tutorials / web hosting guide

Assessment of Needs

Making the decision to host a Web site requires a little information. This information will allow you to make the best choice when it comes time to sign up for your hosting account. Over 90% of all Internet Web sites can be classified into three categories; small, medium, and large.

Small Web sites are likely to have more static content. They usually contain only html files and images, though scripting languanges (asp, php, etc.) can be used for these pages as well. Small Web sites might have basic database connectivity, usually using a Microsoft Access database. Traffic (the number of visitors) to a small Web site would be light.

Medium Web sites often start to involve more extensive scripting, making for a much more dynamic and interactive Web site. Web sites in this category might use a large amount of disk space for file storage, most likely for images. Medium sized Web sites might use more a more complex database structure, like MySQL.

Large Web sites make full use of dynamic content, with most of the individual pages within this type of site being generated from scripts or a database. A more advanced database might be used, such as Microsoft SQL Server. Large Web sites might need a great deal of disk space on the server, possibly used for high resolution images or video files. The number of visitors this kind of Web site might receive is very high.

Designing the Web site

Designing a Web site can be a very complex task. While many people still write Web pages in a text editor and create graphics from image creation software like Adobe Photoshop, there are an increasing number of quality software tools used to simplify the Web Design process. Some of the more popular titles are Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, and Microsoft FrontPage. Dreamweaver and GoLive are more flexible for those looking for profesional design elements on their site, while FrontPage is geared more towards users without any Web design experience. If you're not interested in designing the Web site yourself, you should look into hiring a qualified Web designer to do the work for you. If you go this route, make sure you interview the designer and make sure they understand your vision of the completed project. Have them show you examples of their work, and get commitments from them on pricing and the time it will take to complete your Web site.

Choosing a Domain Name

Domain Names come with various suffixes called TLDs (Top Level Domains). The most common TLD is .com, followed by lesser used .net, .org, .biz, & .info. These 5 TLDs can be used by any person or company in any country. Each individual country also has a unique TLD. The TLD for the United States is .us, the TLD for Canada is .ca, etc. When choosing a domain name, take your target market into account. If your customer base will only be in a certain country, you might want to purchase a Domain Name with that country's TLD. The most important part of your domain name is what comes before the TLD. You will want a domain name that closely resembles your company name, or the service or information your Web site will provide. For example, if your company name is Acme Hardware, Inc., a good Domain Name for you would be acmehardware.com. Don't be disheartened if your first choice (or even your first 10 choices are not available). Think of variations on your comany name, like acmehw.com, acmehardwareinc.com, or acmehardwareusa.com.

The Easy CGI Advantage

With thousands of hosting companies to choose from, it's not an easy task to pick the company that will provide you with the best service and support. Easy CGI has the commitment to make your web hosting experience the best it can be. Our Advanced, Advanced x2, and Advanced x4 hosting plans covers almost any function you expect your Web site to perform. Domain registration for the most common TLDs is offered at cut rate pricing. Our highly trained support staff are always ready to help with issues you might encounter. Don't take our word for it, see for yourself. To experience the Easy CGI Advantage, sign up now.