The problem faced by beginners now a day is how to rely on a web host review when thousands are there. It is really impossible for anyone to review the thousands of web host out there, but it is in one’s favour if the user bases his/her web host review on high in demand providers. It is a fact that there are many top marketers having their own server, and one can’t afford to pay $200 or more monthly for one’s own server.

In this article we are going to discuss on the things which are helpful in preventing web host shut down and the ways by which one can learn how to use the forums to find recommendation for choosing a right web hosting provider.

For a beginner it is really difficult to digest that even the forums given are not very helpful. These forums are posted by people who are not having any good experience by the company.

Following are the four tips one should follow to get a good web host review:

1) Say no to unlimited domain names: One should always keep in mind not to go for unlimited domain names. Whenever a user creates a new account a provider automatically divide up his/her hosting bandwidth, it means that if one is just having 40 Gigs of bandwidth and he/she opts to divide it up by four domain names, in that case he/she must have used up all his/her bandwidth. Thus addition in any domain name will exceed the bandwidth as well. This is the policy adopted by cheap web hosting providers. By this way cheap hosting providers charges unlimited for extra bandwidth and user has to pay as he/she is not having any other choice. Thus one needs to be very careful regarding this matter.

2) Say yes to monthly payments: It is quite often that web hosting providers offer cheap prices in case user is making yearly payment. However in that case user will be in great loss as after paying the yearly amount he/she has already tied up with the company and now they will provide the services which are just useless and user have to accept it. Thus one should go with a company that is offering quarterly or monthly payment plan with money back guarantee.

3) First test by sending email: One should first test by sending a simple introductory email to check the response time. The response time of the host provider will tell everything about his/her services.

4) Ask for refund: One should always keep all the receipts safely and at any time if his/her site gets shut down, he/she should ask for refund from the provider if the payment is paid in advance. One should immediately file the complaint and should do all to get valuable money back.

Thus after keeping all the above 4 points in mind one will surely know how to get rid of problems and will safe his/her valuable money.

For beginner root knowledge to web hosting is essential, he/she should have a satisfactory explanation of the questions like:

1.Web host- it’s meaning?

2. What are the platforms available for host server? Distinguishing between various servers?

3. What is meant by bandwidth?

4. What is meant by a domain name? By what way one can get it?

5. The way one can create web pages.

6. Scripting languages- their meaning? What are their applications?

7. What is meant by FTP?

8. What features are essential for one’s website?

For a user whose intention is to opt a personal website just to publish few pictures and text can even move on to low priced web hosting providers or even to free hosting providers to fulfill his/her requirements.

But it is not going to happen when user possess a business site to promote sales and services, rather one needs to be very careful while dealing with a new web host. One needs to do through investigation before reaching to any form of conclusion. There is nothing when after spending so much time, effort and money user is not finding the site prepared to catch the clients required for the business purposes.

There are several features related to web hosting like storage capacity, bandwidth, platform and scripting languages about which user should have knowledge as early as possible.

After all these procedures the user will get the final list of hosts whose provided features will match user’s requirements but before coming to any of the final conclusion one should inquire about host’s past history, present and past client’s experiences and reviews. All these efforts will definitely influence user’s decision in a positive manner.

There is no assurance that while looking for any of the information such as “best web hosting” or “top 10 hosting companies” on the search engines will provide the user accurate information. This is because ranking on such reviews sites will be on the basis of the companies paying higher commissions to their affiliates.

One can say that after short listening of choices the task had not become easier rather tougher because now user needs to be very alert in every aspect. One has to evaluate them on certain measures, which might take a long period to complete the overall process.

The following are the Sources of information on which one can rely:

1. Minimum three honest and unbiased review sites.

2. Several reviews from several forums.

3. Feedback from customers.

Review Sites:

Review sites can be a key weapon to reach a very near to the actual search. It is particularly recommended for those whom search utility is based on price, space, bandwidth, and Operating Server. Which can be definitely time beneficial for the user.

One should not opt for the review sites mentioning “top 10” or like that. Instead of that user should look for client based review sites. One should evaluate at least three sites to evaluate reviews and opinions. User should remain alert while going through customer reviews as some of them are only meant to trap new comers.

