Web Hosting Tips and Advice at Host Voice

A Virtual Private Server, or VPS for short, is a partition of a Dedicated Server that gives users more power and flexibility than Shared Hosting accounts.

Some advantages of Virtual Private Servers:

- Full root access is provided to users of a VPS.
- Burstable RAM can be provided during times of high traffic or bandwidth usage.
- The physical server is maintained by the hosting provider.
- Cost is far less than a Dedicated Server and only slightly higher than a quality Shared Hosting account.

Some disadvantages of Virtual Private Servers:

- All server hardware is shared between VPS accounts. This includes processing power, RAM, and disk space.
- Users who are not familiar with server administration may have to purchase a managed VPS, as users are partially responsible for some server-side administration tasks.

Does it sound like you could benefit from the power and flexibility of a Virtual Private Server? If so, check out our Virtual Private Server Hosting Quote From and get a FREE VPS quote from up to 4 Virtual Private Server providers!

After starting your website with a Shared Hosting service, you may find yourself in a bind. Bandwidth is constantly being exceeded due to high traffic, making your site load at the pace of a tortoise. This means one thing: It’s time for an upgrade!

Dedicated Servers are a great solution for sites that have outgrown the limits of Shared Hosting. They provide you more control and better security while giving you robust storage and bandwidth for your site. Plus, you still don’t have to worry about physical server maintenance, as it is the host’s responsibility.

There are two types of Dedicated Servers: Managed and Unmanaged.

Managed Dedicated Servers are more expensive. However, the host will do all of the security updates, operating system updates and control panel updates for you. This is a big plus if you don’t know what you are doing when it comes to server administration. It is generally worth the extra cost.

With an Unmanaged Dedicated Server, you are responsible for all of the updates and software installs. This is a great option if you are experienced with server administration, as it is almost always cheaper than a Managed Dedicated Server. You are also able to install whatever software you want with Unmanaged Dedicated Servers. However, be aware that if you do happen to need host assistance with your server it will cost you extra money. Unmanaged Dedicated Servers can take a lot of time to administer as well, which could mean you will spend less time developing content and features for your site.

If you find that your site is constantly down or taken offline for exceeding quotas, then you most likely need a Dedicated Server. Only you can know if you will need a Managed Dedicated Server or Unmanaged Dedicated Server. If you are seriously considering this powerful type of hosting, head over to our Dedicated Server Quote Form and get a FREE quote for a Dedicated Server. It’s fast, easy and there is no obligation!

Want to start a blog, personal website, photo sharing website or discussion forum? If so, you’re going to need some type of Shared Hosting.

Shared Hosting is the most common form of web hosting available. It can also be known as Unix Hosting, Linux Hosting or Windows Hosting, depending on the operating system the server uses.

The cost of Shared Hosting is generally low because all of the server’s resources are shared by multiple sites. There can be hundreds or thousands of sites on a single server, all sharing the same processing power, memory and bandwidth.

Having a site that uses Shared Hosting does not require a lot of knowledge to set up, run and maintain. Server maintenance and upgrades are almost always completed by the host. Most hosts also install a control panel that will allow you to build and maintain your website effortlessly. Some hosts even include script libraries (Fantastico is a great example) that allow you to easily install applications for blogs, wikis, image galleries, content management systems, discussion boards and e-commerce solutions.

Even though Shared Hosting is low cost and feature rich, there are some drawbacks. There are limits to the amount of disk space and bandwidth you can use. Large, sudden increases in traffic can take your site offline for going over the bandwidth limit. If other sites on your server experience this issue, it can hinder the performance of all sites operating on that server, and on rare occasions, take the server offline completely.

Also, be wary of hosts that have been known to oversell server space. This means that more account disk space and bandwidth is sold than actually exists on the server. Hosts do this with the expectation that most people will not use all of the resources allocated to them. Some hosts have been known to oversell servers anywhere between 10-50 times the server’s capacity. This can cause major issues for all sites on the server if a few start using more bandwidth and disk space than the others, so it is best to avoid this situation if possible. Head on over to the Web Hosting Forum at WebHostingTalk.com to research potential hosts before you commit to one.

Shared Hosting has many advantages and few disadvantages. It provides a cheap, reliable way for someone new to web hosting to get up and running with their own web site quickly and easily. If you’re ready to start a website, whether it’s for yourself, your church, your club or your organization, be sure to head on over to our Unix/Linux Hosting Quote Form to get fast, affordable web hosting quotes from multiple Shared Hosting providers.

After you submit a request to receive web hosting quotes, you should be sure to compare all of the offers from each hosting company. Here are some general guidelines on how to most effectively compare the quotes you receive:

• Wait until you have received at least two quotes. This way you will be able to compare and see which hosting proposal is best suited to your needs and budget.

• Create a comparison spreadsheet with all of the features that you would like. Enter the information from each proposal you receive to visualize which one meets your specific price and requirements.

• Decide what is more important: price or features. One quote may have the better price, but another may have the features you need. Even if it’s more, always go with the feature rich quote as you will be more satisfied and have fewer complications in the long run.

• Take your time deciding which quote to go with. Contacts at hosting companies may be on holiday and get back to you with a fantastic quote later than expected.

After you choose the host that offers you the best deal for what you need, be sure to keep the other quotes handy for future reference. You never know when you may need a new host again!

As you think about your hosting needs, there are a few things you need to know when requesting web hosting proposals through Host Voice. Here are a few tips for getting the best quotes possible:

• Make sure you fill in all of your contact information. It is understandable that you may have privacy concerns, but rest assured your information is safe. We will NEVER provide your personal information to any outside third party for any purpose.
• Complete all of the hosting requirements in the form. Not only will this help you get the most accurate web hosting quotes, but it will also speed up the process of receiving your quotes. Incomplete forms must be manually approved by an administrator, which can lengthen the time between form completion and quote reception.
• Check your spam box for quotes. Sometimes hosting quotes are accidentally marked as spam. Make sure you do this if you haven’t received a quote a day after submitting the form.
• Select the appropriate hosting category for your need. Chances are you wouldn’t need a dedicated server for your personal blog. By selecting the appropriate category you are assured that you will receive your quotes in a timely manner. If you have doubts about the type of hosting you need, we provide a multitude of examples on the home page that take you directly to the correct form for the type of hosting required.

Following these tips will allow you to get timely, accurate quotes from our web hosting partners and will also allow you to get the best price that fits your budget.

It’s been due for a long while, but the redesigned Host Voice is finally here. The refresh is a much needed upgrade from the previous look of the site and is designed to make the process of requesting a web hosting quote faster and easier. We will be updating the blog on a regular basis with tips for using Host Voice as well as tips on web hosting in general.

We hope you like the fresh new look and continue to enjoy the useful service Host Voice provides.