunately, the majority of novice webmasters choose to carry out these steps in the opposite order, choosing a plan based on price rather than establishing their server needs and comparing features and platforms first. If you want to ensure optimal performance and the highest rate of success for your websites, then you should never choose a web hosting provider based on price alone. Only begin comparing the prices of similarly sized plans after you have narrowed your list based on the two aforementioned aspects.

Customer Service and Support

Most people overlook the importance of having access to responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable customer service. That is, until something malfunctions and suddenly your websites are off-line or all of the pages are loading slowly. When this happens, you’ll need access to 24-hour support that is competent enough to handle any administrative tasks, regardless of what time of day or night it is. Thus, it is best to test the responsiveness of each web hosting provider’s customer support staff by calling them at random times and seeing how long it takes, and in which way they answer all of your inquiries.

Related posts:

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• December 10, 2010 – Linux Hosting – From Corporation to Consumer
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• February 25, 2010 – An Introduction to Linux Web Hosting – Linux Vs. Windows Web Hosting
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Web hosting simply refers to a service that hosts your website, making it accessible to people interested in what you have to say or sell. There are different types of web hosting so you need to familiarize yourself with the different types and what makes each unique to really know the best web hosting that will suit your needs.

Shared Hosting

This is definitely one of the cheapest from of web hosting. Why is it Cheap? It is run in a certain way that makes sit possible for different clients to share the same server, hence the name, Shared Hosting.

With Shared hosting your website is hosted on a server that is shared by other customers, hosting company will be the one to manage and monitor the server providing what it takes to make sure all is up and running always. All you have to do is to sign up with the web host; they handle the customer support and maintenance of the server.

Shared Hosting is affordable but you must be sure that the hosting package you web hosting company is providing you actually supports what you need, scripting languages, applications, control panel etc. This is why before going for shared hosting you need consider another type of hosting, dedicated web hosting

Dedicated Web Hosting

Compared to shared hosting, dedicated web hosting is more sophisticated, unlike the situation in shared hosting where different people share the same server. In dedicated hosting you are allowed to rent an entire server and use it all by yourself. You are also given access to all the resources, giving you the ability to host more than one website

Dedicated hosting is designed to give customers a better form of hosting as one customer gets to use a server that could have been shared by many; this gives the customer more reliable hosting service. There are several web hosting companies offering top web hosting solutions at affordable rates. However it is always better to read several web hosting reviews before you select any hosting companies.

Windows Web Hosting

Apart from choosing a type of web hosting based on sharing a server or using one all by your self, you also need to consider what kind of platform the package the hosting service is offering you supports. The common ones are Windows and Linux. Windows web hosting will support features the windows platform while Linux web hosting will support the Linux platform.

Ecommerce Web Hosting

It is also necessary to know what purpose your website will serve before choosing a top web hosting service. Is the website for personal or business use? What type of web hosting service best suits you? Ecommerce web hosting comes with ecommerce tools that will enable you to do business easily on the internet.

Whatever form of hosting you choose, shared hosting or dedicated web hosting, make sure that you take your time to check out what will work best for your kind of website or websites.

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• November 29, 2010 – Dedicated Hosting – A Brief Introduction and Overview
• August 12, 2010 – When is it Time to Graduate to a Dedicated Server?
• September 22, 2009 – Server Options for E-commerce Hosting
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Customize the Server

One of the best things about dedicated hosting is it’s customizability. Your website is no longer made to fit in a cookie cutter mold that most shared hosting plans offer. Dedicated hosting allows you to, first and foremost, choose the operating system for the server.  Generally speaking Windows and Linux are the most common operating systems used but really any server based OS can be used by most dedicated hosting providers.

Another option is the software running on the server.   A webmaster can simply install anything that they want on the system to run whatever widget or section of their site they desire.  This makes adding new features to a site as technology changes a breeze. It does put some of the burden to keep up in your hands though, as most dedicated plans are a do it yourself type environment.

Also with dedicated hosting, the user gets to choose the control panel they prefer. Some people prefer a panel like CPanel or Plesk and with a dedicated hosting plan you get to choose this. Of course you can also self-manage in the operating system without a control panel if you prefer.

Better Backups

A lot of shared hosting plans come with back up utilities that just are rather basic, leaving many webmasters frustrated. With a dedicated hosting plan you can install a more robust back up system, making this process much better in the long run.

Cons

The one major con of dedicated hosting is the price.  Typically a plan can range from $80 to $300 dollars a month depending on the server hardware and operating system.  Because of this, most webmasters find it’s too much money for their budget and they stick with shared hosting.  Dedicated hosting is more expensive because you are the only one who has access to the resources of the server. Unlike shared hosting, when multiple users have access to the same server, with dedicated hosting you are the only user on your machine. This is the main reason it’s so expensive. But it can also be the biggest selling point.

When it’s time to make the move to dedicated hosting just be sure you have moderate experience in managing a server.  While you will get some help from your provider, it will be mostly up to you to manage and maintain your new server.

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What is MS SQL?

Microsoft SQL Server or simply MS SQL, is a commercially licensed relational database management system and the main rival to the MySQL open-source software.  As a licensed software application, it is a proprietary product with the source code and copyrights owned by Microsoft.  Some talk negatively about commercially licensed products because you must purchase them in order to use them on the open market.  However, the major advantage of such products is that they come with excellent support, are thoroughly tested functionality and receive continuous upgrades.  In the case of MS SQL, you get all this and much more.

As one of the most widely used SQL systems, MS SQL is supported by a large number of applications and programming codes designed to integrate with its databases.  One of its most common uses is website implementation to generate dynamic content.  In fact, if you have ever visited an e-commerce site and browsed through pages or product listings, more than likely, you have interacted with a database such as MS SQL.

