Basic Hosting Features
If there's one word in the world of hosting that misleads
the naive surfer, it's "unlimited". To put
things into perspective, there is nothing a Web host
can offer you that is unlimited. It may be unmetered,
or unrestricted (limited only by the specifications
of the server), but never unlimited.
Be wary of hosts that make heavy use of this word: it's
a marketing ploy that many people have fallen for, particularly
when they haven't done much background research. Typically,
servers that offer unlimited bandwidth and disk space
tend to be over-subscribed and the service they provide
can be negatively affected as a result.
1. Disk Space
All hosting accounts offer a certain amount of disk
space that you can use to store your files. Exactly
what is and is not counted as disk space usage will
vary from host to host, so make sure you check exactly
which files you'll need to allow for when deciding
the disk quota you'll need.
It would be a good idea to have some sort of estimates
on the space you'll need for various tasks. How much
space will you need for storing your email, Web files,
databases and log files? Breaking down your usage
like this will make the task of work out how much
space you should go for (once you know exactly what
files are counted towards your disk quota) much simpler.
All plans will certainly include all your Web-accessible
files when calculating disk usage. Some hosts will
also choose to include email and/or logs in the quota,
which can make estimating your disk space requirements
more difficult. While you may have a good idea of
the disk space needed for your web files, your email
and log file needs probably change constantly.
Should a host include all types of file storage in
the quota, check to see if you can switch off your
logs or exclude particular information. If the option
is available it may save you a lot of disk space,
particularly if you have a busy site. However, if
you want to use a statistics package, you will need
to allow space for some logging to take place.
If you enable your logs then it is also worth remembering
that you might not be able to delete a log file from
the server until the server has stopped writing to
it. Daily logs are fairly manageable if you remember
to log in and download and delete them regularly.
Problems with monthly logs can arise if you underestimate
your log space needs, and then find you can't delete
the file until the end of the month. This could easily
lead to an extra charge if you aren't careful.
If your email settings and inboxes are included in
your disk quota, it might be an idea to set a maximum
size for each mailbox if possible. This will save
you from storing too much mail on the server and inadvertently
going over your limit.
2. Email Accounts
Email accounts are a common feature of hosting, particularly
if you host a domain. Some hosts will give you control
over your mail settings, putting restrictions on mail
activities (for example, the number of accounts or
maximum size of mail boxes) on the server side. Other
hosts will do all the set up for you, even though
setting up new mail accounts can be easier than you
think with the right software support.
How you configure your email is a matter of personal
preference, but there are essentially four main types
of mail accounts; POP3, forwarding, aliases and autoresponders.
POP3 accounts are the traditional "inboxes".
You have storage space on a server for your mail,
and you use an email program to log in and download
your mail. Each login and password combination usually
equates to one account. This works a bit like an office
inbox, and the mail is left there until you do something
with it. If the inbox is full then your mail can't
be stored, and will bounce.
Forwarding mail accounts are useful if, for instance,
you want to send your mail to an email filters service
like SpamCop before you receive it. Rather than store
it on your mail server, it will redirect all mail
to another single email address which will deal with
it appropriately. This kind of account is useful for
redirecting your emails to a common POP3 box.
Aliases are names that can be used to identify different
types of email account, redirecting them to POP3 mailboxes
on the server or other addresses, where they are processed
again if necessary. What happens to the emails will
depend on who they're being sent to. A catch-all alias
is often used to collect and deal with email sent
to people or departments that are not recognised by
your mail server.
Autoresponders are not an email account in their own
right, however they do have their own email address
and simply reply to anyone that emails them for information.
They are useful if you want to send out pre-prepared
information to people who request it, as opposed to
you having to reply to all the requests manually.
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