Thinking Of Using Your Hosting Account For Backup? Think Again
Keeping your data backups onsite can be risky. If there’s ever a fire or a robbery, you could lose both – your backup copy and your master copy. Of course, shipping your backup tapes or DVDs to an off-site location every day can also be inconvenient.
That’s why so many people today are choosing to send their backup data, over the internet, to an off-site storage facility.
Given that Web Hosting prices are so cheap, it can be tempting to use your web hosting account as an online file storage or backup device for your home computer. After all, you can now get unlimited disk space and bandwidth for as little as four dollars per month.
But before you start uploading the entire contents of your hard drive, there are a few things you need to keep in mind…
Check the fine print in your hosting contract. Most Web Hosts have explicit clauses prohibiting the use of your web server as an online backup device.
If you upload copyrighted materials to your web server, you face the risk of having your account suddenly terminated without notice.
Is privacy important to you? Then you need to consider that files stored on your server can also be potentially accessed by nosy strangers online. This exposes you to the possibility of identity theft and privacy breaches.
Because FTP doesn’t support block-level incremental uploads like an online backup service would, your backups will take forever to transmit. This could also slow down your internet connection and cause problems with your ISP.
This method of backup only supports a single “point-in-time” file version. If you accidentally save over an important file or get a virus, you’ll have no way of recovering your data.
In recent years, a lot of new specialized online backup companies have appeared on the market. There’s such a wide range of price points and feature sets that you’re bound to find something that’s just right for your particular requirements.
In fact, many web hosts today also offer online backup solutions in addition to their regular website hosting services. If you do a bit of research, you might even be able to get a special deal by bundling this software with your web hosting subscription.
This is a much better and safer alternative to the do-it-yourself approach.
Article Provided by Storagepipe Solutions. They provide email archiving and online backup software for businesses of all sizes. Storagepipe also offers reseller programs that allow web hosts to offer their own white-label online backup solutions.
For a complete list of suitable online backup and web hosting providers, please visit FindMyHost.com, an online research and review panel that objectively grades all web hosting companies. Only approved hosts are allowed in to the database. Search consumer web hosting reviews and much more.
Ten Easy Steps To A New Host
1. Find a new host and don’t rush into anything.
Assuming you haven’t committed to a long-term hosting contract you can start looking for a new host at any time. When you are ready to move, don’t rush to give your money away only because the host’s website looks trendy or they are having a promotional offer. Instead, be sure to do research website hosting at places like FindMyHost.com and internet forums. Another good indicator of a host’s credibility is to check out the type of clients they are hosting. Be sure to check that the host’s IP addresses are not listed on Spamhaus, SBL, and other blacklists to avoid dealing with a company that hosts spammers. DNSStuff.com has great tools for verifying that a company’s IP addresses are clean. To get the company’s IP address, you can usually just ping their website and use that IP address in your research. If the host’s IP’s are blacklisted, chances are your outbound e-mails from your e-commerce store won’t ever get to your customer. Your e-mails to your customer will probably never make it either.
2. Make a full backup of your existing system.
You should be doing this at least a few times a week already, but if you haven’t now is the time to make a backup. This means that you should segment your backup checklist into the following categories:
Downloading all your source code from your web directory to your local computer.
Making a MySQL dump from your current host, using the command line or the backup tool in phpMyAdmin.
Don’t forget to export or save your SSL certificate if you have one. You should backup all associated SSL files, particularly the “csr” and “key” files, otherwise you may have to pay for a certificate all over again.
3. Take inventory of installed modules, plugins, and extensions.
Having the right plugins is just as important as having your data and there is a possibility that your application may not work if modules like curl, gd, imagemagick, and other popular PHP extensions aren’t installed.
4. Open an account with the new web host and install your application.
In this step you should upload all your source code and import the database to the new host.
Upload your files and import the database. Make sure the permissions of the folders on the new host match the permissions on the old host (i.e. 777, etc.)
Make sure to save all the login credentials about your new host in a secure place.
Modify your configuration files to point to the database at the new host provided in the control panel or your welcome e-mail.
