HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
Large- to Enterprise-Size Web Site.
If you are expecting a high traffic site that
may support a chat room or streaming media content, consider large national Web
hosting services. Generally, these provide a high bandwidth Internet connection
(typically OC-1 or higher), 24-hour staffing, hardware and media redundancy, and
enhanced security. Determine the guaranteed level of service and response time. Also
consider using a dedicated or co-located Web server at a national Web host provider.
A dedicated or co-located Web server will be running your Web site only—you do not
share the processor or hard drive with any other organization. There is an additional
charge, but the added security and guarantee of processing may be worth it to your
organization.
A
dedicated Web server
refers to the rental and exclusive use of a computer and con-
nection to the Internet that is housed on the Web hosting company's premises. A dedi-
cated server is usually needed for a Web site that could have a considerable amount of
traffic, such as tens of millions of hits a day. The server can usually be configured and
operated remotely from the client company or you can pay the Web host provider to
administer it for you.
A
co-located Web server
, sometimes referred to as colocated or collocated, is a com-
puter that your organization has purchased and configured. Your organization effec-
tively rents space at the Web host provider's location. Your server is kept and connected
to the Internet at its location. Your organization administers this computer. This pro-
vides your organization with additional control over the Web server, but it also means
that you need to staff or contract an individual with Web server administration
experience.
Large, national Web host providers can supply dedicated T1 or T3 Internet access,
24/7 support, network utilization statistics and log access, hardware and media
redundancy, and the ability to cluster Web servers, support Web farms, e-commerce,
and streaming media delivery. A
Service-Level Agreement
(SLA) that details the level
of support and response time is also usually supplied by large, national Web host
providers.
For your Web site—small, medium, or large—selecting the right Web host can be
crucial to its success.
A number of factors to consider when choosing a Web host, including bandwidth, disk
storage space, technical support, and the availability of e-commerce packages have been
discussed. For a handy list of these factors and others to consider in your quest for a
virtual Web host, review the Web host checklist shown in Table 10.1.
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