Archive

Factors To Consider While Choosing A Hosting Service For Emails

The IT field is constantly evolving, and as a result, new and improved approaches to communication arise. E-mails are considered an effective and very popular form of communication. In the previous decades, it was common to depend on highly-priced and complex software programs with the intention to send and obtain emails. But now, with the help of hosted email services, everyone can have an effective email server while not having to maintain it by themselves. Choosing the best email hosting services is one of the most vital choices an enterprise has to make. 

The mail hosting service will have a big effect on the potential to talk with customers, employees, and higher professionals. With various distinctive electronic mail web hosting vendors available, it is hard to decide which one is the right choice for a particular enterprise. With this note, seven factors are put forth that should be taken into consideration while choosing a suitable mail hosting service. The right service plan will be able to satisfy the requirements of the clients and carry out its functions in an effective way.

Necessity To Select Right Hosting Service

Electronic mail web hosting services are the agencies that offer clients email servers. Those email servers permit organizations and businesses to receive and send emails with the use of their very own domain name. For example, “mail.businessname.com”, is a mail ID that is specific to a business. Instead of trusting third-party services like yahoo, Gmail, etc, one can create their very own email hosting with help of mail hosting services.

It is essential to have the proper email web hosting provider because your e-mail server can substantially affect your capacity to speak with clients, partners, and employees. If your e-mail server is down, or not working efficiently, or doesn’t offer the features you want, you might tend to miss out on communication that is important which could lead to the loss of a client. Moreover, you will get complete control over all the communications that are carried out. Through this, you can manage your incoming mails by whitelisting and blacklisting and be able to customize mail signatures.

So it is very important to cautiously consider all the requirements and choose a hosting service that offers all the functions that are needed to carry out a smooth mail communication. Mentioned below are a few factors that can be considered while looking for a perfect hosting plan.

Factors To Consider While Choosing A Hosting Service For Emails

1. Size Of The Business

The very first feature to look for in a mail hosting service is the size of the business. If it is a small business with only a few employees a large hosting service with high-end plans will not be necessary. Whereas, if it is a huge organization with a large number of employees a massive service plan will be required. Be sure to look into all the features before purchasing a hosting service.

2. Type Of Communication To Use

In case you only need to receive and send emails, a basic service plan could be enough. whereas, if you want the server to carry out extra functions like mailing lists, document sharing, or managing contacts, you should choose a provider that offers those additional features.

3. Expected Number Of Emails To Be Sent And Received

If the business requires you to send only a few emails every day, a basic plan will be sufficient. But if you own a large business or an organization where a large number of emails will be sent on a daily basis it is better to choose a plan that can handle a higher traffic range so that the communication will be carried out in a smooth manner.

4. Levels Of Security 

If your enterprise handles classified information, you will need a hosting service that will offer excessive degrees of protection. The level of security that is required will be based on the data that is being stored on the server. This will involve functions like encryption of SSL, multi-factor authentication, or filtering of spam mails.

5. Flexibility And Compatibility

The final element you need to keep in mind is flexibility and compatibility. Make sure to select an e-mail web hosting service that will be best suited to the devices and software program you intend on using. Moreover, be sure to find a plan that gives you the ability to grow along with your business. You will need extra features and more storage space as your commercial enterprise grows. Discover a provider that can accommodate your wishes.

6. Examine Carefully 

In case you are not yet familiarized with the services of a hosting company, you will have a lot of questions and doubts that need clarifications. Good customer service is required to guide you through all of this. Be sure to examine the critiques and compare the reviews of previous clients and then decide on what plan to purchase.

7. Cost

Be sure to evaluate the costs of various features that are offered and find the one that suits your price range. Make sure to not directly come to conclusions while deciding.

To Summarize

While thinking of purchasing a hosting service plan, always take into consideration the business size, type of mail communication that will be used, the number of emails you wish to send or receive, level of security, and customer service that is needed, compatibility, and flexibility with the business, and the budget.

It is also very important to know when the service plan will be of great use to the business or organization. Do research a lot about the various features that are offered and the budget of each of these plans.

5 Questions About Web Hosting, Every Small Business Should Know

1. Why should web hosts matter to small business owners?

In the absence of a host, a web page cannot be accessed. Without a hosting service, the client’s website will be inaccessible to people around the world. The website of the client with essential data or fantastic content will be of no use if there is no server to host the website.  

When you have a small commercial enterprise, it is mandatory to know about what services are provided by the web hosting company and why they should matter to a small business proprietor.

For example, a startup enterprise proprietor may be using a large space to launch and run an online store. In order to make that online store run in an efficient manner and perform well, it will need a very reliable web hosting service or the website might crash because of too many people visiting the page. This is why a business needs a web hosting service. 

Website hosting is a service provider that provides space for websites to be hosted and made available online. Web hosts permit their clients to save their documents, files with information, and records on business website hosting servers so internet customers can get access to them. 

Users are able to get access to the website and its contents through a hosting service. It lets everyone get access to the content at all times, even if they can’t update it individually. It is encouraged to have a very reliable and reputed host, as they provide security, better bandwidth, reliability, and manageability in the best way possible.

2. Why is web hosting required for a small-scale business?

Websites have turned out to be a necessity for small-scale proprietors. Over a course of time, it is advised for clients to expand and rebuild or customize the website with extra features like e-trade abilities. Every client will want to host services if they want to upload or share files, music videos, pictures, blog posts, etc.

As hosting services offer much-needed tools and software like mail accounts and access to mail accounts, startups or small businesses tend to purchase plans that perform multiple functions. Moreover, they also provide analytics and statistics to make the clients know how their websites perform over a period of time.