If you have an SSL certificate which needs to be installed, do it in this step. You may get warnings about the domain and the certificate being invalid, that’s alright because you haven’t pointed your domain to the new server yet.
5. Test your application until you feel comfortable that it works properly.
Check things like error logs to make sure you aren’t missing any modules. If you are, refer to the initial plugin list you made and install or request the extensions before switching over to the new host. If applicable, make sure to place several orders to confirm that your shopping cart works.
6. Setup your e-mail boxes on the new host.
If you are using Gmail as an external MX server this step should not affect you. Otherwise, add all the e-mail accounts you need, set the passwords, and store them in a secure place. You should also test e-mail connectivity by specifying the IP address of the POP/SMTP server of your host to make sure you can send and receive e-mails.
7. Set a switch-over date and time and make sure your team is available for the migration.
This step is an important planning step because it prepares you and your team for the transition. By setting a firm date and time you’ll reduce your cost, time, and stress because you won’t be running and searching for people on a Friday night.
8. Point your DNS to the new host’s DNS servers.
If you’ve switched hosts in the past, you probably already know that this is done through the registrar of your domain name. In some instances this can be your old hosting company, but more frequently it’s GoDaddy, Register.com, 1and1, or others. Don’t forget to take into consideration that DNS settings take time to update. In light of this, you may want to replace your default page (like index.html or index.php) to point directly to the new IP address. Alternatively, update your default page to say that the website is currently down for scheduled maintenance, or if your website has no backend database, leave the old website up and running so the transition is seamless for your customers.
9. Test your site for a week on your new host before terminating your old plan.
Although you may pay for an extra week, the wait is well worth it in case something goes terribly wrong. Confirm that the site is running properly and without error for up to one week. If you run into problems or things start to break, you will be able to move back to your old host immediately so that you do not experience extended downtime.
10. Cancel your old hosting plan.
Some will argue that this is the easiest step in the process, however, you may prove them otherwise. Like any other establishment, Web Hosting don’t enjoy losing customers even if they are at fault. Don’t fall victim to extended sales pitches such as:
“We’ll give you an extra month or two for free if you stay with us.”
“We’ll waive your previous balance if you stay with us.”
“Hold on a minute, my manager says I can upgrade you to a better plan at no extra charge if you stay with us.”
If you still have doubts make sure to remind yourself of all the reasons you are moving hosts: terrible support, constant down time, slow network, packet loss, billing issues, bad hardware, takes forever to set up an account, etc.
Summary: Be skeptical of anything a new host promises you. Larger Web Hosts may cost more money and may care less about losing your business. On the other hand, they may have better support infrastructures, equipment, personnel, and networks. If you aren’t sure about which host to select visit www.findmyhost.com to view a list of certified web hosting providers. Have a website that is complex or do not know how to perform the migration? We recommend hiring an independent professional like Dan Khasis at www.dankhasisllc.com to assist with the move. Dan is available 1-212-201-0714 for a free 30 minute consultation.
When Maintaining A Website Do Not Always Go With Cheap Webhosting
If you're looking to maintain a website but are worried about the cost, you may want to consider cheap reseller hosting. This is an arrangement where someone buys space in a host's server in bulk and for very little money, and then turns around and rents it out to others. By doing this they can pass the savings onto those customers of theirs, and that third party can maintain their website for much less money than they would pay otherwise.
This might seem like a great opportunity for someone that needs to save as much money as possible with a website. However, like anything else, you often get what you pay for and need to think about some serious considerations as well. Let's take a look at some of those considerations here.
The maintenance and upkeep of servers is one consideration with regards to cheap reseller hosting. Note that the party that rents this hosting space to you is not the same as the one that actually maintains the servers. This means that any problems that arise are forwarded to the original company that owns the servers, and there could be a bit of downtime in looking after technical issues.
And downtime is a problem with regards to a website. A potential customer that tries to find your site and gets and error message will mean lost business, not just right then, but later on as well. Do you know the chances they'll come back to your site in the future in case you do get it installed and operating again?
The space you're allotted can also be an issue. Someone that is involved in cheap reseller hosting may give each customer only so much space since they themselves have limited space on those servers. This means that any large file you're trying to upload or any large chunks of information you want to store may be compromised.
