What To Look For in A Secure Web Hosting Provider
Assurance of complete and utter security is one of the most important factors that a potential user should consider when choosing a particular hosting provider, such as Intuit web hosting, and yet many people often overlook this important aspect in favor of other features like a spacious disk space, sufficient bandwidth and speedy connections. A discerning user should always consider security features, especially if dealing with internet and online connectivity maters. This article provides the reader with a general idea on what to look for in a secure web hosting provider.
First of all, ensure that your web hosting provider religiously adheres to Secure File Transfer Protocol (STFP), which essentially means that all your files and transmitted data cannot be intercepted by a third-party which may sabotage all your important data. With STFP, you can rest easy since it uses government standard 128-bit encryption to protect your files. Moreover, make sure that your web hosting provider has a Secure Sockets Layer in place, especially if you are planning to launch an e-commerce web page.
SSL enables websites to keep valuable information such as credit card/bank account information, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses are kept private, thus keeping you and your customers safe from threats of embezzlement, credit card or identity theft that is rampant in the internet. Also, ensure that your web hosting provider has a reliable data backup device that can recover all of your important files in case of an emergency.
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Do You Really Need A VPS?
In a time where economic turmoil spreads as fast as a cold virus, many people opt for something very affordable yet useful. The same is true when it comes to web hosting services. Many people are resorting to shared hosting because it is deemed as very cheap and they get the chance to share resources as well. Users who have shoestring budgets and have less traffic on their sites can settle for this type of hosting. However, if you have greater dreams for your website and you do not want to settle for anything less than what you actually deserve, maybe it is about time to search for other hosting services that will cater to your specific needs.
If you have abundant resources, then you must choose a dedicated server. Companies with very large online presence and very high website traffic usually prefer this type of hosting because it gives them the opportunity to customize their servers and install software and applications that would help them do business more effectively.
The Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a great option if you are torn between shared hosting and a dedicated server. A VPS is perfect for you if you have just enough budget in your pocket and if you only want an optimum increase in your site’s traffic. It’s virtually partitioned and it allows each user to have their operating system. Users then gain the freedom to use their servers the way they like. This feature allows the VPS to work in the same way as a dedicated server at a price that is close to a shared hosting package. A VPS also provides managed services at no cost. In addition, you can completely secure your server which is impossible with a shared hosting service.
Several shared hosting plans offer unlimited bandwidth, space, add-on domains and databases but in reality, there is no such thing as “unlimited” especially in a shared hosting service. You can upgrade to a powerful VPS server and use more memory and CPU, but of course, there is a slightly higher price that you need to pay.
The additional price should not be a major issue if you are looking for a significant increase in your site’s traffic to make decent money out of it. As a popular saying goes, “you need to spend (a little) money to make money”. Take note that the operational word here is “a little”. In this context, you definitely need a good VPS hosting.
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Reasonable Expectations For A Hosting Company
People who own a website recognize the need for hosting services. There are many web hosting companies out there which offer their services to anyone in need. Of course, many of these companies tend to focus on their service or on their price, and only a few would really offer a great service at a good price.
If part of your web server crashes one weekend, expect to wait 36 to 48 hours before assistance from web hosting service companies will arrive to rescue you. Nobody wants to experience this but unfortunately, there are companies that will keep you waiting in vain. Before settling for a specific web hosting company, it is important to do some research first to identify which ones offer good services at a very affordable price.
Here is a list of what you should expect from a good and reliable hosting company.
- Uptime Guarantee - Many companies will offer around 99.9% uptime guarantee because it is impossible to deliver a hundred percent.
- Phone support - Major web hosting companies will provide you with phone support. You must never host without a phone support to back you up when the going gets tough. You must be able to contact your web hosting provider anytime, any day 24/7 if you are encountering any problems.
- Setup Fees - Avoid signing up with a web hosting Service Company that requires you to pay a setup fee, unless you are getting a dedicated machine or a custom configuration. You can find many respected and reputable web hosting companies that will never charge anything.
- Monthly commitments - Experts do not suggest signing up for a full year right away when availing of a web hosting service. This is because you might find out that the web hosting does not really suit your needs and most companies that offer a 30-day money back guarantee can mess with your billing or customer support if you subscribed to their services for a year. Opt to commit on a monthly basis to spare yourself from inconveniences when you realize that you no longer need that kind of web hosting service from that particular company.
- 30 day Money Back guarantee - There is nothing to worry about trying a new web host and getting your money back when you are not fully satisfied with their support or service. Many reputable companies are offering the 30-day money back guarantee to their clients so it won’t hurt to choose just one of them.
Alternatives To cPanel Hosting
At present, cPanel is undoubtedly the most preferred and widely used control panel. But know that there are a lot of other control panels in the market, but only the cPanel has the features that don’t confuse webmasters.
cPanel is the leading control panel for resellers, general website management and server administration but it is not perfect. Its shortcomings may push users to look for other substitutes. cPanel is a closed product which limits extendability and its license cost is not cost-effective for small companies.
If you are looking for other control panels aside from cPanel, you must take a look at the following list of good alternatives.
- VHCS - A free open-source control panel that is an excellent substitute to the cPanel. It has impressive features consisting of domain management and support for server aside from its comprehensive reseller capabilities. It is compatible with Linux distributions such as Fedora, SUSE, CentOS and Debian.
- Web cp - Another open-source solution that is a derivative of Web://cp. This utilizes a four-layer module system which offers support for the server, domain, reselling and e-mail management.
- Webmin - A free control panel that is distributed under an open-source license. It has cluster server management which makes it one of the most popular alternatives to the cPanel.
- Parallel Plesk - Considered as one of the best substitutes to cPanel.