3. Price range of web hosting?

Relying on the desires of the client, website hosting offers plans that can value from a few bucks to several thousand a month. The cost of hosting will vary with regard to how many resources and tools are being purchased.  A terrific host will offer safety and reliability together with access to valuable tools like an email account and assist the website to stay up even if traffic spikes abruptly.

Internet web hosting service’s price varies depending upon your wishes. Every website has its own set of needs, and web hosting agencies can also excel in providing them with what they want. Several providers provide unlimited offers like bandwidth, and email accounts whereas others may additionally have limits on the amount of storage or bandwidth the client may use every month. The client needs to know how much traffic or visitors might visit their website, as websites with higher traffic should have better plans which will make the website run smoothly rather than crashing.

4. How To choose the right hosting provider for clients with small businesses?

For all the owners of small businesses or startups out there who are looking for the right way to establish a website, with countless options and various features, finding the best one is not that easy. 

All clients have unique needs, which means that they may require different services. This implies that not all hosting services provide the same plans. Some have limitations, whereas a few companies have devoted customer service. But, there are hosting services that provide plans that could in particula cater to small businesses.

So, in case you are seeking out a website hosting issuer for your small enterprise, take into consideration these below-mentioned subsequent guidelines: 

  • Decide what sort of site is required. It is vital to decide the website needs concerning the sources required and the hosting package deal’s fee.
  • Ensure that you recognize what type of guide your website needs, mainly if it is a CMS-based website that calls for regular updates and backups.
  • Evaluate reviews from users who have already used the plans and analyze. It is important to decide whether or not you will be getting true value for the money you were charged.
  • Ask humans you understand who have used exclusive web hosts in the beyond. 
  • Ask around before purchasing.

Ensure that the website hosting package deal has terrific refund coverage, low cost, unlimited bandwidth, and disk storage. Those four elements will determine whether or not it is really worth making an investment in one of these services. If the general charge, control panels, and net host functions do not make your online presence well worth your money, you should then take a distinctive course.

5. What to look for in a hosting company?

Here are the important thing elements which you ought to preserve in mind even as seeking out a web web hosting agency:

  • Support Service

The first aspect is to look at support and service, as they could affect your business in a great manner. You need to choose an internet hosting employer that gives the nice of each world – suitable fees and incredible support. In addition, you have to test with the web hosting enterprise regarding their policy if you want to get the money back for unsatisfactory service.

  • Server uptime

Subsequently, you need to take a look at whether your net hosting company has an awesome report of server uptime. About 99% uptime is the standard for maximum web website hosting corporations, however, they might have had some uncommon exceptions. Often, you are searching for “Uninterrupted power supplies”, which can be batteries that prevent power failure from reaching your servers in case of an energy outage. 

  • Server protection

Server safety is very important for any internet website hosting agency as it’s what prevents hackers from breaking into their servers and stealing facts or destroying records at the server. Therefore, you want to be very careful with regard to protection. You want to look for two things in phrases of server security; the first one is “backups”, and the second one is “secured server”. Ensure your web hosting enterprise has a history of short recovery in case of information loss or corruption.

  • Price

The client ought to always take a look at the pricing of your internet hosting plan. Usually, you get what you pay for, so if someone is implying an exceedingly low price, it is the most probable way they are slicing corners someplace. That being stated, you should always search for an excellent average fee range that suits your price range.

  • Features

The client should take a look at the features that are said to be available with the website hosting package deal. There is nothing wrong with primary capabilities. Continually look for the proper balance between plan fee and features, as this might make the client’s website run in a smooth manner as well as boost the chances of promoting your service or product.

Conclusion

These are the few things that should be considered by small business owners when deciding on a web hosting service, which will suit the client right.

Considerable Differences Between VPS And Dedicated Hosting

A web hosting service lets clients host websites on the server. They also offer other features to create and maintain websites and make them available on the world wide web. Web hosts provide web hosting services. They are of two types: Smaller hosting services and Larger hosting services.  

  • Smaller Hosting Services

The most fundamental is web page and small-scale record hosting, wherein documents can be uploaded through file transfer Protocol (FTP) or an internet interface. The files are normally added with minimum processing. Many internet service vendors (ISPs) offer this to subscribers. People and groups can also acquire internet page hosting from alternative service vendors.

  • Larger Hosting Services 

Many large organizations need to be connected to the internet at all times. These companies will have a large number of emails and files being exchanged very often, larger hosting services are suitable for such purposes. 

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

One of the best features of a Virtual Private Server is that they provide root access to its users. This means that the user will be able to take complete control of the server. Virtual server hosting has the ability to be customized according to the wishes and preferences of the clients. This server hosting is said to be more flexible and secure compared to others. Various free applications can be installed without any restrictions or limitations. VPS hosting provides various sources which result in better load time of the website. The software Plesk is used for Windows machines whereas Web Host Manager is used for Linux Machines.

Some of the features of VPS hosting are an inbuilt hosting server, environment for testing, inbuilt Database servers, Root access to users, and an isolated working area.

Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated server hosting offers complete isolation. The whole server configuration can be customized according to the requirements of the client. Dedicated server hosting is enabled with Web Host Manager (WHM) which allows the user to have complete control over the hosting server including customizing an account and maintaining different aspects of the server. Web Host Manager can be used only on Linux-based machines. Dedicated servers are often used by web professionals and enterprise-level users. They have very limited restrictions.

Well-known features of a dedicated hosting server are, that it has Web Host Manager (WHM), provides high performance, grants root access to users, protects against Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS) attack, offers high security, and enables the user to take control.

Crucial Differences To Consider Between VPS And Dedicated Hosting

In order to choose an apt hosting server, it is necessary to know the difference between the two. Here are a few crucial differences between Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting and dedicated server hosting.

