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What do I need to look for in web host?

B

BrokenBottle

Junior Member
I got an email from my dad this evening. By default, he's been given the responsability of overseeing the creation of a website for his company. They make bronze bearings and machine parts.

The site is going to consist of a few things: an introduction to the company, a catalog of their wares (with pictures for each represented part), a contact page with email addresses for the sales people and various officers of the company, and a page or two with fill in the blank forms for quote requests (to be emailed to the estimater), and a page where people can place orders (and pay) for their standardized products. The site isn't very elaborate. In fact, it's so simple that dad would like to say good bye to the designers that are (I think) over charging them and just do the upkeep himself with Frontpage.

The site is nearly finished and they want it to go live Real Soon Now, but they don't know what to look for in a web host. Based on what I've described above, can anyone make any recommendations? What exactly makes a good web host (aside from consistant up time)? Do they need anything special from the host?

thanks for your help,
Chris
 
If the designers don't know what to look for in a web host, they are probably not very knowledgable. Any host should do them probably. I say this because they probably know nothing about CGI, SSI or other things avaialble from certain hosts. Just start looking. Speed is the main concern if you are just posting photos and every thing is controlled on the user side.
 
For a small-to-medium sized website as you've described, I suppose what you're primarily looking for would be, in order:

- 24/7 uptime
- Consistently high speeds
- Amount of website storage space
- Amount of website usage/transfers (unlimited if you can swing it)
- E-mail addresses
- FrontPage extensions (makes updating for pseudo-Web scripters a lot easier)
- CGI, SSI
- Site backups as often as possible
- Live tech support at the host site

Most of my recommendations for a hosting company go to Solo Web Hosting. Check out their "SOLO IV" plan, sounds like what you're looking for. I've made use of their services for a long time now and never had a problem or downtime that I've noticed.

Like todays, I am extremely surprised the website designers don't at least have one recommendation for a host between them. Then again, that's not their job. Tell your dad to try and avoid being stuck with updating the site on his own, unless as part of the deal you get free high-speed Internet access from home to update the site with... 😉
 
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