Imagine how this might be an issue if you wish to run an web hosting php site. Most customers appreciate having their credit card information stored if they will shop repeatedly at a site, yet you may be unable to do this with a reseller. Other information such as their address, shopping history, and so forth may also not be allowed if you don't have enough allotted memory.
Very often the main concern of the party that is reselling the hosting space is getting new customers. They're not typically concerned about the maintenance of the servers and the space since it's not theirs and they don't handle these issues. This is a prime concern for anyone that is looking to maintain a consistent, strong web presence.
web hosting sites may seem like a viable option for maintaining a web presence on a tight budget, but there are many valid concerns that must be taken into consideration before choosing this option. The web hosting reviews is one click away.
Choosing The Right Type Of Web Hosting Service
There are various types of internet hosting services and it all depends on what you wish to accomplish in constructing your internet website for your business. You ought to examine the various choices that rely on these following factors:
Complexity of your internet site – You will need to talk to a developer on the complexity of your internet web site, particularly when it comes to graphics and database administration. You'll have to consult with an web specialist on the kind of hosting that you just need.
Some web hosting services are provided free but you have got to put up with advertisements that are on the top or bottom of your internet web site and those types of ads might not be conducive to the internet site that you have developed. If you're going to get a website with advertisements, then get a free internet hosting package that matches with the web ad that’s already there.
Free hosting also has low bandwidth on the net because of loads of individuals using the free service instead of the paid service. Essentially, you also get a free web email account with free hosting services.
Then there's hosting that you pay for that you've got much more control over once you load and host your internet site. You get POP mail access and can produce as many emails as you want to which depends on the type of account that you just pay for.
Every business has unique packages for each and every need. From personal to business servers, even servers for special types of operating systems (UNIX, Windows, Linux and Apple) the choices vary depending on what you wish to do.
The prices rely on how much space you would like on the server to load your applications thus you've got to take into consideration what you want to put on the server through your web-site.
I suggest looking on-line for web hosting reviews, these internet sites are great for pointing out the differences between web hosting sites and provides you a better educated decision when selecting the proper web host for your company.
How To Locate The Top Web Hosting Corporations
With thousands of web hosting companies in the market it will be troublesome if not impossible to understand which web site hosting firms really give an wonderful hosting solution at an excellent cost. When you have got an established domain name with a smart web hosting corporation, you'll be able to get information on your traffic and which of your pages your customers are visiting most often, as well as many other information.
Your internet host can charge you a fee for monthly service that ranges from ten or $20 to the more costly fifty per month. Arrange to pay between three hundred and five hundred per year to your web host.
Always steer clear of free or terribly inexpensive internet hosting services, for the reason that you'll experience bouts of server downtimes and you're likely to have significant limitations in storage space, number of electronic message addresses, FTP upload etc.
Be sure your web host can accommodate e-commerce and storefronts, wireless capability, blogs, forums, chats, on-line interactive helps and whatever else you wish to feature onto your web-site.
Estimate what your growth needs are and ensure that this internet host will serve you as you grow. The last thing you want to do is switch host mid way unless you absolutely have to so.
Check your bandwidth capability to make sure that, if your web site traffic grows quickly, your clients will not have to wait to download or read information. Four things to look for in a web hosting company are:
1. Excellent Client Support: Your hosting supplier ought to be there for you twenty-four/seven and provide you instant access to the technicians you would like to resolve your problem. Ask them how long it takes for them to typically answer your problem. A good check is to phone them in the mid of the knight to test if you get to a live, level 3 support.
2. A Sound Infrastructure: Check whether they provide a multi-homed network powered by multiple bandwidth providers to make sure redundancy. Some offer a hundred% promise on its network availability or network uptime.
3. Financial Stability: If you're running terribly crucial operations, you can't afford to be with a hosting company which will not be in business in a few months.
4. Web Hosting Reviews: You'll be able to even "Goggle" web hosting reviews. These websites have already done the troublesome work for you, you may be able to seek out the simplest internet hosting sites and who has the most effective cheap web hosting.
