Web Host Liquid Web Bolsters Server Security

by admin | November 7, 2009 | In Web hosting


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(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Managed web hosting provider Liquid Web (www.liquidweb.com) has made ServerSecure available for its Windows, and Heroic Support available for its Linux server customers, giving all customers access to server security hardening services.

According to Liquid Web’s Monday announcements, ServerSecure will be an initial setup option on Windows hosting plans, providing many additional services and modifications to the default operating system and control panel installation. Exclusive to Liquid Web customers, the ServerSecure solution includes anti-virus protection, secure RDP, TCP hardening, DoS-Evasive, and Brute Force detection, which altogether greatly enhances the security, reliability, and compatibility of a client’s server and software.

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Tips to Apply to Free Hosting

by admin | October 5, 2009 | In Web hosting

If you have been considering a free web hosting service for your website needs, you may want to think twice and prepare yourself to deal with pop-ups, pop-unders, third-party banner advertisements and other annoying elements.  You also have to keep in mind that common features such as PHP programming, MySQL databases, CGI scripts and FTP access may not be available.

You can embark upon a mission to look for a quality free web hosting service with no advertisements and useful features, but you will likely return disappointed once your search has concluded.  While you can never really expect any guarantees when it comes to free hosting, knowing what to expect will better assure that you do not end up with a terrible service.

Understand How Free Hosting Works

There are more than enough free web hosting providers to go around.  Unfortunately, most of them force you to place advertisements on your site or only provide you with the free service for a limited time.  Some do set you up with a quality service in exchange for carrying banners while others leave you to run your site on slow and insufficient servers.  In some cases, these servers fail to respond at all, leaving you with a website that is essentially useless.  So, if the service is impractical, how do free hosting companies make enough money to survive?

More and more, we are seeing free web hosts keeping themselves afloat by persuading their customers to sign up for paid hosting plans.  If they can provide a good service, this actually turns out to be a fair deal.  Premium hosting services are very affordable these days so purchasing service with a company you trust could prove to be worth your while.   The major downside is that even when upgrading to a paid service, your package could still end up lacking features that are commonly found on the professional hosting market.  For example, you just might have to pay extra for items such as FrontPage extensions and FTP support.  So even when you purchase service from a free web host, you still have to make sure you are getting your money’s worth.

Secure Your Web Presence

Should you find yourself in a situation where you must rely on a free web hosting service because of financial restrictions, there are a few things you can do to protect your website and identity.  First, you can register yourself a domain name with a reputable company such as GoDaddy or Yahoo.  Domain names are pretty cheap these days and only cost about $10 to $12 per year.  Before registering the name, look out for domain features such as a control panel and URL forwarding.  This will provide you with the ability to redirect your domain and change the destination to where ever you prefer.  So if your free web host folds and goes out of business or things simply are not working out, you can point the name somewhere else and move your website right along with it.

What to Look for in Web Hosting Support

by admin | September 10, 2009 | In Web hosting

It does not matter whether you lease a dedicated server or a typical web hosting plan, having a solution that comes equipped with excellent support is an absolute must.  From basic customer service endeavors to more complex technical issues, you need a host that can come through in the clutch to deliver top-notch support.  This article will explain why support is so critical and give you a few key factors to consider when evaluating service.
Peace of Mind

Just because you sign up with a reliable hosting provider, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will enjoy a flawless service.  Whether it is a power outage or a corrupt hard drive, anything can go wrong behind the scenes and for the most part, these problems are out of your hands.  Should something occur that brings your website down, you need to have the reassurance of being able to get in touch with someone immediately to find out what’s going on.  If the web host cannot provide you with speedy, quality support, you run the risk of enduring even more problems and losing visitors when technical issues are not resolved in a timely manner.

Putting the Support Staff to the Test

Before entering a service agreement with any web host, it is highly recommended that you test their level of support first.  You can do this by contacting the support staff with basic questions regarding uploading your files to the server or whatever concerns you the most.  By asking pre-sales questions, you will have a chance to evaluate the competency and overall effectiveness of the web hosting provider’s support staff.  This will ultimately help you determine if the host can provide you with clear, satisfactory answers to your questions in the future.  Of course nothing is guaranteed down the line, but first impressions can tell you a lot in this regard.

Evaluating Response Times

When evaluating the hosting provider’s support staff, there are few things you want to consider but most importantly, the time frame in which it takes to receive a response to your initial inquiry.   This applies for addressing matters via phone as well as email and support ticket.  If you can get in touch with the support team directly, evaluate how long it takes to get someone on the phone.  Some companies have incredibly long wait times so this is definitely something you want to take into consideration before making a commitment.  Depending on the nature of the problem, a support staff that leaves waiting on the phone for ten or twenty minutes could be like having no help at all.

Anticipate Problems, Expect Great Support

If all of a sudden you begin to experience technical issues with a web hosting service, relax because you are not the first to hit such a road block.  Problems occur quite frequently and can range from subtle annoyances to catastrophes that result in some downtime for your website.  Though it is almost impossible to obtain a 100% trouble-free service, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a solution that comes with first-rate customer service and technical support.  As a customer that enables the business to exist, a web host needs to make you a priority by providing the assistance whenever you need it.  If not, they are not worthy of your business.
Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/09/04/what-to-look-for-in-web-hosting-support/