Efil
New Member
Understanding Free Web Host Stability
A Case Study
In free web hosting, there are basically two things that even money can't buy. A lost account without a backup and lost hair when got pissed-off during downtimes or when the host suddenly disappeared overnight. If you think such cases are inevitable because you are only hitchhiking in someone else's garage server running along the bumpy bargain roads with blinking advertisements all around every corner, I suggest you think again. But if the very act of thinking only gives you the feeling that you are loosing even more hair, then I suggest you stop thinking and simply read on.
Generally speaking, most troubles that arise in free web hosting may account for the failure of the user to select a reliable and stable web host. There are thousands of free web hosts newbies that sprout up all over the internet each day while there are also thousands of them who vanish, leaving traces of sad feelings to millions of disappointed users. Moreover, a rather annoying fact is, this is also happenning with some cases of stupaid ( stupid paid ) web hosting.
One important question that naturally emerges is the question on how are we able to determine the stability of a free web host. Here are some of the basic points you might consider.
The Concept of Stability
Stable free web hosts have two things in common, robust facilities and reliable organization.
Robust Facilities
A stable host owns ( through purchase or rent ) one or more robust facilities that serves as the framework of their business operations. Facilities includes the computer server ( where your www account will be created ), the data center facilities ( where computer server resides ), and the web host office facilities ( the web host's gadgets used to access the server ).
Hardware Specifications
It is important to know the hardware specifications of web host's facilities. This way you get some idea whether the host is overselling its resources or not. Overselling itself is not really bad, although most people do really feel bad about this topic ( "Is overselling good or bad?" ) to the point that heated long threads of debates about it can be found everywhere. Our purpose here is to know if the host do oversell, and calculate the probability that an overload will likely to happen because of poor facilities and/or poor overselling techniques.
Software Capability
Every server ( even a personal computer ) that is connected to the internet is susceptable to malicious attacks and abuse conducted by some sort of hackers or spammers. It is a wise move to know if the web host adopts DDoS attack prevention and spam assassin software. Knowing that the host installed and supports the software you need to run to is not enough, you should also know if the host implements above minimum requirements to ensure you will be able to use what you need most of the time, if not all the time.
Reliable Organization
One-man web hosting is likely to fail. Most stable free web hosts are reputable companies or organized communities. A teenage technician may rent a dedicated server and start a free web host business in his basement. But sooner or later he will realize that he will need some staff/s besides himself to help him in his business affairs especially during hours when he is not in front of the computer. The way he selects his staffs and how he lead them to become organized is vital to the stability of his web hosting business.
Financial Stability
Here's where it all begun. However noble, it's not an obligation of the free web hosts to disclose to their clients their financial strength. But the big truth is, it is the most important information that a user ought to know in order to grasp the idea of whether the free web host is more likely to survive the perils of loneliness and the menace of deterioting vigor as they ( the web host ) watch their bank accounts being subtracted in tens and hundreds of dollars every month ( for server rent & other web hosting expenses ) with only a dime or two, or nothing at all that returns. ("Nothing at all," is actually an exaggeration. Most of the time, ungrateful costumers will never forget to return their complaints, unpleasant rudeness and unreasonable yells.)
Good Upper Tier
More often than not, the free web host provider is not the direct owner of the server, much less the owner of the data center where the server resides. If the web host happened to select OEMs of the upper tier ( server owners, data center owners, ISP providers ) who have mediocre performances, chances are, that web host themselves will suffer the painful consequenses, however great their own services are.
Management Ability
Offering web hosting services for free can be such fun. But when abusive users started to play the chafing games and begin to fool around with the server and the web host management, the ability of the web host to handle such situations will have a significant implications to their future operations. There will be times when the web host has to make prompt and prudent decisions whether to put up with a mediocre upper tier provider or to search and swiftly shift to others.
Operation History
How long free web host have operated is not much of importance than how much they have learned how to ride the business cycle. Don't count the years, rather, count the experience and the changes since they have started.
Case Study: Water Seven
***********omitted*****************
This is supposedly accompanied with a case study of Water Seven Community, but I prefered to omit that part lest it would get interpreted as an advertisement. I intend to make this topic a complete article but here's what I've only got so far. Questions, suggestions and criticisms are all welcome. I'm looking forward to a fruitful discussions with you all.