Hosting Forums:

Known to be one of the prime sources of reviews and opinions, these are the open places (forums) where a client can frankly write his/her estimations and belief. But, this also suffers from drawbacks, as due to be an open place a service provider can praise his/her hosting company and competitors can use it as a weapon to damage the public image of other service providing companies. In few of the forums, such activities are not allowed. However, Moderators keep a good look on such activities, but still one cannot assure 100% guarantee of their honesty and credibility. Thus one should keep this thing in mind and then should go on with his/her search.

One can have several forums from search engines. It is quite common that almost all forums are having a search services from which one can search for his/her candidate hosting provider’s name or URL. If one gets something interesting, he/she should continue reading them as much as possible. However if one does not get any results then too there is no need to worry. In that case one can post a thread asking for customer reviews about the intended provider(s). Last but not the least, again the whole thing depends upon the prudence of user.

Customer’s feedback

There are several web hosts listing samples of their customers. Some others are there having forums on their websites for support, where one can find the real case studies where there is an issue raised by real customers and the way is given, how the company dealt it. The thing to consider is there is given the addresses of some customers. One should try to contact those customers to find the reliability of the company’s service and support.

Thus now after all these things it can be assumed that user is in a position to take right decision in order to escape from problems afterwards.

Defining Web Host.

A web host is a service provider that places websites of its customers on a server, which is connected to Internet.

For proving this facility a web hosting provider is generally having high-speed Internet connection as they have to host thousand of web sites on many servers depending upon requirement. Essentially the host providers rent out space where a user can get his website made available to whole world through www i.e. World Wide Web.

The best part of web hosting facility is that now its easy to manage the website even for a layman as all the technical aspects like maintenance of complicated server technology, technical maintenance etc us now the work of these providers. Now one can easily focus on his own Internet business for rest there is host provider.

Now coming to the point following are the features offered.

Features

The followings are the features available in most web hosting plans:

? Control Panel

A control panel is an interface by which access of website on web server is made possible, it helps in setting up and constantly updating as well as customizing the website. Some host providers customize their own control panel so as to enable them to upgrade and expand it when and where required.

? Disk space

Most of the sites that have less data or graphics or video clips or big downloadable files can use 50MB of disk space easily. This helps in further growth for reseller as he can use that space of host providers for other purpose.

? Bandwidth

It is the amount of data sends or received through a unit of time. When a visitor downloads files from website on his own computer then that time it is the bandwidth which is making that possible.

? Email Account

With the use of POP3 email accounts one can check email from Outlook, Netscape Mail, Eudora or any other Email software.

? Scripting language

As now the latest technology is based on Unix and Linux platform only host that support latest versions languages like php, perl and CGI must be selected as that can only provide the optimum utilization of money one is paying.

? Database

For displaying big amount of data like user accounts, stock prices, maps, Interactive news, message boards and forum etc that should be accessible also there is a need for an account that offers a database. For this MySQL, most popular and powerful built on Linux operating system is used. Besides language, many other features are also there like ability to handle millions of entries all at once, flexibility and speed allowing storage of logs and big pictures, ability to scale well under heavy traffic conditions that all together makes MySQL ideal for database-intensive or e-commerce-enabled Web sites.

Customer Support

Customer support is also an important criterion while selecting a good web host service and it is equally important both for an expert as well as a layman.

Following are the essentials for a good support system:

? size of the database.

Size of the database is an important feature as it helps in providing quick search for any answer and thus helps in getting solution of any problem without even bothering customer support staff. If the database is large its easy to search for information from it. Some web host providers even provide video tutorial guide, which helps in step-by-step setting up of account even for a layman.

? efficient customer staff

In order to get fast and good response quick customer support is a must. The following are few forms of customer support:

a. Email support

b. Phone support: Generally for sales and technique aspect it is used. A well-equipped and knowledgeable staff knows and problems and provide with immediate and relevant remedy without wastage of time.

Clove Chat support: Some web host companies like Lunar pages and Globat even have live chat support for their customers, but irrespective of how many support channels a company is offering its more important that the available staff is responsive to the need.

Price calculation on basis of ratio of Disk space to Bandwidth ratio What is the amount that one must pay depends upon the disk space and bandwidth that is available with the host plan. Thus price must be ascertained keeping in mind the above two factors.

Popularity

Besides all of the above features it’s all in vain if web host is not offering an effective marketing plan. It is so because if a web host provider is not having good customers or members as well as steady growth of them, then it’s not possible for them to survive in this competitive world.

The popularity of a particular web-hosting provider can be judged by the number of awards won as well as the reviews of other websites and also from the ranking in Alexa traffic.