- Baifox - A GPL control panel that is ideal for hosting services management. Its uniqueness lies in its lighter feature as compared to most control panels out there. Baifox offloads the server from work and it is not noisy at all. CPU consumption is low and the server remains unaffected.
- AlternC - An open-source software that is easy to install and use. This is very user-friendly and it is also capable of managing huge hosting services. It provides automatic installation, web-based control panels and configuration.
- Cwipanel - Especially developed to operate on Windows platform. The need for managing hosting services for the specific platform paved the way for the creation of this control panel.
- DTC - the Domain Technology Control (DTC) is an open-source control panel (GPL) that is simple to use. You can use the controls to create subdomains, ftp accounts and e-mails.
- Cube Panel - This is ideal for automating all the operations of your server. It also helps in using the services in faster, better and more efficient way at a cheaper cost.
In searching for an alternative to cPanel, you must remember that price is not the only important factor in your decision-making process. You must also consider if it is open or closed source, user-friendly, well-supported and, most importantly, efficient.
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Multiple domains web hosting
The multiple domains web hosting like that offered by webhostinguk.net is a facility offered by some of the hosting companies for a single hosting account. This method will allow you to save money, as you can buy one hosting account and you can administrate all the sites from here. Besides the fact that this method is time saving, you will also be able to save time, as you will have a single panel from where you can run tasks and you can make modifications to any of your sites.
The best method to obtain maxim benefits is to buy an unlimited web hosting account. Such an account has unlimited storage space, unlimited bandwidth and an unlimited number of domains allowing you to host the sites without worrying that you can exceed the limits. “Unlimited” represents a keyword for the internet business today. What was once an expensive package that was only affordable for some huge sites and companies is now a common package that is available even for the beginner webmasters for a small monthly fee. However, it seems like some web hosting companies abuse the word “unlimited”, so it is better to check the characteristics of each package before buying it, to check if it really offers such unlimited options.
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Tips & Tricks To Using cPanel
To help you out with using your cPanel more effectively and efficiently, here is a list of some very useful tips and tricks that could help you become more adept.
- You must use secure passwords. Experts say that insecure passwords are some of the most common security vulnerability for many servers. The client’s site can be infected, defaced or used to spread viruses if he does not use secure passwords. In general, a password with at least 8 characters that includes grammatical and numerical symbols is a highly recommended password combination.
- Use a secure SSH. You must move your SSH access to a different port because people looking for port 22 can possibly access your server.
- Get a secure apache. One of the best ways to prevent malicious Apache use is by using mod_security. You can easily install this in Addon Modules in the WebHost Manager’s cPanel Section.
- Take time to secure your /tmp partition. Use a separate partition for your /tmp with the use of nosetuid. This will trigger a process to run with the privileges of the executor. Running /scripts/securetmp will mount your /tmp partition into a temporary file for added security.
- Upgrade your mail. If you are using the mail format, make sure to update it into the maildir format because this will add extra security and speed.
- Lock your system’s compilers. You may utilize the Compilers Tweak (within your Webhost manager’s Tweak Security) when turning off compilers use from all unprivileged/unauthorized users or to disable them for specific users.
- Turn off daemons and other unused services. Daemons and other services which allow connection to your server can provide the way for hackers to gain access. Reduce the security risks by disabling all service and daemons that you do not use.
- Use a firewall. Install a firewall to set limitations to access on your server. Also, removing all unused software on your system will bring you a lot of benefits.
- Keep your system updated. Make sure that your system is running on the latest stable version of software to patch up any security issues in the past versions. Take time to update your Kernel, cPanel and WHM, User Applications and System Software.
- Set up subdomains. a subdomain is very useful for people to access subdirectories in your site via a simpler domain name rather than your domain and directory names.
- Set up an FTP account/ File Transfer Protocol (also referred as FTP) is the standard way of transferring files across the web and between computers.
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Common Questions & Answers About VPS Servers
Virtual Private Servers (also known by the acronym VPS) are becoming rapidly popular in this modern age because of their serviceability and great features aside from being user-friendly. However, there is still a gamut of questions and answers about VPS especially among people who are not that adept in this particular web hosting technology. The following is a compilation of the most commonly asked questions and the answers about VPS.
What exactly is a VPS? Virtual Private Servers, also known as Virtual Dedicated Servers, are servers that do not interface directly with the hardware they are running on and can’t interface directly with one another. The server is independent of actual hardware and it is private because all other VPS cannot interact with the processes of its file system.
Do I need to use a VPS?- There is a good chance that using a VPS is beneficial for you and your budget as compared to other hosting services available today. Assess your needs and check out whether the VPS is idea for you.
How long does it take to set up an account on VPS? In general, VPS hosting accounts are provisioned and ready to use after a few minutes of placing your order.
How do you calculate the bandwidth usage? Downstream and upstream bandwidth leave VPSLink datacenter, and this is monitored and aggregated for the IPs registered to your account.
Is it possible to install a 3rd party control panel? Yes, you will be able to enjoy full functionality of your control panel along with the VPS.
Is it possible to host multiple websites? You can host as many virtual hosting accounts as you want.
Can I update the software myself? Yes, the root access on your VPS account will allow you to do so.
Will I be able to add more users and will they have root permissions? You can create as many users as you like but the extensive control panel will let you limit their permissions and usage of resources.
Can other users crash the server? The advanced virtualization technology allows you to isolate your VPS completely to another, so other users won’t be able to affect your VPS.
Can I create backup for my VPS? Yes, you can do some maintenance and backup within your control panel.
How can I restore my VPS when it is malfunctioning after the maintenance I have performed on it? You can restore it by just clicking a button from your VPS control panel.
If my VPs isn’t responding and I can’t SSH into it, what should I do? Stop and start your VPS from your VPS control panel.
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