1. Performance

Overall performance is one of the very important factors one should recall at the time of choosing between Virtual Private Server Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting. With Dedicated Server Hosting, the clients can get high-level all-around performance, because it is not shared with any of the other clients. Dedicated Server Hosting grants root-level access to the clients. Although the clients are given root access to the Dedicated Server, some security concerns, which include third-celebration intrusion or records theft, will constantly stay.

In terms of choosing between VPS and Dedicated Server Hosting, based on an overall performance, both offer excessive degrees of performance depending upon what assets they offer. This implies that when there is a case where the client’s necessities exceed its limits, the overall performance may also suffer. So preferably, the user will need a reliable host which can accommodate any modifications without affecting the speed bypassing the value onto the users. 

This means regardless of how good hardware capability the user is furnished with, if it’s not enough, then the performance will go through, and the user will have to upgrade or downgrade their plan.

2. Cost

VPS hosting is said to be more cost-efficient than dedicated servers, as the clients pay only for resources that were used. As there will be no extra needs like better hardware, the new version of the operating system, third-party software, etc the cost will not exceed but remain stable at all times. Wherein with dedicated server hosting the needs of the clients are met with an increased cost. 

VPS is more economical as the user pays only for the used resources whereas if the user wants to possess root access over the server, a Dedicated Server is one to go with.

3. Resources

When you think of a VPS hosting plan, a certain amount of resources remain devoted to clients. You could allocate disk space, extra memory,  and data transfer according to the needs of the clients. The cost will also increase according to the features used. The primary difference is that there are not any limitations on what the client could do on VPS hosting, but it is not the perfect server in case you need all-round performance from your web host but can not pay extra charges, every time the cost increases on every occasion where necessities exceed its restrictions.

But, with a devoted website hosting plan, you get entire control over all aspects of your hosting server, which include storage capacity,  data transfer speed, memory allocation, data transfer limit, and many others. The user is allowed to upgrade or downgrade hardware configurations according to the needs with increased plan cost. This is ideal for an internet host with steady overall performance without any regard for fluctuating costs while resources exceed their limits.

4. Security

Dedicated Server hosting is stated to be more secure due to the fact there are no limits on what the user may do, on the server. Therefore, the clients are allowed to take complete control over the entire hardware configuration, software configuration, data transfer speed, data transfer limit, and so on. The end-users do not share any physical assets with other customers; rather, they have their very own isolated surroundings which are unbiased from others. This implies there won’t be any safety worries regarding information theft and intrusion by any third-party assets as the client may control it all themself without having to share anything at any cost.

On the other hand, VPS web hosting offers users a shared useful resource and presents servers that are completely isolated from each other. So, the clients continue to get the equal stage of protection as Dedicated hosting, however, with constrained resources that can be allotted to customers. The end-users cannot upgrade or downgrade hardware configurations themselves, and therefore it can lead to overall performance issues if the server does not have the sufficient capacity that is required by its users

Conclusion

These are considered to be some of the major differences between VPS hosting and Dedicated hosting. These differences should be looked into, before purchasing a hosting server. The needs of the clients should be fulfilled by the hosting server, so it is necessary to look into all the features of the hosting server before selecting the most suitable one.

Reason Why Your Clients Should Own Their Domain, Email, And Hosting

Clients owning their domain, email, and hosting can save themselves all the trouble of depending on others to get the work done. Making sure to not let the third party carry out functions on your behalf can avoid a lot of concerns. It is encouraged to let third-party services help during the initial stages of setting up but after a few years when the client has gained enough experience, they can take complete control over their domain, hosting, and email services.

  • If a client does not get full control over the domain, the consequences can be tremendous.
  • If the domain stops pointing to your customer’s website, any search ratings that were achieved over time will disappear.
  • When the domain expires, it can be picked up by a different client. A competitor should sign in the domain and factor it into their own website.
  • Every second of downtime in a site is a direct hit to the lowest line.

Remember, all of the important features that rely upon e-mail:  financial institutions, authorities’ groups, utilities, etc. Not to forget the exclusive statistics and confidential enterprise communications that come via email.

Set Your Customers Up For Achievement

A web professional will want to provide their customers with great service while heading off capacity pitfalls. Furthermore, they will also want to mitigate unintended dangers and liabilities for each person involved. That’s why it’s an awesome business plan to plot for ownership in advance.

Right here are a few recommendations for empowering your clients and letting them maintain their control over their domain, email, and hosting:

1. Make Product Purchases

Walk your customers properly in a step-by-step manner while buying the domain, electronic mail, and web hosting at the beginning of the project. This indicates that you’re dedicated to your job, are interested in maintaining a long-time partnership, and that you make the right decisions on their behalf.

Some tactics to remember:

  • A sheet similar to a to-do list should be created. It should contain accurate, in-depth step-by-step instructions on what products should not be forgotten, what to buy, and clear directions on the way to set things up. 
  • Walk your clients through the procedure. They’ll appreciate the support and assistance. 
  • Recommend the right products that should be purchased for their enterprise, and make sure to finish the setup on their behalf.

2. Provide Your Personal Website Hosting Services

A few application designers and developers choose to maintain and provide aid to a month or annual retainer. Make sure your clients do not worry about this and on the other hand it’s a pleasant bite of recurring sales for you. 

Reseller web hosting plans and Reseller applications have their professional pros and cons, so ensure that something you select fits right into your business model. In either case, your client may have their personal account, despite the fact that they are purchasing the hosting service from you.

3. Switch Account Ownership For Your Client

What if you have already got possession of your consumer’s area name? Shifting ownership is fantastically smooth. If your customer’s site is on a hosting account that you personally own, you could migrate their website to a hosting account that they personally own. In the event that they don’t have a hosting account already, guide them through the steps involved in selecting and buying the proper hosting plan, and assist them to set it up, after which they migrate the website over to the other. 