All the hosting providers listed on our Top 10 Cheap Web Hosting Directory are among the top 40,000 most visited websites in the world.

Trustworthiness, Speed and Uptime Guarantee

For any company if its website is not available or accessible, then it tends to not only loosing of customer but also it hampers credibility therefore its important to check if web host provider is guaranteeing at least 99% uptime. However to ensure maximum uptime, installation of redundant back-up systems is quite important “Redundant means having an alternative Internet connection on the verge of interruption of main Internet connection. It tends to minimize downtime and is a part of host provider’s management system For a matter of speed, how fast a site is depends upon the types of network connections. Other matters like routing, web server set up and local area networks also play an important part but still they are after the factor of Internet connection.

Many hosting providers still connect to the Internet through T1, or T3 connections. However the best one would be one using OC (Optical Carrier) lines.

A T1 line offers data transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second), while a T3 line supplies data transfer rates of 43Mbps. OC-1 refers to a circuit that transmits 51.85Mbps. Higher levels are multiples of that speed. Ultra-High Speed OC3 and OC12 lines offer 155Mbps and 622Mbps respectively. Some hosting providers have connections to major Internet backbones at the speed of OC48 (2488Mbps) and OC96 (4976Mbps).

Tips to consider while choosing quality web host:

1. Support

Top priority should be given to the web hosting service that provides support 24 hours / day, 7 days / week, 365 days / year to the user. The reason for this is that one needs his/her website up and running at all times which allows the maintenance in sales. If the condition arises when one’s website is down then it could cost the user a lot of money, and even not to mention, visitors who cannot access the site. If the user has a problem at 6 A.M. on Christmas Day, and he requires contacting the web host support and having it taken care of. No doubt, this is a mark of a good web hosting company. Also, one should not just believe on the words of promise but should also judge their responsive potential through a couple of test calls at off hours and weekends.

2. Contact Information

One should possess all the important contact information for his/her web host. In the condition when this sort of information is unavailable, then he/she will most likely have problems for a long period of time. When the host does not provide user a way to contact them in the period of problem or need help then the user may need to wait for several days before his/her problems gets resolved. No doubt, this is intolerable in any sort of condition. In the situation, when contact information is not listed online, one should keep searching for hosts.

3. Free more expensive than paid

When the user is developing a website for business purposes, his/her own URL is the top most trustworthy and which provide real website support that one pay for. The user preferring free web hosts will definitely bring the user into a condition when he/she will loose both bucks as well as business since customers will not take care of someone’s business who do not take care of his/her own site.

4. E-mail

One should inquire that his/her web host supports electronic mail and permits multiple addresses or not. One would certainly need it in business so one would definitely desire a server that supports this. In the situation when scarcity of it prevails, one should search for an ideal host because most good web hosts permits for electronic mail addresses.

5. Room for the Server and Bandwidth

Sufficient server space is one of the key aspects for one’s website to flourish. Bandwidth is another key aspect because the more bandwidth the host has, means the sooner one’s page loads, and which indirectly means that more customers rush towards the site because of it’s capability to respond quickly.

In today’s world Webhosting has become a part of the informational revolution brought by the Internet and it has become compulsory for both business and also individuals.

Here we are just going to point on few things related to choosing an adequate web host for a web site as there is no need explaining why a website is a must on World Wide Web. This business might seem very complicated but once one knows what to look for it is easy to find out. Stick to ones requirements after analyzing it properly.

Many inexperienced web owners often buy more than required while evaluating their needs in terms of space and bandwidth. Thus many web-hosting providers size their web servers taking this into account as this is exceptionally common and in fact over sell the space and bandwidth assuming that customers will never make full use of it.

Ask ones web host provider per server ration to avoid web hosts that result to just that or crowed their web servers to get an extra profit per customer. To become a clever buyer one should do this with all the other companies one finds interesting to do business with and are eligible to host web site. Never buy a web-hosting plan that fits just perfectly instead always leave some space as website is like a living creature which always grows so buy a little extra space so that when website is expanded one have resources available. Always leave margin for error too as supposing the initial bandwidth evaluation proves itself insufficient then one might not be able to use its website because of exceeded bandwidth. For both knowledgeable and less knowledgeable web owners most web hosting plans come packed with features and some even offer pre-installed scripts and programs that might come handy.

