Build a Website: Finding a Home for Your Site

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After you develop your website, you will have to decide where to host it. Your files must reside on a web server that is connected to the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The server can be a computer located in your home or office, or you can use a web hosting service. A hosting service takes care of the technical details, allowing you to concentrate on publishing your site. These days, most web publishers use a hosting service. Either way though, there are pros and cons to consider. In-House vs. Out-of-House Web servers are becoming easier to configure and run, but still require considerable time and technical know-how to manage, not to mention the cost of the equipment itself. If you're just starting out, or you have a relatively small site, we recommend that you go with a hosting service. (Your Internet service provider may also provide this service.) It definitely will save you time and money. Many individuals and companies start by placing their site with a hosting service. As the site becomes larger and more complex, you can reassess the situation to see if it makes sense to host the site in-house. If you are looking for cheap web hosting for your personal website or hosting for a corporate site like dedicated servers - you can always find it at WebHostingSearch. With a hosting service you will not have to incur the expense of hardware or software which can run anywhere from US $2,000 to US $10,000 or more, depending on the type of equipment. You also won't have to hire someone to administer the site, although you might want to retain a consultant part-time to help with ongoing maintenance. If you don't own your own hardware or already have dedicated staff, the difference in costs for your first year can be dramatic. With equipment and personnel, running your own server could cost you US $50,000 or more; going out-of-house will cost you much less, perhaps under US $500. Keep in mind that regardless of whether you do it yourself or go out-of-house, you are still responsible for the cost of generating your own content and maintaining the site. Costs vary significantly depending on the kind of services you require, for instance, e-commerce, and whether you want a dedicated web server or a shared server. Development and maintenance costs also rise dramatically as the size and complexity of your site increases. The more traffic your site generates, the more expensive it may become to use an out-of-house provider if you have to pay for bandwidth. If your company already has a robust computer system and an in-house system administrator who has the time to administer the site, running your own server might be a better option. For details on the art and science of webmastering, visit Web Reference. Another option is co-location. With co-location, a hosting service physically maintains your computer at their facility. This is a good option if you can afford to buy your own equipment, but don't want the hassle of maintaining a 24-hour per day, uninterrupted network connection. Next Page  Learn the Net (www.learnthenet.com) is Copyright 1996-2008. Michael Lerner Productions. All Rights Reserved.