The migration process varies depending on how the website is built. Electronic mail migration is a tricky process. It relies upon how the email debts have been first of all configured, i.e. if it is a workplace 365, G Suite, or POP email web hosting account. To make electronic mail migration as seamless as possible, you could get in touch with the guidance group for the email website hosting company that your customers are migrating to. The customer support group is normally very happy to convey a brand new purchaser onto their platform.

4. Regaining Control From Someone Else

When the accounts of your clients are managed by a previous (and possibly unresponsive) web designer or developer, the exceptional thing you could do is, be patient and provide assistance. Connect with whoever is currently responsible for the account. Give an explanation regarding the situation and why your client is migrating to a different service provider. 

Most of the time the current owner of the account will be cooperative and understanding. In case the current account owner is not said to be very cooperative, your clients will want to contact the present service provider.  

Note: In case, your customer’s website and email are currently hosted on a shared account with restrained get entry to, you would possibly have to get creative together with your trouble fixing.

For instance, you might need to rebuild the website from scratch. For e-mail, you would possibly need to manually migrate electronic mail records or run an e-mail migration wizard on whatever provider your customers are shifting to. It all relies upon your purchaser’s precise situation.

5. Ownership Information

It is important to be proactive in mentioning the details of your clients’ ownership contracts. The contract should include details about the hosting server, domain, and mail accounts. The contract should be clear to mention the roles and responsibilities of the clients, who will own it. 

Make sure that the customer has a suitable level of access to maintain, manage, and host the accounts. Pay additional concentration on the cancellation policy. Make sure to showcase your diligence by showing professionalism while putting forth very clear expectations

Conclusion

Owning the domain, email, and hosting is a huge advantage to the respective client. It avoids unnecessary concerns that might occur in the long run. It is a lot safer to keep the client’s data in a domain that is registered to them. So it is always good to make the clients switch from renting a domain to owning one, eventually.   

Why Is Regular Website Maintenance Mandatory?

Motives on why you need to maintain your websites – No matter what internet development platform you operate on, you have to keep the website updated often. A developer who promotes website renovation services, should make certain basic safety updates and plan out how a website should be maintained in the long run.

Noted below are five major fundamental drawbacks that you might face if you procrastinate or fail to maintain the internet site in a proper manner.

1. Security Of A Website

There occurs a digital assault or a security breach every 30 seconds. Security of a website is arguably the most essential reason to encourage the website owner for regular time updates of the web page. 

Hackers are constantly on the watch to make the most vulnerabilities exploited in vintage versions of  CMS (Content Management Systems). Consequently, several content management systems continue to keep themselves updated. New versions of content management systems are often released after fixing bugs and updating patches. Many third-party plugins are also constantly updated. It is said, “Keep the CMS and plugins updated to guard your site against any malicious assault.”

2. Performance Of The Website

According to several studies that have been conducted, it is concluded that almost 37%of the people who visit the site, tend to leave the page if it loads for more than five seconds.

New software releases include cleanser code and high-end performance. Every software can be used to the fullest, only when the version is completely updated. The improvements of software are a huge advantage; the release of a newer version provides a great advantage to its users. These updates should be made to work in a way where the performance is not affected.

3. Experience Of The User

Updating an internet site and its functions is vital to keep up with the consumer’s expectations. New versions of the software come with newer functions and carry out various features. This permits the developer or a web designer to provide a better appearance for the site and make sure the user experience is enhanced. 

4. Backup The Data

Backing up the data of a website means storing a duplicate version in a different secure location or storing it locally. Backing up the website is like developing a duplicate of an internet site document in a separate folder. This prevents data from being lost during any disaster or recovery phase. 

Despite the fact that taking everyday backup of websites may appear to be monotonous, it makes the website more secure and acts as a protective layer. In case the website gets affected by malware, a virus, or any haywire caused due to a misconfiguration issue, the backup can be used to retrieve the lost or infected data. As the data can be retrieved and reused whenever necessary, backing up data is a very important process.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

All the websites that are updated are preferred by search engines. Websites that are said to be virus-free, and provide high performance are liked by search engines. If the web page is maintained up to date, the possibilities of the internet site ranking are said to be higher. And who does not want to get increased site visitors and exhibit their commercial enterprise to the world?

It is realized how crucial it is to maintain the website updated at regular intervals.  But the challenge becomes hard while multiple websites are meant to be kept updated simultaneously. 

Discussed below are a few guidelines that explain how to maintain more than one site simultaneously and serve the clients in a better manner.

Points To Remember – Handle Multiple Websites Like A Pro

  • Better Planning Skills

The importance of planning can never be stressed enough. A broken website that is under renovation can cause embarrassment and affect the visitors in a negative way. A separate time frame should be allotted to maintain and monitor the site. This will enable the viewer to catch any error if present, in the initial stage itself. “Prioritize and plan the work to be right on time before the deadline”.

  • Keep undertaking list prepared

To prevent working on a project again and wasting time, maintain a monitoring list geared up for each website. Keep updating that sheet then and there to keep the list updated. All information should be noted in the sheet, regarding the maintenance task that was carried out on a particular website.

  • Clear Communication

The monitoring sheet referred to in the above factor will help the client in preserving the client’s verbal exchange as well. It is also going to help in updating the client, regarding the protection status of the web page.

Regular maintenance is required for retaining a website in a reliable manner and keeping it fully optimized. If the updates are not carried out on time and the vulnerabilities are not patched on time, it may be the reason for the massive damage to the website and the commercial enterprise. So the process of maintaining a website in a fully functional manner is required, as it invites a lot of visitors and increases the ranking of the website. 

To Summarize

Search Engine Optimization also favors websites that are up to date and websites that are not infected by any malware or virus. Regular checking of the website for any vulnerability should be carried out. If the website is known to have a lot of performance issues and does not provide a piece of reliable information to its visitors, the website will fail its purpose. 

