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About Web Hosting Companies in the UK & Europe
by Anton Behr
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Overview
Web hosting is a service that allows individuals and organizations to put their website up on the Internet. This is usually done by paying a Web hosting company who will then "host" the client's site(s) on the company's own server. There are Web hosting companies through the UK and Europe that offer packages for a variety of prices.
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Considerations
Things to consider before purchasing Web hosting from any company include cost, the storage space and bandwidth available, and what you personally need from a website. Many ISPs provide limited Web hosting as part of their Internet packages. If you are only putting up a personal page or a single-page website, then that might be sufficient for your needs.
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Function
Web hosting involves paying a company in return for your website being hosted on their server. The level of server access depends on the package. The most common option is that of a shared server, where a number of people share space on the same server. Everyone shares the cost, making it the most economical Web hosting option, but the purchaser lacks administrative control. The next step up from a shared server is a Virtual Dedicated server. This is a single physical server subdivided in order to create a number of virtual servers, which allows the purchaser to feel as if they have their own dedicated server. Finally, the most advanced and expensive form of hosting involves the client leasing an entire server for their own use, but most users don't have a need for this service.
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Types
There are a number of Web hosting companies available in the UK and Europe. HostPapa.co.uk is an environmentally friendly UK company that provides unlimited Web space and bandwidth in return for £4.99 a month. Hosting Ireland is an Irish-based company that provides 50MB space and 5 email accounts for €30 a year on its most basic account. German-based Web hosting company Maxter-Host, on the other hand, offers 1GB storage and 20GB of bandwidth for £44.55 a year (see Resources below).
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Benefits
A website is an invaluable marketing tool in today's world. It is common practice for consumers, employers and even people you've met at a party to look up your Web presence. If the site they find is quick to load, attractive and professional looking, then it can only be to your advantage.
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Warning
There are so many options out there that it is easy to get confused and make the wrong choice about your Web host. Since most companies require a 12-month contract, this can be a fairly serious mistake. It is important to know what you are looking for in a website and what your bandwidth and Web space needs are likely to be. To go for the cheapest option available can be tempting, but it won't be worth it if your business site is constantly crashing. On the other hand, if you are simply running a small personal site and don't expect a lot of traffic, there's no reason to purchase an expensive package with unlimited storage and bandwidth.