Do not forget things actually required like the OS (Operating System) or the PHP support, as one could consider any extra feature a plus. Do not allow the provider to tell something not required or is less than expected so one should decide of its own what is needed.

Importance of Support: – One might overlook Support facility when one finds an offer which is suitable both in terms of space, bandwidth and has all other facilities which one needs but remember all the good features will go in vein if one does not have good support. If the web-hosting provider is too careless then any technical problem, which arises, will take long hours to be solved even after making many support help calls thus curtailing the work.

If one wants to test the quality and how responsive the support personnel is then one should fire many pre-sales questions through email. Check if the response fact is enough. Now supposing that a conference has to be attended and the site is down and many clicks are expected, check if the website is online to get them and also whether the response one is getting from the support is thorough or is just scratching the surface and is the response understandable.

Look for these qualities when looking for good support: -

-Online support staff, help desk, message boards etc.

-Try to find on forums or discussion boards Information on the reputation of a web-

hosting provider.

-Would one like to be among one those discontented customers there?

Another aspect of the problem is reliability. Company’s web server’s uptime should be asked. Usually 99.9% of uptime is guaranteed by Most of the hosts, as 100% is not a realistic figure in the computer world. This guarantee means that, the money will be refunded for that month or free webhosting will be given for a month as compensation for web site being unavailable if the web site was not available 99.9% of the time.

Our sincere advice to everyone looking for web host provider is don’t try too hard to find the cheapest possible web host though it is true that one has to pay for paid web hosting. Still if one goes for cheaper one then within two weeks from the date of purchase one will stumble upon a better deal and thus will most likely end-up wasting an incredible amount of time. On the other hand paying extra amount to get what one could have got for less is also not a good deal. Getting 200 MB of space with 2 GB of bandwidth for $60 one is getting cheated and at the same time getting same service for $6 or $10 can be a good deal. A thin line between Nightmare of getting slow server response, unreachable support and irritating server downtime and Profitable and enjoyable web presence is drawn by individuals’ themselves.

So we conclude saying one should always choose ones web-hosting provider vigilantly who can live up the promises and can deliver good quality web hosting!

However, what can be the answer if someone inquires from the core of the heart about the question, what is WEB HOSTING? The answer will be it is the capability to move a certain business or information, product content, research to the Internet. And if one talk about a web host then he/ she is the person who offers web-hosting services to clients, persons, business etc. so something clear?? NOT then proceed further.

There are several advantages of the web hosting, some of which are given below:

1. Through this one can advertise views upon the business and potentials on the internet; in the current scenario every one desires to have more Information, not restricted to a specific thing but related to beyond the boundary of familiar or unfamiliar thing. It can be anything from Tourism to potential businesses, or the safest Banks etc

2. Besides this it is also a source of revenue for the people who can play the role of resellers for web hosting companies or perform as server based Network or Affiliates to other web hosting companies who pay commissions to such clients.

One cannot deny the fact that, till now the hosting business flourishes in millions dollars business because of its increasing importance for the people by the day. A user can increase his/her chances of success by selecting the hosting companies that provides extra services like free domains or web space, web designing script management, web templates etc. Another key aspect to concern for the user is how to explore out an ideal web host? As fake mirages are shown to the user by several web companies to trap clients and which results in destruction of several businesses.

If one talks about the method to eradicate such sort of problems, then the probable solution which come in front is listening and speaking to people who have hosted their services on Internet, and inquiring from them the efficiency of their web host. The user should not get astonished towards a host just because it is cheap but should confirm all the departments before coming onto a conclusion. When some web hosts are quite sluggish to upload, others enjoy several profits because of having an attentive attitude. One cannot deny the fact that, the quantity of such sites are nil which enjoy 100% tension free operation, however the real aspect is that how many times one’s site is down. Another aspect is that one should not be come to the judgment of changing the web host rather should lay the problem in front of people who are experienced of facing and tackling such problems.

In such situations user should act patiently without selecting and terminating a host so quickly. It is not a single case, but a universal truth that everyone wants to be in the race without lagging behind and decides to change the host if the trouble exists for a longer period of time.

First of all, cheap web hosting is just like expensive web hosting in just about every way. However, cheap web hosting costs less than the expensive one. So why would someone choose to get the more costly one over the cheap one? Well, this has to do with one major important factor. That is the fact that some people do not like to shop around. When you first start searching for web hosting companies, it is very easy to come across the higher costing ones first. A lot of people tend to think that you have to buy expensive if you want it to be any good. However, what they do not know is that most cheapweb hosting companies offer the same plans as the expensive sites, just at different prices. If you are willing to look around a bit, you can find cheap web hosting at great prices!