A fantastic website needs to be maintained in a proper manner to avoid any drawbacks or unpatched bugs. When there are multiple websites that are owned by a single person, using automated tools to run routine checks can be utilized. The bottom line is, that websites should be scanned for vulnerabilities and be kept updated so that they can be of great use to their visitors.

Top 10 Security Tips For Cloud And Hosted Servers

“Security is preparing for what’s next, not for what was lost”. With numerous breaches happening every few seconds, it is a need for all the people out there to know about the various security measures that should be taken, in order to avoid breaches. Here are the top ten tips that should be followed in order to keep the cloud and hosted servers secure and safeguarded. 

1. Backup

Just because all the data is stored in the cloud or any other hosting server in a secure manner, doesn’t mean that the clients should not back up the data somewhere else as well. Cloud and hosted servers can be compromised easily by several black hat hacker groups. Explicitly contracting for backup offerings is vital to absolutely have your statistics secured. 

Information replication to multiple places, at the same time when other active operations are carried out, is mandatory. It is also necessary to maintain a local copy of all the data and information of an organization or a company. Backup is important to restore data after a catastrophic incident and they also ensure enterprise continuity in a smooth manner. Backup is considered to be one of the most important security measures. 

2. Comprehensive User Policy

A Comprehensive user policy should possess strict guidelines that should be followed by the users. Comprehensive user policies might include:

  • Not leaving the computer in an insecure manner. That is, do not leave company laptops in a public place without supervision. 
  • Do not leave the cloud services logged in at all times. 
  • Do not connect to unsecured public wifi when not on the premises of the office.
  • The users should keep themselves updated on a regular basis regarding the different breaches that occur. 
  • The user should strictly follow the guidelines about when and where the company network must be accessed.

3. Strong Passwords 

Complicated passwords are a necessity. There are certain requirements that when fulfilled, will generate a strong secure password. The requirements are;

  • The length of the password should be at least eight characters.
  • Passwords should be a mixture of alphabets and numbers.
  • It is better to have special characters as well.
  • Change the password at regular intervals.

Avoid using the names of pets and other people as passwords. Use a strong unique password that will be hard to crack for the hackers using automatic tools.

4. Two-Factor Authentication

To keep the accounts more secure, make use of Two-factor authentication mechanisms. One-time password (OTP), biometric authentication, and answering additional questions are all examples of Two-factor authentication. 

Two-factor authentication is said to be time-consuming. But it is said that Two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication is a great way to block unauthorized access from attackers. Reports from the year 2019 concluded that Two-factor authentication blocks almost 99.9% of automated attacks. 

5. Encryption

There are two different ways through which  Encryption can be carried out. The encryption process can be undertaken when data is stored in the cloud. In this  Encryption method, the data is stored and remains encrypted. The other  Encryption method happens when the data is transferred from the cloud. 

The data is encrypted as it gets transferred from the cloud to the other destination. It is encouraged to carry out both methods of Encryption to keep the data extra safe and secure. Encryption using strong algorithms makes it impossible for hackers to gain access to those data. 

6. Secure Communications

The dedicated or virtual hosting server communications should secure all communications. During a communication process, it should be made sure that both parties have secure communication channels. With the help of the service providers, secure communication protocols should be implemented. 

7. Service Contracts

Service contracts should be framed without any misunderstanding statements. Service contracts should be read carefully before being signed.  Service contracts must be detailed so that everyone will be able to understand who is responsible for what and what roles should each perform. 

8. Testing Phase

The cloud and the hosting server should be constantly tested for vulnerabilities. This can be done by running several security scans, and carrying out penetrating testing and vulnerability assessments on a regular basis in order to keep the cloud and hosting server protected. 

If any bugs or vulnerability is found they should be notified immediately so that respective teams can patch the vulnerability as soon as possible. With the help of the service provider, active assessments must be carried out. This process ensures that the hosting server and the cloud stay updated at all times.  

9. Know Everything

Always keep an eye on the data. Make sure you know where the data you’re looking for is present. Be aware of the things your data can do and be updated on the ways the data should be protected and transported. You must also be aware of how it should be shared whether through emails or pen drives. Knowing your data and its system in and out is key to maintaining a safe and secure cloud or hosting server.

10. Control Access

Even the excellent cloud security may be effortlessly compromised by “bring Your very own device policies”. In case you are allowing employees to make use of mobile gadgets to get entry into cloud sources, through remote access it should be properly controlled using access controls measures. 

As cloud management packages may be found in mobile versions, it is particularly necessary to ensure any tool authorized to run such programs is entirely managed and controlled by IT.

To Summarize

Though your data is hosted through hosting services or stored in a remote cloud, it is yours to take care of. Make sure to have security teams in place to guard your data at all costs. A security plan should always be in place and ready to be executed. These tips will help in maintaining a secure cloud and hosting service. Remember, securing your data is your responsibility and making sure you do it right.

Ways To Find The IP Address And The DNS Details

A website when hosted on a server has a unique IP address, details of the Domain Name System, and other sensitive information. There are many tools and online software that enables a user to find information about the target site. For example, WHOIS tools and ping commands help to locate the owner of the website. They provide up-to-date information that can be used to contact the owner of the website or the server. Hackers around the world use these methods during the footprinting stage to gather information about their target. 

Ways To Gather Information On, Who Hosts The Website

Given below are the two basic ways to find the IP address and DNS details of the target site. 

1. Ping Command

Ping operates by Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets. Pinging includes sending an ICMP echo request to the desired host and anticipating an ICMP echo reply. This system will report packet loss,  errors, and a summary of the statistical results. By using the ping command, the IP address of the website can be obtained. The Ping command is used to get the computer name and the IP address of a computer. They are commonly used to troubleshoot connectivity. The Ping command also lets the user know the time it takes for transmitting the data and getting a response.