Regards,
Efil Leiv
The Water Seven Community
A Case Study
In free web hosting, there are basically two things that even money can't buy. A lost account without a backup and lost hair when got pissed-off during downtimes or when the host suddenly disappeared overnight. If you think such cases are inevitable because you are only hitchhiking in someone else's garage server running along the bumpy bargain roads with blinking advertisements all around every corner, I suggest you think again. But if the very act of thinking only gives you the feeling that you are loosing even more hair, then I suggest you stop thinking and simply read on.
Generally speaking, most troubles that arise in free web hosting may account for the failure of the user to select a reliable and stable web host. There are thousands of free web hosts newbies that sprout up all over the internet each day while there are also thousands of them who vanish, leaving traces of sad feelings to millions of disappointed users. Moreover, a rather annoying fact is, this is also happenning with some cases of stupaid ( stupid paid ) web hosting.
One important question that naturally emerges is the question on how are we able to determine the stability of a free web host. Here are some of the basic points you might consider.
The Concept of Stability
Stable free web hosts have two things in common, robust facilities and reliable organization.
Robust Facilities
A stable host owns ( through purchase or rent ) one or more robust facilities that serves as the framework of their business operations. Facilities includes the computer server ( where your www account will be created ), the data center facilities ( where computer server resides ), and the web host office facilities ( the web host's gadgets used to access the server ).
Hardware Specifications
It is important to know the hardware specifications of web host's facilities. This way you get some idea whether the host is overselling its resources or not. Overselling itself is not really bad, although most people do really feel bad about this topic ( "Is overselling good or bad?" ) to the point that heated long threads of debates about it can be found everywhere. Our purpose here is to know if the host do oversell, and calculate the probability that an overload will likely to happen because of poor facilities and/or poor overselling techniques.
Software Capability
Every server ( even a personal computer ) that is connected to the internet is susceptable to malicious attacks and abuse conducted by some sort of hackers or spammers. It is a wise move to know if the web host adopts DDoS attack prevention and spam assassin software. Knowing that the host installed and supports the software you need to run to is not enough, you should also know if the host implements above minimum requirements to ensure you will be able to use what you need most of the time, if not all the time.
Reliable Organization
One-man web hosting is likely to fail. Most stable free web hosts are reputable companies or organized communities. A teenage technician may rent a dedicated server and start a free web host business in his basement. But sooner or later he will realize that he will need some staff/s besides himself to help him in his business affairs especially during hours when he is not in front of the computer. The way he selects his staffs and how he lead them to become organized is vital to the stability of his web hosting business.
Financial Stability
Here's where it all begun. However noble, it's not an obligation of the free web hosts to disclose to their clients their financial strength. But the big truth is, it is the most important information that a user ought to know in order to grasp the idea of whether the free web host is more likely to survive the perils of loneliness and the menace of deterioting vigor as they ( the web host ) watch their bank accounts being subtracted in tens and hundreds of dollars every month ( for server rent & other web hosting expenses ) with only a dime or two, or nothing at all that returns. ("Nothing at all," is actually an exaggeration. Most of the time, ungrateful costumers will never forget to return their complaints, unpleasant rudeness and unreasonable yells.)
Good Upper Tier
More often than not, the free web host provider is not the direct owner of the server, much less the owner of the data center where the server resides. If the web host happened to select OEMs of the upper tier ( server owners, data center owners, ISP providers ) who have mediocre performances, chances are, that web host themselves will suffer the painful consequenses, however great their own services are.
Management Ability
Offering web hosting services for free can be such fun. But when abusive users started to play the chafing games and begin to fool around with the server and the web host management, the ability of the web host to handle such situations will have a significant implications to their future operations. There will be times when the web host has to make prompt and prudent decisions whether to put up with a mediocre upper tier provider or to search and swiftly shift to others.
Operation History
How long free web host have operated is not much of importance than how much they have learned how to ride the business cycle. Don't count the years, rather, count the experience and the changes since they have started.
Case Study: Water Seven
***********omitted*****************
This is supposedly accompanied with a case study of Water Seven Community, but I prefered to omit that part lest it would get interpreted as an advertisement. I intend to make this topic a complete article but here's what I've only got so far. Questions, suggestions and criticisms are all welcome. I'm looking forward to a fruitful discussions with you all.
Regards,
Efil Leiv
The Water Seven Community
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