What Does MS SQL Do?

Like any SQL database, an SQL Server database is a data storage facility that allows you to manage significant amounts of information.  Because it is so challenging and time consuming for the average person to manually sort through such large amounts of data, databases are used to request data and retrieve the requested information in a faster and more efficient manner.  Although it possible to directly interact with a database, the mere structure of the data often makes this a difficult process.  Similar to many Microsoft products, MS SQL is are far more user-friendly than other database systems.  This particular software was designed with the premonition that users and applications will frequently need to access its databases, which is why it streamlines the process and makes retrieval easier.

Databases are capable of storing all types of information.  Upon first hearing the term, you may assume that a database is something that stores customers names, telephone numbers and addresses or product inventory for a warehouse facility.  While MS SQL can indeed handle basic text information, it also has the power to store other types of data such as graphics, audio files and even more complex formats.  With all the advancements in web technology, this ability really comes in handy for someone who desires a feature-rich, interactive website.

Whether you need a database to store a list of employee data, create a dynamic website or power an e-commerce storefront, MS SQL makes a perfect solution.  Signing up for a Windows hosting package that offers this feature is well worth the investment.

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Web Host/End-User Features

Advanced File Manager – The DotNetPanel File Browser is both powerful and comprehensive, allowing you to manage your files without the use of FTP.  This utility includes a zip/unzip function along with standard file managing options such as copying and moving files, creating files and folders and more.  Such advanced functionality gives you the power to deploy applications faster and more efficiently than FTP.  The File Browser is a wonderful feature for end-users who are behind a firewall and may not be able to use File Transfer Protocol.  It is easy to use and doesn’t require any complex network configurations.

Virtual Directories – DotNetPanel offers the unique ability to manage websites and virtual directories with nearly every one of their essential properties.  This includes default documents, security settings, MIME types, custom errors and FrontPage extensions among several others.  You can also change the location of the root folder or virtual directory any time after creating it.

Comprehensive Database Backups – DotNetPal has a wide range of features you will not find in other control panels.  One of them is the database backup/restore utility.  From the user-friendly interface you can easily backup and restore both MS SQL and MySQL databases.

Reseller Features

The DotNetPanel control panel is integrated with an arsenal of features designed to aid in the management of reseller hosting.  Some of the most notable features include:

Unlimited Hosting Accounts – With DotNetPanel, there is no limit to the number of standard or sub-reseller accounts you can set up.

Simple Resource Navigation - As an administrator, you can view all the websites, databases and user accounts of all the resellers and customers underneath you.  This can be done with ease from a centralized interface.

Account Activation and Suspicion - DotNetPanel gives you the ability to activate reseller, sub-reseller and user accounts in separate packages.  Once you suspend an account, all the resources of that particular hosting package are disabled entirely.

Audit Log – The audit log feature allows you to monitor and control every aspect of user accounts.  You can track user login credentials and also create, update and delete various activities.

DotNetPanel is a fully integrated control panel that covers nearly every angle of web hosting, a viable option for the shared hosting environment as well as dedicated and virtual private servers.  Although its restricted to a specific platform, DotNetPanel is quickly becoming the preferred choice for Windows hosting operations.

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Rob Conley of ResellerChoice says the company’s goal is the same as it has always been – deliver its customers feature-rich Windows hosting solutions attached with the maximum uptime and responsive support.  ResellerChoice specializes in a wide range of unique hosting services that allow customers to effectively brand their name into the environment.  Some of the packages up for grabs include ASP.NET hosting, dedicated servers, Hyper-V VPS, Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange hosting.   Along with variety and reliable service, new customers also get the added benefit of a 20% discount when entering the “20OFF” code with their purchase.

ResellerChoice offers Windows web hosting solutions designed for small to large sized businesses.  The company also delivers services to suit the needs of Windows developers and web designers.  Making a commitment to reliability, ResellerChoice provides each of its customers with the following:

• Advanced security features
• Nightly data backups
• 24/7 customer service and technical support
• 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Maximum service level agreement
• 30-day money back guarantee

ResellerChoice is a leading provider in Windows reseller hosting solutions.  Its discounted packages include:

Small Business Domain Paks: Regularly starting at $9.95 per month, these entry-level plans come include with programming languages such ASP.NET and PHP as well as databases like MS SQL and MySQL.  When using the discount code, these packages are as low as $7.96 a month.

Enterprise Domain Paks: These solutions offer all the features from the Small Business Domain Paks with the addition of Microsoft SharePoint Hosting.  Regularly $19.95 a month, Enterprise Domain Paks start from $15.96 with the 20% discount.

Small Business Gig Paks: ResellerChoice gives you a lot more with the Small Business Gig Paks. The major draw of these packages is the ability to host unlimited domains, unlimited email accounts and wealth of development tools.  You also get everything offered in the Small Business Domain Pak along with Microsoft SharePoint hosting.  Originally $59.95, these packages are $47.96 a month with the special coupon.

Each plans offers a variety of features including:

• Automated billing system
• Seamless integration with 2Checkout, Authorize.net and PayPal
• The latest versions of ASP.NET, PHP, MySQL and MS SQL
• An easy to use one-click application installer
• Free shared SSL certificate
• Nightly data backups/self backups
• User and Group functionality in SharePoint

About RellerChoice

Founded in 2001, ResellerChoice has made a name in the web hosting business with its powerful Windows hosting solutions.  Aside from selling advanced reseller packages, the company also offers reliable services that range from shared hosting and dedicated servers to CMS and managed hosting.  ResellerChoice designs its hosting solutions to suit the needs of Internet Service Providers and businesses of all size, helping them enjoy the best of Windows hosting and powerful Microsoft products.  The hosting provider has clients across the world with data facilities located in New York City, Seattle, Texas and Washington, D.C.

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