Tag Archives: experience
Why Is HostGators Web Hosting Service Recommended So Often?
HostGators service is usually ranked highly in web hosting reviews and comments posted by users are mainly positive.
To me the key part of HostGators service is the support offered. Despite its recent growth it is still possible to escalate support issues to Brent Oxley the founder and Chairman (although I have not needed to tested this).
I know from past experience how frustrating it is to have a problem and not be able to get a sensible answer from the host’s support team. I have also used a reseller service, which seemed like a very good deal until my site went down on a Friday evening and I could not get any help until Monday morning.
These experiences have made me believe that support is the most important factor when choosing a web host (after, of course, ensuring that your technical requirements are met). Certainly it is more important than getting the lowest possible price.
HostGators support is quite extensive. There is a Support section of their web site with articles and videos covering numerous areas and a series of forums where users can discuss topics. If you need to contact support this can be done 24/7 via phone (toll free in US), chat and email (creates a ticket in a help desk system).
Of course ultimately how successful a support operation is depends on the people involved. Are they helpful, do they know what they are talking about and, most importantly, are they able to resolve issues?
My own experience is that HostGators support team are good and are prepared “to go the extra mile” to help even when the issue is not their fault. It would be very easy, and probably understandable, to establish that a problem was nothing to do with HostGator and leave it at that. However on several occasions they have done more than this, helping me establish what the problem was advising me how to fix it.
I therefore became a very satisfied customer and am happy to recommend HostGators service to others.
Why Is HostGators Web Hosting Service Recommended So Often?
HostGators service is usually ranked highly in web hosting reviews and comments posted by users are mainly positive.
To me the key part of HostGators service is the support offered. Despite its recent growth it is still possible to escalate support issues to Brent Oxley the founder and Chairman (although I have not needed to tested this).
I know from past experience how frustrating it is to have a problem and not be able to get a sensible answer from the host’s support team. I have also used a reseller service, which seemed like a very good deal until my site went down on a Friday evening and I could not get any help until Monday morning.
These experiences have made me believe that support is the most important factor when choosing a web host (after, of course, ensuring that your technical requirements are met). Certainly it is more important than getting the lowest possible price.
HostGators support is quite extensive. There is a Support section of their web site with articles and videos covering numerous areas and a series of forums where users can discuss topics. If you need to contact support this can be done 24/7 via phone (toll free in US), chat and email (creates a ticket in a help desk system).
Of course ultimately how successful a support operation is depends on the people involved. Are they helpful, do they know what they are talking about and, most importantly, are they able to resolve issues?
My own experience is that HostGators support team are good and are prepared “to go the extra mile” to help even when the issue is not their fault. It would be very easy, and probably understandable, to establish that a problem was nothing to do with HostGator and leave it at that. However on several occasions they have done more than this, helping me establish what the problem was advising me how to fix it.
I therefore became a very satisfied customer and am happy to recommend HostGators service to others.
Running a Dedicated Server – Part I
Running dedicated servers is never easy, and you will undoubtedly have quite a few settings to sift through if you want to give your users the best experience possible. That being said, how CAN you improve the overall user experience? The first thing you will need to do when setting up any dedicated servers is take a look at the control panel and set up the necessary items. For instance, if you are planning to use this server for public webmail then you may wish to configure the webmail server on the box.
You will need to look around of course and become familiar with the different aspects of your server, and once you do, you will be ready to configure some of the more complicated items. For instance you might move on to the FTP, and the great thing about renting dedicated servers is that the hard part is already done. All you will need to do is configure your FTP password and add users if necessary.
Nameservers should also be configured whether they are being hosted remotely or on the same box. Note that running your own nameservers can actually be quite beneficial to your company as a Whois’ will make it seem as if the company is larger than it is, especially if it is using its own name servers.
Configuring backups is another very important part of your dedicated server, and the option should be sitting in the control panel. These backups will in most cases be recorded to an outside location, but in some cases the backups will actually be stored on the dedicated server in a separate partition. Either will work, but no matter what, make sure your server is performing automatic backups at least once per day. This will ensure that the site stays up and running no matter what!
There are many more aspects in running your own dedicated server of course, and they will be addressed later on. What you need to know right now is that while you have accepted a huge responsibility, it is one that may very well help your company grow into a success. A dedicated server appears more professional, mostly because it is, and it will draw more customers to your website.
You may start with a simple shared hosting plan of course, but it is the eventual goal of any company to move toward the dedicated package. Yes, a dedicated package is going to be more expensive, but there are a few distinct differences. For example a dedicated server will provide you with root access whereas a shard package would give you no such thing. The logic behind this is that you can feel free to disrupt your own experience is one thing, but disrupting the experience of others is certainly unsound. This is decent logic, and it will undoubtedly save many different user experiences whether they are on the user end of your website or on the admin end.
If you’re ready to make a difference in your bui9sness then you’re undoubtedly ready to take advantage of the dedicated server options. Dedicated hosting will open up all kinds of new possibilities for you, some of which are still very much unseen. You never know what might around the corner!