The Ping command is simply used to check whether the server is responding to the sent requests or not. By providing either a domain name or an IP address, the user will be able to know whether the host replies to the ping request.

How to ping the target?

  • Open the command prompt by typing “cmd” on the search bar.
  • On the command prompt type “ping” followed by a space and the IP address.
  • The website name can also be typed in the place of the IP address.
  • Press Enter. The results of the ping command will be displayed.

Working on the ping command

A ping command works in three steps, they are;

  • Step 1: First of all an SYN packet is sent to the target from the user.
  • Step 2: The target will then reply with an ACK packet to the SYN packet.
  • Step 3: After this, the connection is established and the status of the target is known. 

Through this, the time taken to get a reply from the target is also known. This is how a ping command works. 

2. WHOIS Lookup

WHOIS searches permit most people to search for data primarily based on the grounds of, who internet locations are registered to, expiry statistics, when a domain has been created, name servers, and phone records. WHOIS is said to be a database that stores information about all the users that are registered with a domain name, IP address, and several other information. WHOIS is a legal way to gather information. 

Reverse WHOIS

Reverse WHOIS is a tool that permits you to look for domain names by means of the name, deal with, smartphone quantity, electronic mail address, or bodily deal with of the Registrant listed in the present day or historical WHOIS data.

How to use the WHOIS command?

  • Open the command prompt by typing “cmd” on the search bar.
  • On the command prompt type “WHOIS -v (website)”, then press enter.
  • The results of the WHOIS command will be displayed.

Alternative Approach

The simpler way of carrying out a WHOIS search is through online software. This can be done by following the below-mentioned steps.

  • Open google or any other search engine.
  • Search for WHOIS lookup online platform.
  • Type the name of the target website and press enter.
  • The desired results are displayed on the screen.

The ping command along with WHOIS lookup is used by hackers in the footprinting stage. The ping command combined with WHOIS lookup is an effective tool that when used in the right manner will provide all the necessary information that you are looking for. The ping command and WHOIS lookup are applicable to all the users regardless of their background knowledge in the Information Technology sector. 

These two tools can be made use of to the fullest when it comes to gathering information like the name of the server, other Domain Name System (DNS) information, expiry dates, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, etc.

Privacy Measures

Instead of registering a domain using personal details, a piece of alternative contact information should be used. The alternative contact details can be the official mail address or the official contact number of the company. The location of the company or the organization can also be used. Non-public registration masks who registered the domain, however, it does not disguise the DNS and Registrar. Even though a site name is registered privately, you ought to be able to use the strategies above to decide on the web hosting company.

It is not always possible to know who owns the domain. Several registrars provide Protection against WHOIS lookup. This protection is put forth to protect the customers from spam, identity theft, and fraud. In cases where there is WHOIS protection, the WHOIS data of the registrar will be displayed. However, the registrar will contain all the details of its customers. 

Conclusion

The DNS lookup software retrieves domain name records for the specific domain name that you provide. You may use this to help diagnose issues and notice if the problem originates from the domain name server. The DNS Lookup tool returns only with (A) records. 

With the help of these two tools, we can gather information about the target like IP address and DNS details. There are various tools online that can be used to gather information about the target website. Several commands can be carried out from the command prompt itself. Making use of the right online tools and combining them with the command line tools, you will be able to find the exact information you are looking for.

Best Hosting Server Plan For A Website That You Can Opt For

Choosing a web hosting server plan for the client is said to be a tedious process. This is true as there are so many hosting servers with various benefits. A hosting server plan should be decided based on the functions it is destined to perform. There are several hosting servers from which the most applicable server can be selected. 

What Is Web Hosting?

A web hosting service lets clients host websites on the server. They also offer other features to create and maintain websites and make them available on the world wide web. Web hosts provide web hosting services. They are of two types: smaller hosting services and larger hosting services.  

  • Smaller Hosting Services 

The most fundamental is web page and small-scale record hosting, wherein documents can be uploaded through File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or an internet interface. The files are normally added with minimum processing. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer this to subscribers. People and groups can also acquire internet page hosting from alternative service providers.

  • Larger Hosting Services 

Many large organizations need to be connected to the internet at all times. These companies will have a large number of emails and files being exchanged very often, so larger hosting services are suitable for such purposes. 

For starters here are a few web hosting server plans and the functions that they carry out. 

1. Linux Hosting With CPanel

CPanel hosting is supported on the Linux server. All blogs created on WordPress are supported by CPanel hosting. It consists of all the features that are needed to maintain and manage a website. 

Through CPanel hosting the user will be able to maintain backups, make sure all the plugins are updated, and ensure security over the website.

Perks of CPanel hosting:

  • More than 125 free applications.
  • Distributed Denial Of Service (DDoS) Protection.
  • Ability to purchase additional resources (RAM, CPU, etc).
  • MySQL Linux Database.
  • CPanel hosting provides Cage FS and CloudLinus as well.
  • Can freely access 0365 emails for a year.

2. Managed WordPress

Managed WordPress is an optimized, streamlined web hosting server for creating and maintaining WordPress sites. It focuses on making the website secure. It does all the administrative tasks and lets the clients concentrate on the developing and editing features of the website. 

The only drawback is that only the websites created using WordPress can be hosted in Managed WordPress. This means that if a website is created or designed in any other application apart from WordPress, it will not be supported by Managed WordPress. Overall, Managed WordPress is very simple and easy to use.

Perks of WordPress:

  • Inbuilt malware scan.
  • Website migration happens automatically.
  • Staging site – This is where the created website can be tested before making it available on the world wide web.
  • WP-CLI and GIT can be accessed using SSH
  • Grants free access to PHPMyAdmin, File manager, and SFTP.
  • Continued security monitoring
  • Protection against DDoS attack. 

