Every business requires a website. Whether you’re thinking of creating your first website or upgrading your existing fully functional site, the need for a good web host is sure to arise. Based on your needs, finding the right web host is just a matter of choosing the correct type (Shared Hosting, Unmanaged Dedicated Server Hosting, Managed Dedicated Server Hosting, or hosting yourself are your options.)

For most businesses, hosting a website yourself poses a risk on par with a game of Russian Roulette, so we’re not going to cover that alternative here. In this issue, we will address the three best options for finding the right web host to keep your website running smoothly.

All the best,

Jeff Moore
Senior Editor — ProductivityJournal.com

To be (Managed) or Not to be (Managed),
That is the Question

Shared Hosting:

www.GoDaddy.com (starting at $8.95/year)

Welcome to shared hosting. This is the most popular of choices because it allows your website to be located on a server that hosts many other sites as well, making everything much more affordable.

GoDaddy is well known for domain name registration and high quality uptime at a phenomenal price. With offerings in shared, virtual dedicated, and dedicated hosting plans, you would be hard pressed to find a company that gives as much bang for your hard-earned bucks.

Unmanaged Dedicated Server Hosting:

ServerBeach

If your website requires more bandwidth, storage, or other features generally not available with shared hosting, an unmanaged dedicated hosting solution may be right for you. Server management, however, will be your responsibility, as there is little to no customer support.

ServerBeach is unique in this category of server hosts, because of its live chat support. Although you or someone on your IT team might have the knowledge or desire to host your own server, it’s probably best to leave the job of installing those gigantic diesel-powered generators to these guys.

Managed Dedicated Server Hosting:

Rackspace Managed Solutions

What should you do if you have complex technical requirements for your website, know that shared hosting just won’t work for you, and don’t know how (or want to know how) to set up your own web server, let alone customize it to suit your needs? You need a lot of assistance to get your server box up and running and hard-core support for when something goes wrong. The answer for you is a managed dedicated solution provider.

One of the best in this business is Rackspace Managed Solutions. Founded in 1998, Rackspace has continued to skyrocket in its field thanks to amazing customer service — they’ve even branded their dedicated commitment to their customers’ needs, calling it Fanatical Support™.