The real choice you are going to have to make is what kind of tools you want with your web site. Do you want unlimited space and unlimited bandwidth? These are a few features that cheapweb hosting companies normally do not offer (some do, but not too many of them do). Thus, if you need that much space, then expensive web hosting companies are the way to go. Of course, do keep in mind that most cheap web hosting companies are big enough to support small businesses and any kind of personal web site that you could ever want to run.

In the end, it’s clear that cheap web hosting is really the better choice of the two. Unless you are in a big hurry, and you do not have the time to look for a good cheap web hosting company, then you should always go with the cheap company. In the end, you are saving yourself money, and you are still getting the overall same features.

First, let me help you understand who a web host is. A Web host is a company that sells you space on the internet to hold your web site for others to view. This is absolutely needed to get your web site online. Unfortunately it is very time consuming and expensive to host your own web site through your own home or business. On top of obtaining a host, you must grab a domain name. A domain name is your web site address on the internet. Many popular domain names are already taken, so it is imperative to do some research in this area. We recommend you pick a domain name with your main key terms within it. If you are a hair salon with the name Curly, a great name would be curlyhairsalon.com. You can research domain names by simply searching the internet for a provider.

Once you have purchased a domain name, you must now look through the internet for a cheap web hosting provider. My recommendation is that you simply search for this term in the internet and you are sure to find some great companies. It is a good idea to follow up with some research about the company. You can look up the host online to find reviews and ratings. This will help to protect you from getting in to a relationship with a bad hosting company.

You must also watch out for companies that give you a good discount only for a few months, or hosting companies that make you pay a large amount in advance to get a discount. There are plenty of providers on the internet that are willing to give you great service paying month to month at a cheap price.

You may be asking, what makes a hosting company be high in quality? This is simple, you need to look for a company that offers telephone support, over 98% up time guarantee and good email customer service. These three things will save you a lot of time and hassle when building your web site. Feel free to call the company and ask a few questions to feel them out. I personally have done this and it is quite effective.

When you choose a cheap web hosting company, they will ask for your domain name. Once you setup your hosting, you need to find someone to build your web site for you. Or else you must read on the internet how to build and upload your web site through something called FTP.

That is it, hopefully you all can find a great deal on your internet services. Shop around, be frugal and get that great bargain.

When shared Web hosts are sufficient

Shared Web hosting refers to multiple Web sites sharing space on a single server. This option is typically the best solution for smaller Web sites that do not have excessive traffic. Paying for a dedicated server with managed hosting can become costly and is unnecessary for small sites.

When you opt for shared hosting, you purchase a package from a Web hosting company that includes a certain amount of space and bandwidth on the company’s server. Web host servers are large and powerful, and have sufficient room and bandwidth capacity to host multiple Web sites. This option is cost effective, yet still allows the Web site owner access to a powerful server. Typically, shared hosting agreements grant a sufficient amount of bandwidth and space to fulfill your Web needs; running out of space shouldn’t be a concern unless you experience extreme spikes in traffic to the site.

Should your Web site generate significant traffic, and grow faster than expected, it may outgrow your current hosting agreement. In some cases, hosting companies will allow you to negotiate additional space and bandwidth capacity to accommodate the extra traffic. If the company doesn’t, the option to purchase a higher level of hosting is always available. Depending on the level of traffic, it may be time to consider moving up to a dedicated server with a managed host.

When to opt for a managed Web host

High-trafficked Web sites, along with those that contain highly sensitive or confidential information, are typically better suited on managed Web hosts. Dedicated Web hosts, allocate one server specifically for your site. In other words, your site will not share a server with any other sites.

Typically, companies who have the need for a dedicated Web host will often opt for a managed Web hosting solution rather than trying to manage it themselves. Management and administration of dedicated hosts can become time consuming, and it holds the owner of the site accountable for maintaining all aspects of the Web hosting server, which may also include security issues.

Before deciding which type of hosting to use, take the time to evaluate your needs. You may also want to explore options that include usingshared Web hosting prior to committing to a managed or dedicated Web host, as it may prove to be sufficient and will save you money.