3. Dedicated Servers

Dedicated Servers are specially designed for enterprise-level users and web professionals. Complete isolation can be offered by these Servers. These servers have very few limitations. The entire server can be configured according to the needs of the client. 

Dedicated Servers have Web Host Manager (WHM) which enables the user to have complete control over the server including account customization and managing all the aspects of the server. Web Host Manager (WHM) is used in Linux-based machines.

Perks of Dedicated Servers:

  • Web Host Manager (WHM).
  • Provides high-end security and control.
  • Distributed Denial Of Service (DDoS) Protection.
  • Offers high performance.
  • Gives root access.

4. Windows Hosting With Plesk

Windows Hosting with Plesk is said to be a web hosting data center. Plesk is very easy to use. Plesk is incorporated with Windows Hosting to provide a user-friendly interface. Windows Hosting with Plesk is applicable to all, as it does not require any in-depth knowledge of the technology. 

Perks of Windows Hosting with Plesk:

  • Consists of a Backup and recovery console.
  • Onyx Plesk
  • Dedicated IP address.
  • Ability to install numerous free applications.
  • DDoS protection and security monitoring.
  • 1GB storage in MySQL.
  • 200MB storage in the MSSQL database.
  • Can freely access 0365 emails for a year.

5. Virtual Private Server (VPS)

Just like a Dedicated Server, Virtual Private Server can also be customized according to the needs and preferences of the clients. Virtual Private Server provides high performance. They are said to be more secure and flexible. Virtual Private Server offers various resources with a faster loading time. They grant root access and enable the user to take complete control over the server. 

Any number of applications can be installed without any limitations. Through this server logins and system, files can also be accessed and edited. Virtual Private Server uses Plesk for windows machines and Web Host Manager (WHM) is used in Linux-based machines.

Perks of Virtual Private Server (VPS):

  • Inbuilt mail server.
  • Inbuilt Database servers.
  • Suitable environments for testing.
  • Isolated workspace.
  • Take complete control of the server.

6. Business Hosting

Business Hosting is said to possess more or less the same properties as Virtual Private Servers. They have the same performance and power. 4 CPUs and 32 GB of RAM are offered by Business Hosting. 

This Hosting provides a free SSL certificate and a high level of security. Business Hosting is suitable for E-Commerce websites. But they do not offer root access. Business Hosting can not be customized according to the clients. Open ports and server log changes can not be carried out through Business Hosting.

Perks of Business Hosting:

  • Has an SSL that is integrated into the primary domain.
  • Easy installation of applications.
  • Limitless databases and domains.
  • User-friendly control panel.
  • Dedicated IP address.

To Summarize

In order to choose a suitable website hosting server plan, it is necessary to take into consideration all the needs of the clients. Out of all the servers out there, only the hosting server plans that provide complete satisfaction to the clients and that can carry out the desired function of the client, must be chosen.

Deciding The Most Suitable Hosting Server For Your Client

Finding the right hosting server for the client is not quite easy. Especially when different hosting services carry out various functions. Nevertheless, to say, it is absolutely necessary to find the perfect match for the client, who will be able to perform the required functions. 

Hosting Server – An Overview

A hosting server is where a website is hosted. A website along with its data is hosted on a web server. Companies and organizations pay the server to host their website. The server can also store databases that might contain credentials and usernames of the customers. Here are a few features that should be considered before purchasing or selecting a web hosting server.

1. Ratings And Reviews

This is the basic feature that most of the users look into, reviews from previous and current users can make it easy for the new users to understand the problems that might occur, the benefits of the product, and an honest opinion regarding the server from a client perspective.

2. Customer Support

Imagine having hurdles along the way, without an effective customer support team, no one can get past it. It is quite properly known that high-priced plans have better customer service than others. A company with good customer care always stands out.

3. Cost

Make sure that the cost of the hosting server is well within the budget of the client. Several low-budget plans are provided which are very much applicable for startup companies and small organizations.

4. Performance

The performance of a website is based on scalability, bandwidth, and server technology. Make sure all these are checked before purchasing a web hosting server.

Types Of Hosting

The few different hosting that is discussed here are; WordPress hosting, Cloud hosting, Shared hosting, Dedicated hosting, and VPS hosting. These provide a brief description of each of the different hosting servers.

1. WordPress Hosting

WordPress is an open-source CMS (Content Management System). It is free software written in PHP. It consists of Maria Database and MySQL Database. It has various plugins and templates. They are easy to use and are dependable. Only the websites created through WordPress can be hosted on the WordPress hosting server. 

Websites that are created or developed from other applications are not supported in WordPress hosting. This is said to be a drawback of WordPress hosting. Overall, this hosting provides security and a testing environment which are much liked by the clients. 

2. Clustered Hosting

To Achieve Better resource utilization, multiple servers are used to host the same website, this is known as Clustered hosting. Clustered hosting possesses many beneficial features. This type of hosting makes sure that web serving is separated from hosting database capability.

3. Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting makes it possible for users to access resources from different servers of the same network. Cloud hosting is well equipped to be resistant against black hat hackers. Cloud hosting is very much preferred and used by huge corporations and organizations. They have high-end security that protects the website from major breaches. It makes sure that the website is secure at all times. 

These hosting servers are said to be more reliable than VPS hosting servers. This hosting is proven to have better performance and high scalability when compared to VPS hosting servers. For clients with high traffic, Cloud hosting is the best choice. 

4. Shared Hosting

This is the much preferred hosting type for a starter. Shared hosting comes in handy for all the small organizations which do not have a lot of traffic. This hosting type is very budget-friendly. In a Shared hosting server, a single server is shared by many other websites. This type of hosting is very applicable for clients with low budgets and websites with less traffic. 

Once the traffic gets higher the website can be switched to other hosting servers with a higher performance range. If there is high traffic for any one of the websites on the server, it slows all the websites that are stored on the server. 

5. Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is said to be very secure when compared to others. It is best for clients who focus on security and need to access a lot of data from other resources. This hosting make sure that no other client uses the same server. It is more reliable and flexible, compared to shared hosting. The clients will have entire control of the server including the hardware and operating system.

6. VPS Hosting

It is said that large firms and huge organizations choose VPS hosting. A Virtual Private Server (VPS) provides a service where the virtual machine is sold by web hosting services. A virtual private server (VPS) offers the customer’s superuser privileges. This will enable the clients to install any software on the server that runs on the operating system. 

A virtual private server is quite similar to shared hosting. VPS is a suitable choice for a website with large traffic. Even if a site has huge traffic, it will not slow down any of the other websites on the server. A virtual private server is chosen by clients with a heavy base for good performance.

Taking into consideration all the needs and the requirements of the customer and filtering the hosting servers based on the functions they perform and the features they possess and narrowing it even more by considering the cost of the hosting servers will enable the user to purchase the best-suited hosting server.

Conclusion

Many web hosting services provide various hosting packages that can be customizable according to the preferred needs of the client. But in order to find a suitable hosting server, the user should analyze the features of the website and then conclude the apt web hosting server. Make sure to select a reputed server and beware of scams while purchasing a hosting server. It is important to check whether the hosting site is legit or not.

Things To Consider While Picking A Hosting Server For A Client Website

All web developers very well know how important it is to understand their client’s requirements to build their websites. With such a plethora of web hosting services available on the internet, finding the best web hosting service might become a daunting task. But with a bit of research and exploration, one can easily pick the perfect hosting server for a client’s website according to their needs.

The hosting server for a client website must be picked carefully; the host you choose is not only responsible for the website staying online but is also responsible for data security and confidentiality. The fate of the website is reliant on the web host – A good host will ensure the success of your website, and a bad one will ensure failure and be a waste of time and money. In this article, 7 things to consider while picking a hosting server for a client website will be discussed – 

1. Types Of Hosting Offered

Different kinds of services are offered by most hosting providers. Shared hosting is the best option for a new website with relatively less traffic. But, you must look for options like Cloud Hosting and Virtual Private Server (VPS) if you’re looking for more bandwidth, or need more power to run extensions/software on your website.

One might also want to look at whether the hosting is managed or unmanaged, considering the important role management plays in website deployment and hosting. The hosting provider takes care of things like software updates and security in managed hosting. This is a good option for webmasters at the beginner stage.

2. Customer Service And Support

In the 21st century, most businesses are web-dependent, and downtime of their website would result in a heavy loss of visitors and sales. Responsive and accessible support is very critical for a hosting service provider. In the case of an attack on your website, or sudden downtime due to unknown reasons, an efficient support team comes to your rescue with a solution to the issue.

One can call the customer support line before purchasing any plan on its website to test the technical knowledge of the team. Also, it is necessary to ensure that the web host has multiple channels (email, phone, live chat, etc.) to reach a support representative so that you receive immediate assistance. 

3. Features

Each hosting provider has different features to offer, and one must pick the hosting provider that offers the features that one needs.

Look at how the data will be stored, to start comparing. Economically viable but practically unsafe methods like Hard drives, which are economically viable, but prone to mechanical failure, are used by some budget hosting providers. One must stay wary of this kind of compromised data storage and hosting facilities. You must look for – 

  • Solid-state drives (SSD), are more reliable and speed up the website, thanks to quicker data transmission. 
  • Automatic backups, for safety against unpredictable server outages and to ensure quick recovery time for down websites.
  • Efficient control panels/dashboards for quick access to the website backend

4. Location Of The Server

Vocal for Local, basically, is what one must follow here. The proximity of your servers to your audience is directly proportional to the loading time for your website pages. The nearer servers are, the quicker your website loads for your visitors. The best hosting provider is the one that has multiple server locations and lets you choose the one you want. 

Providers like XYZ Hosting also have the option to host your website in environmental-friendly data centers, so be sure to check it out. You might want to consider a web host with access to Content Delivery Network (CDN), such as Cloudflare and Akamai. CDN, basically creates cached copies of your website data and stores it in servers all over the world, so that visitors from any corner of the world can experience fast page loading. 

5. Specialization

Most hosting providers are generalized – they do not cater only to a particular sect of hosting. But, there are few companies that specialize in certain types of hosting. Hosts like XYZ Hosting and ABC Hosting dedicate their infrastructure to manage  WordPress hosting. This makes complete sense when one is planning to use WordPress as their Content Management System (CMS).

6. Security

Fun Fact – A completely harmless site can be punished for being on the same servers as a hacked website.

Thanks to the growth of cyber-attacks, cybersafety, and web security are more important than ever. A malicious attack on your website can affect your as well as your visitors’ devices. Even if the attack originated from a security breach, the creator of the website is held liable for all the damage originating from the website.

Not taking security seriously can result in huge losses as the SEO ranking drops, and the website is not seen in search engine searches. Hosting service with 24/7 guarded data centers and threat monitoring is worth considering in your list of hosting servers. 

7. Pricing

Alright. So now, you have a list of potential hosting servers that could cater to your needs. Now, the last aspect to consider comes into play – Pricing. One needs to understand what exactly his/her client needs in the website and purchase a hosting plan accordingly. At this stage, one might also consider looking at feedback from webmasters who have experience using web hosting services. 

Few Final words

Each aspect is just as important when picking a hosting server for a client website. If you keep in mind the seven things to check – Types of hosting, Customer support, Features, Server location, Specialisation, Security, and Pricing, you are sure to find the perfect website hosting service for your client. No aspect must be left unconsidered since, in today’s advancing world, it is very necessary to have a very strong web presence, which in turn depends upon the website uptime, which depends upon the hosting service of the website.