Which Is The Best Shared Web Hosting, Dedicated Server, or Virtual Server (VDS/VPS) Company? Select from the links below to view the top rated server and hosting companies in our directory:
Is Unix Or Windows Better For Web Hosting? Unix (Linux and FreeBSD being the most popular flavors) is a text command prompt based system, purpose built for servers with no resources wasted on things like graphical user interfaces. It offers excellent performance and security characteristics, and is generally regarded as a better choice for most servers. Its main drawback is that it requires some fairly serious skills to properly manage the inner workings of it, though this is overcome for most users with control panel management applications like Plesk and CPanel.
Microsoft Windows on the other hand is very easy to manage, with point and click menus and wizards just like the desktop versions, making it the choice of some administrators without the necessary skills to stay on top of a Unix system. It also offers easy access to Windows-specific technologies like Access and MSSQL databases, ASP scripting, and the .Net framework. Because the hosting or server company needs to purchase the software licenses for Windows itself and the various components, Windows hosting tends to be more expensive than Unix hosting.
The answer of which is better really depends on the needs of your websites. However if you have no specific need for the services available on a Windows system, and will be using shared hosting or a control panel application with your dedicated server, Unix is generally the best choice.
What Is A Virtual (VPS/VDS) Server? A virtual server aims to give you the best features of a dedicated server, but in a shared hosting environment, meaning you don't actually get a stand alone server all to yourself. Sometimes called a VPS (virtual private server) or VDS (virtual dedicated server), it offers you a lower cost than a true dedicated server, with more control over the underlying software than a standard hosting account.
What Is A Dedicated Server? A dedicated server is a complete, self contained server, which allows you to maintain complete control of the settings and software in use. Having use of the entire server allows you to create as many separate hosting accounts as you like, without having to pay a monthly fee for each one. It also gives you the ability to select the exact hardware configuration you want, and have it upgraded as needed in the future.
What Is A Shared Web Hosting Account? A shared hosting account is an account on an internet connected server, which allows you to create a website and publish pages or other content on the internet. Each web hosting company offers their own unique packages, with greatly varying features, options, and prices. Standard website hosting accounts are referred to as Shared Hosting, because server resources are shared among many different accounts and users on the same server.
If I Develop My Website On A Windows Computer Do I Need To Host On A Windows Server? No, in most cases the operating system on your web hosting account or dedicated/virtual server doesn't need to be the same as the one you use to develop the pages, scripts, and other content for your website. Most of the world's websites are developed and managed on Windows machines, but hosted on Unix variants such as Linux and FreeBSD. The only time you may require the server be running the same operating system as your development machine is when you use things such as ASP scripting, Access or MSSQL databases (not to be confused with MySQL databases, which can be used on most any platform), or the .Net framework, which are usually only available on Windows servers.
What Do I Need To Get A Website Hosting Account Or Server? For most web hosting accounts and dedicated/virtual servers you will need a domain name. For a hosting account this will be the address the website is served from, and for a dedicated or virtual server it will be the main domain of the server for organizational purposes. Don't have a domain name yet? Click Here to see if the one you want is available.
Most web hosting and server companies require payment in advance for the upcoming month, and prefer a credit card for automatic monthly payments. Depending on the company, you may be able to make other payment arrangements, but for quick and easy setup, and some protection for you the purchaser, a credit card is usually the way to go.
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