When to use a Web hosting agreement

If you find yourself on the other side of the fence – meaning you provide Web site hosting services to a client – you will need to utilize a Web hosting agreement to effectively manage the relationship between you and the client.

You can often save a tremendous amount of time and money by utilizing Web hosting agreement samples and templates. These templates will help ensure that you include all of the appropriate provisions, as well as give a solid foundation that will enable you to clearly define your policies and procedures.

You should be able to purchase a suite with templates related to Web hosting agreements. This might include a service level agreement template and a Web hosting acceptable-use template.

Whether you are purchasing Web hosting or supplying it, it’s important to pay close attention to the Web hosting agreement. For users, you will learn what you can and can’t do on your site, and what you might be entitled to. For providers, these agreements will protect you from liabilities associated with the hosting of third-party Web sites on your servers. To better understand what these agreements should include, check online for Web hosting agreement samples.

Here are some tried and true ideas for how to select a host that will save you money, avoid technical snafus, and build your online platform for the future.

1. Choose a service that primarily does hosting

Although it might be tempting to sign-up with a firm that provides an umbrella of services in addition to website hosting, a good rule of thumb is that if a company overly-diversifies its services, it won’t deliver top quality in any of them (e.g. tech support, updates, maintenance, etc.)

2. Choose a host with a great record for online security

Most secure hosts will provide SSL Certificates to guarantee your security. Without an SSL Certificate on your site, visitors may come and go without identifying themselves, and this could put your site at risk. Make sure your host implements best practices when it comes to maintaining security architecture, updating security software, and responding effectively to breaches if and when they do occur.

3. Excellent technical and customer service support via phone

Does the host provide phone support around the clock? Or can you only email for help during non-business hours? You definitely want the option to call a staffer. Studies show that over-the-phone tech and customer support systems are vastly more efficient than e-mail support centers, on average.

4. Solid add-on services

A number of great web hosting companies provide little extras to make sites more effective and user-friendly. These can include image upload galleries, blogs, control panels, order forms, support scripts, databases, and embedded video features. When evaluating various firms, examine sample sites and note what value add-ons you like and what value add-ons you feel are missing in each sample.

5. Don’t rely on numbers alone to make the decision

Many hosts promise uptime approaching 100%. But there’s no way of verifying that kind of claim. If your website goes down, for instance, the company can easily explain it away as a statistically insignificant outlier. Similarly, a potential host may brag about oodles of bandwidth and space on servers, but if your online small-business needs are modest, these numbers shouldn’t be your incentive. Finally, be wary of online rating systems. These figures can be jiggered and rejiggered to make a web host look better (or worse) than it actually is.

6. The right price for your needs

Sure, you can find a service for practically nothing. But there is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to web hosting. If you’re paying a dirt-cheap rate, chances are that the host is watering down services in some respect. Perhaps the host offers minimal security protections or charges clients “pay per play” for technical support. Or maybe the site charges a sky-high maintenance fee or other monthly fee. The point is, you need to read the fine print and to price-compare before making a decision.

7. Flexible features and enough elbow-room

You have no idea how your online platform might evolve. That’s why you need a hosting company that boasts flexible features, supports many different languages, offers Linux and Windows options, and supports an array of scripts (PHP, Pearl, Java, etc.) A good rule of thumb for determining space is to “buy big.” In other words, even if you don’t have tens of thousands of files to upload and store, leave yourself some wiggle room to anticipate future growth.

8. An easy-to-use and safe shopping cart

According to numerous estimates, U.S. and U.K. consumers will be spending nearly $150 billion per year online by the year 2010. Your site’s e-commerce options should be simple, safe, battle-tested, and easy-to-use.

9. Protection against spam, viruses, Trojan horses, and the like

Most creditable web hosting sites provide solid e-mail protection. Make sure to check for compatibility, however. For instance, if you use Microsoft Outlook, make sure thatthe host has the tools and services to shield your Outlook e-mail effectively — without blocking key notifications from clients or suppliers.

10. Important questions to consider

- Does the host provide good references and testimonials?

- Does the company employ best-of-breed firewalls and routers?

- Has anyone filed complaints against the company through the Better Business Bureau or other organization?

- What services do small businesses similar to yours use for web hosting?

- Can the company provide any statistics to back up claims regarding reliability and technical support?

- Can you use the host for a trial period before paying full prize?

- How expensive is it to upgrade or downgrade plans?

- How do blogs and customer forums rate your candidate hosting services?